by Melani Manel Perera

Fr Reid Shelton Fernando reflects on what the Extraordinary Synod on the family might produce. We should not give "a licence that everything goes" but meet the problems of today's family with today's methods.

Colombo (AsiaNews) - The Extraordinary Synod on the family currently underway at the Vatican (5-19 October) should come up with an "approach to evangelisation and the family that is pastoral, not legalistic" without "giving a licence that anything goes," said Fr Reid Shelton Fernando, theologian and social activist.

The Synod, the clergyman noted, must provide answers to problems that families face in today's society. To do this, it is important to let ourselves be "inspired" by the pope himself.

"His approach towards dialogue is a new change that must be taken seriously," Fr Fernando explained. "His attitude toward sinners, fundamentalists and atheists should be welcomed by local churches, which tend to condemn rather than open their doors."

"The family is the basic unit of society," the theologian said. "The general theme of mercy, that the pope mentioned on several occasions so as to be on the side of the poor and those who suffer, should also be applied to families."

Looking at how the Church in Sri Lanka prepared itself for the Synod, Fr Fernando said, "When the preparatory document with 38 questions for the world's bishops was presented, one of its provision called for it to be widely circulated, even among the laity. Unfortunately, Sri Lankan families were not given the opportunity to respond. Only bishops involved in pastoral care of the laity did. This was a serious flaw in our Church."

• sri
• lanka
• synod
• bishops
• family