VATICAN CITY — A major meeting that Pope Francis convened to help the Catholic Church improve its outreach to diverse modern families ended Saturday with a summary paper that removed earlier, revolutionary language that cited the value of same-sex and divorced families.
Critics of the pope were celebrating Saturday, with conservative Catholics cheering the reaffirmation that God prefers the traditional family.
The two-week meeting in Rome hadn’t been expected to result in changes to traditional doctrine, but the rare sight of cardinals debating matters such as whether same-sex couples can be called “partners” floored many Catholics.
More-liberal Catholics said Saturday that it was a victory for the church to even have such conversations, although many expressed disappointment with the paper.
“The language of compromise was eviscerated from Monday’s summary,” said Patrick Hornbeck, chair of theology at Fordham University, a Catholic institution. “The bishops who were more prophetic and progressive have found themselves drowned out by a chorus of hesitation and concern.”
The summary Saturday reflected deep divisions in the world’s largest Christian church as it tries to regain a connection with 21st century families while sticking to its doctrines.
Traditional bishops had spoken publicly and angrily in the past few days against the more open language in the draft document, saying it was a dangerous betrayal and potentially heretical. Some said the church eventually could be headed for division.
The Synod on the Family was meant to launch a year of discussion in the church and lead to another gathering in the fall of 2015, when possible changes to teaching and practice will be made.
In a 10-minute speech at the end of the closed meeting, Pope Francis sought to walk a middle line. He said the church can neither “throw stones” at sinners nor be too accommodating to “a worldly spirit.” He was given a five-minute standing ovation, according to the Vatican press office.
Some longtime Vatican-watchers saw reports of bitter politics inside the synod as a proxy for feelings about Francis. The pope approved the small group of top clergy who on Monday released the mid-meeting summary paper, which said the church must “turn respectfully” to people in relationships it once labeled “disordered,” such as unmarried couples who live together or same-sex couples who are raising children.
The document at times used language that echoed a therapeutic, self-help style: People must “take care of themselves, to know their inner being, and to live in greater harmony with their emotions and sentiments.”
The backlash from conservatives was swift. “The message that has gone out is not true,” South African Cardinal Wilfrid Napier said Tuesday.
“I certainly hope that this document will be set aside completely and there will be an effort made to present the church’s true teaching and pastoral practice,” said American Cardinal Raymond Burke, head of the Vatican’s high court.
New Ways Ministry, which advocates for gay equality in the church, said the summary on Saturday “significantly backtracks on LGBT issues” compared with Monday’s document but isn’t the final word.
