Seems to me that the bishops are struggling to reconcile a couple of very important teachings from Christ as they apply to remarriages. We are all sinners. In the parable of the prodigal son, the father took back his 'lost son' with open arms when he repented. In similar fashion, Christ showed his willingness to talk with the woman at the well, and the woman who was about to be stoned....telling one to 'go and sin no more' and telling the other 'if these won't condemn you, neither will I'.

So, Christ taught us to interact with sinners and accept/forgive them when they repented. The challenge: how do we apply these lessons to those that have remarried? When they repent for the mistakes that resulted in this situation, what is the path that the Church has for welcoming them back after they repent? Currently, folks in this position can find themselves as pariahs outside the Church even though we, as individual Catholics, may empathize and feel that some forgiveness and understanding is in order.

It's an important question to make sure we are clear on. Worthy of a synod that allows some different points of view to surface for awhile. Ultimately, the Pope will need to make a decision.

Cardinal George is right. It's possible that Pope Francis really isn't sure what, if anything, should be done on the marriage question. He's hearing different viewpoints from different bishops. A year long synod does serve to get all the different viewpoints out on the table. If he's unsure, providing an opinion at this point would tend to sway the conversation. He's probably hoping for a consensus to evolve over time. Unfortunately, that approach will result in confusion for awhile.

I believe that Pope Francis is a person that communicates most clearly by his actions, not his words. He clearly is trying to provide an example of how his bishops need to get out in public more -- deal with sinners in the world. From my perspective, that message is right on target. Christ led his apostles. Likewise, he is reaching out to leaders of other churches to start a dialogue that may open the door to their coming home. He has not said to any of these leaders that he is changing Church doctrine to make it more appealing to their own misguided notions.

Don't get me wrong...it would be nice if Francis were a better verbal communicator. I'm hopeful he'll get better. I do see signs of improvement. He refrained from issuing any statements at the recent synod....preferring to let the discussion evolve through the voices of others at this time.

The divorce/remarriage issue is more challenging than it first appears. Our faith tells us that all can be redeemed....no matter how grievously we have sinned. Think of the Prodigal Son -- despite his grievous denial and abandonment of his father, upon repenting, the father welcomed back the lost sheep. But, how does this principle apply to a Catholic who has strayed by divorcing and then remarrying and raising a new family? In this case, a man or woman who repents and asks forgiveness for his/her failure does not really have the ability to 'undo the wrong' by abandoning the new spouse and children. Two 'wrongs' don't make a 'right'. What is the path forward to such individuals in the Church? I don't have an answer to this, and believe this is a good topic for the bishops to work through to help these lost souls find the Lord and live in his good graces.

It's surprising that the 'princes of the church' appear to be so confused on this point. Yes, Christ spoke the language of the people. Yes, Christ brought the message to a world of sinners. No, Christ did not avoid letting people know what the proper path is. Time for the church leaders to get back to the basic message and techniques presented in the gospel. When was the last time we've heard a good parable from a cardinal?

Thanks for sharing, Irapuato. Cardinal Burke is absolutely correct -- the scriptures are clear that divorce and remarriage is an adulterous act. Any who have gone this road have stepped from the Lord like the prodigal son. Where the synod can help, is to clarify what steps the 'prodigal son' must now take to return in good graces to the family of God....and the family of Church. We believe in redemption. What does that look like for such individuals? How can the Church best help such individuals to return to the right path?