Posted on 12/08/2014 6:22:25 AM PST by marshmallow
Pope Francis has given an exclusive interview to the Argentine daily La Nacion
Holy Communion is not the solution to the pastoral challenges facing divorced and re-married Catholics, Pope Francis has said.
In an interview with the Argentine daily newspaper, La Nacion, in which he discussed the family synod, the challenges of his papacy and reforming the Roman Curia, Pope Francis said: “In the case of divorcees who have remarried, we posed the question, what do we do with them? What door can we allow them to open? This was a pastoral concern: will we allow them to go to Communion? Communion alone is no solution.
“The solution is integration. They have not been excommunicated, true. But they cannot be godfathers to any child being baptised, mass readings are not for divorcees, they cannot give Communion, they cannot teach Sunday school, there are about seven things that they cannot do, I have the list over there. Come on! If I disclose any of this it will seem that they have been excommunicated in fact. Thus, let us open the doors a bit more.”
The Pope continued: “Why can’t they be godfathers and godmothers? ‘No, no, no, what testimony will they be giving their godson?’ The testimony of a man and a woman saying ‘my dear, I made a mistake, I was wrong here, but I believe our Lord loves me, I want to follow God, I was not defeated by sin, I want to move on’. Anything more Christian than that? And what if one of the political crooks among us, corrupt people, are chosen to be somebody´s godfather. If they are properly wedded by the Church, would we accept them? What kind of testimony will they give to their godson? A testimony of corruption? Things need to change, our standards.....
(Excerpt) Read more at catholicherald.co.uk ...
This sentence would read just fine without the word "alone".
As it is, I understand this to mean that there are indeed certain circumstances under which Communion for the divorced would be acceptable.
The remark about "political crooks" is a fine example of the debating technique known as "diversion". It also ignores the clear theological difference between living continuously in a state of sin as a matter of every day fact and sinning frequently or gravely.
The answer is not in the Papacy. It’s not in any LAW. The law was replaced by grace. That’s the entire reason for the Gospel.
It’s in scripture. 2 Corinthians 5:17 handles it for a lot of cases.....
As a mother of young impressionable children I would not want a divorced catholic who was in an adulterous relationship teaching my children that that was OK. Breaking a solemn vow taken during the reception of a sacrament is not something I want my kids to view as an acceptable thing to do.
The problem is as follows. A sin that we continue to commit and are unrepentant for is not forgiven or absolved. It is not possible to live in a state of grace while willfully disobeying God. What the Pope is attempting to do is to rewrite the 10 commandments because someone finds them offensive, because he is worried about empty pews. The bible is very clear that there are many who will not enter into God’s kingdom because of their prideful insistence to live a life of sin that does not follow God’s laws. In John’s gospel, Jesus says to the woman at the well, “go and sin no more” This is absolutely not the same as saying, you know what your right adultery is not a big deal and I wouldn’t want you to feel bad about yourself.
As far as the reception of communion goes... Catholics believe that it puts a person’s immortal soul in danger of damnation if a person willingly consumes the Eucharist in a state of mortal sin. Adultery is a mortal sin. Priests do not consider withholding communion from people out of some kind of punishment or to make those who do receive feel more righteous than others. Denial of communion to a person who lives in mortal sin, is done out of care and concern for the person who is receiving the sacrament while not in a state of grace. So the question is, Why is Francis asking his priests to give the Eucharist to people to whom it may cause eternal suffering?
No more laws?
Awesome!
What about the one which says...."What God has joined together, let no man put asunder"??
nice try - really, don’t insult everyone’s intelligence by pretending no to understand what was meant by LAW.
We are NO LONGER UNDER THE LAW - maybe read the New Testament for a change. And you are totally lost as to what I meant by 2 Cor 5:17 obviously.
Maybe go read that specifically.....
