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The Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, popularly referred to as the Synod on the Family, was held in Vatican City on 5–19 October 2014 on the topic of Pastoral Challenges of the Family in the Context of Evangelization.〔〔 The synod was a gathering of 253 bishops and other participants in preparation for a larger synod with the same theme in October 2015.〔〔 The participants discussed problems facing the family today, including the effects of war, immigration, domestic violence, sexual orientation, polygamy, inter-religious marriages, cohabitation, the breakdown of marriage, and divorce and remarriage.〔 As presented in the media, the synod played out like a "daytime soap opera",〔 especially after publication of an interim working document was denounced by some participants as not a true reflection of the debate.〔 This occasioned an unprecedented decision to also publish the responses of the small committees that studied it.〔 The attention of the media was directed almost exclusively issues discussed in 3 paragraphs out of 62 in the synod's final report,〔 which concerned how to pastorally care for Catholics living in "irregular unions", including those civilly remarried after divorce (in particular their desire to receive the Eucharist),〔〔〔 unmarried cohabitating couples,〔〔 and especially gay Catholics.〔〔〔 The 2014 synod was also noted for a new prominence of African bishops.〔 ==Background== The synod was called on 8 October 2013〔 by Pope Francis who said he wished to "continue the reflection and journey of the whole Church, with the participation of leaders of the Episcopate from every corner of the world".〔 The Synod was meant to be the first of "two stages, forming a single organic unity" with the Fourteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops.〔 Later that month, Archbishop Lorenzo Baldisseri, Secretary General of the Synod of Bishops, sent a questionnaire〔(Vatican: Synod of Bishops - Extraordinary General Assembly - Pastoral Challenges to the Family in the Context of Evangelization - Preparatory Document, Vatican City 2013 ). Includes questionnaire to be circulated to Churches.〕〔 to episcopal conferences around the globe asking them to distribute it "immediately as widely as possible to deaneries and parishes so that input from local sources can be received".〔 The document, which includes 39 questions on 9 topic areas touching on themes such as contraception, same-sex unions, cohabitation by unwed couples, and marriage and divorce, marked "the first time the church's central hierarchy has asked for such input from grass-roots Catholics".〔 Responses were received from the synods of the Eastern Catholic Churches ''sui iuris'', the episcopal conferences, the departments of the Roman Curia, and the Union of Superiors General.〔 Over 90% of the episcopal conferences around the world sent responses.〔 In addition, over 800 other organizations,〔 including parishes, movements, groups, ecclesial associations, families, and both Catholic and non-Catholic academic institutions, also sent responses, which were categorized as observations.〔 These responses formed the basis of a preparatory document known as the ''Instrumentum Laboris''.〔 The Synod was "somewhat overwhelmed" by the tens of thousands of pages it received in response.〔 Archbishop Bruno Forte, selected by Pope Francis as the Syndod's special secretary, said before the Synod that "'the doctrine of the church is not up for discussion,' but the synod members will be called upon to find ways to improve the 'pastoral application' of church teachings, ways to explain it and to help Catholics live it."〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Third Extraordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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