The 2015 Ordinary General Synod of Bishops addressing the vocation and mission of the family in the Church and in the contemporary world presents a remarkable opportunity to develop the Church’s understanding of the Sacrament of Marriage and its wide-reaching effect on individuals, families, and society.
On September 8, 2015, His Eminence Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke, the Cardinal Patronus of the Sovereign Military Order of Malta, delivered a keynote address at Franciscan University addressing some of the concerns of the synod—particularly the pastoral response to divorced and remarried Catholics.
Following his address, Cardinal Burke was joined by eight panelists from various fields of theology and philosophy who spoke on various aspects of the Church teaching on the indissolubility of marriage and the scriptural and historical basis for this teaching.
From the Beginning: The Mission and Vocation of the Family in the Contemporary World brings together the proceedings of this event and includes the full text of Cardinal Burke’s presentation. Essays from panelists John Bergsma, Patrick Lee, Michael Sirilla, and others are included.