Well you have to take the Mark 9:10 ‘What God has joined together, let no man put asunder” and DO NOT TAKE IT OUT OF CONTEXT;..the next scripture is where that explanation takes place, and cross reference with places in Bible:
…11And He said to them, “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another woman commits adultery against her; 12and if she herself divorces her husband and marries another man, she is committing adultery.”
Cross References
Matthew 5:32
But I tell you that anyone who divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, makes her the victim of adultery, and anyone who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
So to be truthful, this scripture reference notes they can divorce for sexual immorality! The scriptures are about the married persons and not the church itself. NO MAN PUT ASUNDER...that is the act itself within the marriage.
Each denomination whatever they may be have their own doctrine on divorce and remarriage, but this passage and the cross reference are answering the question asked about divorce as it applies to the couple.
There is NO WAY God would hold accountable a spouse who had a cheater and the cheater left and married someone else...there are other scriptures that play into this, but so many TAKE OUT OF CONTEXT THE ANSWERS TO QUESTIONS IN THE BIBLE and expect everyone else to live by their lack of understanding. Foolish theology.
THEN YOU NEED TO REMEMBER THERE IS ONLY ONE UNFORGIVABLE SIN AND THAT IS BLASPHEMY AGAINST THE HOLY SPIRIT.
The Bible says to him who believes it is sin, it is sin.
So that is all I have to say about it, and I will not argue God’s Word. That too is Biblical.
The Bible Interprets itself, as it says ‘the Holy Spirit will teach you the deep things of God.”
So actually, we can see in Mark 19:9 the concept of nullity (or that a marriage never took place, so in that instance it's permissible to marry as the first marriage never actually took place even if it appeared to occur). Not that divorce and remarriage is ever permissible.
It's understandable (and permissible) if a couple wish to seperate for a while after infidelity, or even stay seperated, but they aren't able to remarry. Unless it can be shown the first marriage never existed (nullity). For example, if it can be proven the cheating spouse never intended to remain faithful to the other, even when taking the wedding vows. I'm sure that would be proof of nullity.
Oh Please....I do not buy into Catholic Marriage crap.
Marriage is marriage and MAN (priests) cannot annul it, period.
God gave a place for divorce, when the spouse is innocent. All the Catholic rhetoric about not having happened is bogus. So believe as you will, I find it heresy.
It’s more sane to believe that God knows exactly what happened and will act accordingly in the hereafter! Remarriage or NOT.
My apologies, it’s your faith, not mine. You have a right to believe as you will. I just do not agree.
I should not have called it a heresy, but I object to anything being annulled unless it is by law and for the right reasons. Too easy for the adulterer to get the annulment in the Catholic Church and remarry with their blessings.
God forgives sin...and he wipes it away, man is not allowed to assert himself to God’s position, imho.
I refuse to discuss this as it appears we have no common ground here.
“Things need to change, our standards need to change.”
Dear Lord, save us from this heretic. Thwart him in his efforts to lead souls to Hell.
Amen.
“The Bible Interprets itself”
Wow! (Slapping forehead). Satan is really slick. That one is almost as bad as “Hitler was a right-winger.”
“I do not buy into Catholic Marriage crap.”
You should really make some effort to learn what it is before you decide to reject it.
Catholics do not believe that a priest can annul a marriage.
Homos: Good. Heteros: Bad.
Got it. Give leeway to homosexuals, but crack down on heterosexuals.
Amen, brother!
The thread is about the indissolubility of matrimony and the pastoral treatment of those in second marriages.
Any relevant comments...........other than the standard canned spam about grace and the law?
Got it. Thanks.
For your homework, read Ephesians and the spousal relationship between Christ and His Bride, the Church.
If I can get a divorce, then so can Christ.
C Edmund Wright, we know you are a Catholic critic. You don’t have to remind us.
That being said, surely you are not saying that people living in a permanent state of adultery are forgiven by grace alone? That is so twisted in so many ways.
Who cares what your opinion is? Are you some sort of a sage that your opinion can replace years of holy tradition?
The Bible is our book of instruction...NOT tradition nor Priests. Goodbye.
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