RELIGIONS NEWS AGENCY (REDNA) – Five conservative cardinals from Europe, Asia, Africa and the Americas have challenged Pope Francis to affirm Catholic teaching on homosexuality and female ordination ahead of a big Vatican meeting.
AP reported such hot-button issues are up for debate at the big Vatican coming meeting.
The cardinals on Monday published five questions they submitted to Francis, known as “dubia,” as well as an open letter to the Catholic faithful in which they outlined their concerns.
The cardinals said they felt duty-bound to inform the faithful “so that you may not be subject to confusion, error, and discouragement.”
The letter and questions were first published on the blogs of veteran Vatican reporter Sandro Magister and Messa in Latino two days before the start of a major three-week synod, or meeting, at the Vatican.
More than 450 bishops and laypeople are gathering behind closed doors to discuss the future of the Catholic Church following a two-year canvassing of rank-and-file Catholics around the globe.