But Cardinal Burke pointed out that a negative problem has been the media promotion of false expectations from Cardinal Kasper's intervention, creating the perception the Church can change its teaching or discipline.
"Priests and bishops have told me this has created a difficultly for them, because people are presenting themselves who are in irregular unions and who [think they] understand now they can receive the sacrament. But that can only come from the media," the cardinal said.
Cardinal Burke warned that the Church cannot have differences between its teachings and its disciplines, such as making annulments easier at the expense of determining the truth of whether there was a valid marriage or not, because "people are not stupid." He said people will come to the conclusion that the Church teaches one thing but is "hypocritical in its praxis."
"For the Catholic Church to say doctrine is one thing and disciple another, that simply cannot work," he said.
Catholic historian James Hitchcock agreed, noting that people "are influenced very much by what they see."
"If they see people divorced, remarried and being admitted to the sacraments, they're not going to involve themselves in some doctrinal question. They're going to say, 'See, the Church now recognizes this.'"
Father Dodaro, the editor of Remaining in the Truth of Christ, said Cardinal Kasper's proposal would negatively impact the credibility of the Church's voice during marriage preparation if it were implemented. He gave the example of a priest who had spoken to a couple in marriage preparation about marriage making them "one flesh in Christ."
"Then, at the end of that session ... the young man says to the woman, 'My parents are divorced and remarried and go to Communion. So what is the big deal?'"
Father Fessio said there have been some "positive consequences" as a result of Cardinal Kasper's intervention, which focused on a "very small issue with respect to the family worldwide."
"I believe worldwide attention has been drawn to this synod in a way that would not have been drawn otherwise," he said.
"Now, there is this tremendous opportunity for this synod … to address tremendous, practical pastoral problems the family is facing in our society."
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Cardinal Burke said he hass been approached by people with various pastoral concerns and approaches, which he hopes will be discussed and underlined at the synod.
"I expect it, but I have not yet seen a program for the discussion."
Father Dodaro said the synod could provide the Church a "good wake-up call" to focus on marriage and the family. He noted that the Church has a wealth of rich material on marriage and the family that the faithful and society need to be reminded of. He pointed out that Benedict XVI called on pastors to seek out the divorced and civilly remarried and "make them feel welcomed in the parishes." He added that Pope Francis urged African bishops back in April to implement John Paul II's vision in Familiaris Consortio.
"We have the teaching," he said. "The question, really, is finding pastoral strategies to implementing it more effectively."