Successful symposium on the family and the synods

140 participants at the international symposium on "AND GOD SAW THAT IT WAS VERY GOOD: Re-invigorating the Sacrament of Marriage and the Christian Family in Light of the 2014 and 2015 Synods" in Trumau

Married couples, renowned theologians and synod fathers and participants from Europe, the Middle East and Africa spoke at the international symposium in Trumau that sought to find answers to the questions raised in the synod process and also provide first impressions of Pope Francis' Apostolic Exhortation "Amoris laetitia". Participants came from all over the world, as far away as Australia and the United States, and included Catholics and other Christians from all walks of life, including bishops and priests, politicians, teachers and professors and of course many married couples. The entire ITI student body also participated in the symposium. At the center of the symposium stood the teaching of St. John Paul II on marriage and the family and how this teaching continues throughout the papacy of Pope Benedict and Pope Francis. The symposium also concluded with a umber of concrete proposals to support and promote sacramental marriage and the Christian family. Considering the great importance of the Holy Father's Exhortation on the family, students and faculty of the ITI will now start the process of carefully reading and discussing the document, leading to a follow-up symposium in April 2017.