Posted on 09/10/2016 4:16:21 PM PDT by ebb tide
In a letter reportedly leaked by a priest in Argentina, Pope Francis writes that there is “no other interpretation” of Amoris Laetitia other than one admitting divorced and remarried Catholics to Holy Communion in some cases. The letter, dated September 5, comes in response to a confidential document by the bishops of the Buenos Aires pastoral region to priests instructing them on the application of the Pope’s controversial apostolic exhortation. LifeSite has acquired copies of both original documents and has provided professional side-by-side translation.
The Spanish original of the letter from the Pope is here
The Spanish original of the bishops’ directive is here
LifeSiteNews’ translation of the Pope’s letter is here
LifeSiteNews’ translation of the bishops’ directive is here
The story was first published yesterday by the Spanish-language Catholic news service InfoCatolica and an anonymous Argentinean Catholic blogger whose blog is known as “The Wanderer.” The blogger has published photostatic copies of the original documents, and LifeSite has been informed that the blogger’s source is a priest in Buenos Aires. After consulting with sources, LifeSite believes that the blogger is trustworthy and that the copies of the letters are authentic.
The document by the bishops of the pastoral region of Buenos Aires interprets for priests in the region the 8th chapter of Amoris Laetitia on how to deal with couples who are remarried after divorces but have not been granted annulments. It follows closely the language of the most controversial parts of the papal exhortation including the infamous footnote 351, which opens the door to what Cardinal Raymond Burke and other faithful bishops have called “sacrilege.”
The bishops’ directive called “Basic Criteria for the Application of Chapter Eight of Amoris Laetitia” says that in “complex circumstances” when the remarried couple could not “obtain a declaration of nullity,” the priests can nevertheless move forward to grant them access to Holy Communion. If the priest recognizes that “in a particular case there are limitations that diminish responsibility and culpability (cf. 301-302), particularly when a person judges that he would fall into a subsequent fault by damaging the children of the new union,” says the directive, “Amoris Laetitia opens the possibility of access to the sacraments of Reconciliation and the Eucharist (cf. notes 336 and 351).”
The Pope’s letter affirms this path with effusive praise for the bishops’ work. Writing to the delegate of the Buenos Aires Pastoral Region, Monsignor Sergío Alfredo Fenoy, the Pope says, “I thank you for the work they have done on this: a true example of accompaniment for the priests.”
Pope Francis adds: “The document is very good and completely explains the meaning of chapter VIII of Amoris Laetitia. There are no other interpretations. And I am certain that it will do much good. May the Lord reward this effort of pastoral charity.”
The blogger who published the documents writes that the priests of the diocese met Thursday to discuss the matter. At the meeting, some priests were openly critical of both the bishops’ directive and the Pope’s document. The blogger adds that Cardinal Mario Poli was present at the meeting with a canon lawyer and that both contradicted the bishops’ directive, "clarifying that the Eucharist can only be received by those divorced and remarried who live together as brother and sister, maintaining chastity."
The leaked document is the first time there is explicit confirmation that Pope Francis interprets Amoris Laetitia as allowing communion for divorced and remarried Catholics without the condition that the couple in the irregular situation live as brother and sister without sexual relations, as was always required by the Church.
Neither the Vatican spokesman nor the chancery office of Buenos Aires were available for comment on this story.
LifeSite Paris correspondent Jeanne Smits contributed to this report.
Bishops that are faithful to the Word of God will ignore heretic Francis on this and all his other ramblings.
So is he speaking “ex cathedra” or not?
Changing whether one may partake in a sacrament would rather require it, no?
Lighten up, Francis.
Press says it’s a post-synodal apostolic exhortation, which sounds serious. Though it may just be hocking a loogie from an allergy or something.
As an ex-Catholic, I wonder about these big-deal people from the Pope on down aways. It’s not like they have an exclusive franchise from God. I’ve not been struck down yet, though I’m waiting.
Is Pope Francis the final pope?
That is too early to tell for sure. But if he is, he will be an antipope and the final Antichrist.
No, he's loqui de asinum.
Make sure you put no money in the Peter’s Pence collection. America could starve the Vatican.
There's a real Christian attitude....PATHETIC!!!
So are you pro-adultery and pro sacrilege of the Blessed Sacrament, terycarl?
It is a good idea..CCHD,CARITAS AND CRS are 3 “CATHOLIC charities” that are run by liberals and support planned parenthood,abortion groups and birth control for poor women..All 3 need to be starved of money...Think of it like this..By not getting any money from good,decent catholics,lives are being saved,especially unborn babies..You can`t murder babies and think it’s okay because you have helped others..You can`t pat yourself on the back for helping the poor,if you are murdering some of THem at the same time
I actually think it is a Christian attitude. I pray for Pope Francis and the church every day but
I won’t give my money to one who doesn’t support the Theology of the church.
I pray for drug addicts every day too but I wouldn’t buy them drugs.
God has allowed us to have this pope and I am sure that God will make good come from it. There have been bad popes before and as Jesus promised, the Church will prevail. I don’t talk bad about the pope but he is making it almost impossible to keep heads buried in the sand.
I only give to my local parish, the Holy Land collection and I used to give Peter’s Pence but no more.
Totally agree about the Pope.
Nice use of latina lingua.
It seems that at least many of the priests and Canon lawyers are actively fighting thus heresy.
He absolutely is not speaking ex cathedra.
First of all, he doesn’t say that he is speaking ex cathedra.
Second, since what he is saying is heretical, it is impossible that he is speaking ex cathedra, just as, if he denied the Resurrection, it would be self-evident that he was not speaking ex cathedra.
Bergoglio can deceive only people who are ignorant of the Catholic faith. Those who DESIRE the change he is promoting, although they know the truth, will, of course, pretend to have been deceived. E.g., Archbishop Blase Cupich and other Bergoglio schmoes.
My speech recognition software keeps saying he is speaking ex catheter.
Don’t forget their “work” on immigration (illegal) and refugees (muslim).
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