This, from Vatican Insider - http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/sinodo-famiglia-42689/ Needless to say, there will be a lot of negativity coming from some forum members but we need to look to Pope Francis as our leader and guide instead of judging whether he says things we agree with or not. This is why Jesus gave us Peter! Pope Francis on Wednesday strongly called on the church to be welcoming to divorced and remarried persons. “These persons are not by any means excommunicated,” the pontiff said, repeating: “They are not excommunicated.” JOSHUA J. MCELWEEVATICAN CITY Pope Francis has again strongly called on Catholic communities to have a welcoming and merciful attitude to Christians who have remarried outside the church after a divorce, saying that such people “are not by any means excommunicated” and should be made to feel a part of their communities. In his first weekly general audience Wednesday after a month-long pause for the scorching Italian summer heat, the pontiff focused his remarks entirely on how the church should treat divorced and remarried persons. He said it does no good to try to keep them at a distance from the community. “If then we look at these new bonds also with the eyes of small children ... with the eyes of children, we see again the urgency to grow in our communities a real welcoming towards people that live in such situations,” Francis told those gathered in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall for the audience. “How can we recommend to these parents to do all [they can] to educate their children in the Christian life, giving them the example of a sure and practiced faith, if we put them at a distance from the life of the community, as if they might have been excommunicated?” the pope asked. “These persons are not by any means excommunicated,” the pontiff said, repeating: “They are not excommunicated.” “It absolutely does not work to treat them as such,” he said. “They are always [to be] made part of the Church.” Francis has been speaking in his general audiences for the past months on different roles in the family and on situations facing families around the world, as a way of preparing for a global meeting of Catholic bishops on family life he has called for October. That meeting, known as a Synod, is the second of two the pontiff called for 2014 and 2015. One of the issues known to be at discussion among the hundreds of prelates attending is how the church treats divorced and remarried persons, who are currently prohibited from taking communion if they do not obtain an annulment of their first marriages. The pontiff opened his audience Wednesday by saying that while “the church knows well that such a situation contradicts the Christian sacrament,” it is always looking with the “heart of a mother” to seek out the good for people. He also called on priests “to manifest openly and coherently the availability of the community” to welcome and encourage divorced and remarried persons. Priests should be welcoming, Francis said, so that remarried persons “may live and grow always more in their belonging to Christ and to the Church with prayer, with listening to the Word of God, with attending the liturgy, with the Christian education of their children, with charity and service to the poor, with a commitment to justice and peace.” The Gospel reading opening the audience Wednesday was taken from Gospel of John, when Jesus tells the story of the Good Shepherd who knows their sheep and would choose to lay down their life for them. “The biblical symbol of the Good Shepherd summarizes the mission that Jesus received from the Father: that of giving his life for the sheep,” said the pope. “Such an attitude is a model also for the church, that welcomes her children as a mother that gives her life for them.” Quoting from his apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium (“The Joy of the Gospel”), the pontiff said: “The church is called to always be the open house of the father.” “No closed doors,” he told the audience, repeating: “No closed doors!” [Joshua J. McElwee is Vatican Correspondent for the National Catholic Reporter.]
Nothing the Holy Father say's in here is contrary to our faith. He surely is not saying, as Jesus said to Mary Magdalene, to "go and sin no more", but he also has not invited them to receive Eucharist. I that ever happens we have reason for concern.
This ain't exactly news ... is it? The Church has never considered divorced Catholics as "Lost Souls" .... but looking back on 60+ years of observation I can assure you that the "Welcome Mat" was NOT out in a bunch of Catholic Parishes. When ya get old, Ya tend to become cynical for a host of good reasons. I'm guessing that the "Welcome Mat" is being mandated now is more about $$$ than anything else. Sadly, the divorce rate for Catholics is "right up there" with everyone else and if there is no "Welcome Mat" there is ............ not enough $$$$ to fix the Church roof, keep the schools open .... or pay for all the, never ending, homosexual sex abuse scandals http://minnesota.publicradio.org/collections/catholic-church/ GOD SAVE ALL HERE!
No one ever said they were excommunicated to my knowledge, so this is a bit of a straw man. What a prior pope has said however, cannot be contradicted. Pope St. John Paul II: Apostolic exhortation Familiaris Consortio (n. 84): "[T]he Church reaffirms her practice, which is based upon Sacred Scripture, of not admitting to Eucharistic Communion divorced persons who have remarried. They are unable to be admitted thereto from the fact that their state and condition of life objectively contradict that union of love between Christ and the Church which is signified and effected by the Eucharist. Besides this, there is another special pastoral reason: if these people were admitted to the Eucharist, the faithful would be led into error and confusion regarding the Church’s teaching about the indissolubility of marriage.” I'll defend this teaching of Pope St. JPII with my life if necessary, no matter how many pejoratives the progressives employ towards those who defend the Faith in this regard.
Here is an official translation of a part of the Pope's address, as provided by the Vatican website: Dear Brothers and Sisters: We return now to our catechesis on the family, by reflecting on the situation of our brothers and sisters who have divorced and entered a second union. Though their unions are contrary to the Sacrament of marriage, the Church, as a Mother, seeks the good and salvation of all her children. As these situations especially affect children, we are aware of a greater urgency to foster a true welcome for these families in our communities. For how can we encourage these parents to raise their children in the Christian life, to give them an example of Christian faith, if we keep them at arm’s length? I am especially grateful to the many pastors, guided by my Predecessors, who have worked diligently to let these families know they are still a part of the Church. There is no easy solution for these situations, but we can and must always encourage these families to participate in the Church’s life, through prayer, listening to the Word of God, the Christian education of their children, and service to the poor. As the Good Shepherd gives his life for the sheep, so the Church as a Mother gives her life for all her children, by being always the “house of the Father, with doors wide open”. May everyone, especially Christian families, imitate the Good Shepherd, who knows all his sheep and excludes no one from his infinite love.
I still wonder what would happen and the thoughts be if they change the ruling and viewing on the annulment process. If it is considered that many of these divorced and remarried Catholics receive annulments from their prior marriage, then what? Will this be viewed as a loop hole? Would this be a change in dogma? I ask because I don't know. I just wonder how many Catholics truly entered into their marriage with a full understanding of their commitment and promise to God. I know I am guilty of being one who entered into marriage in the church at age 23 as a typical 23 year old who viewed marriage is what you do at that age and who truly did not appreciate the commitment to God as was looking past the service towards the reception and Honeymoon to follow. My wife and I were not faithful practicing Catholics at the time but did go through all the requirements to get married. I even had to be confirmed because my parents took me out of Catholic schools in 7th grade so I was never confirmed. We were so young and naive as to what true faith is and were Christmas and Easter Catholics only in those days and also the first 7 years of our marriage. I didn't' truly appreciate my faith until 2013 (13 years into marriage) and my wife is still not an active practicing Catholic (though she does go to mass maybe once a month now and is coming along slowly back to the faith. I don't pressure here at all just pray and trust). How many others out there are like me? Thankfully we never divorced. We almost did after our daughter died, but by the grace of God alone and after 3 months of separation we thankfully got back together.
Thanks Andy for your enlightening and edifying post- truely God's grace is manifest in your life. We can only love our loved ones into the Kingdom of God. We cannot and must not force them. That is the way God works with us!
What the Pope says goes without saying. Who could ague with it? Nothing new here. Though I am a little curious since it hardly needs saying as to why he said it.
I think in October we will know the clear position of Pope Francis on this issue. I don't honestly know what he will do. Pedro Regis messages have routinely warned about something dramatic happening within the Church that will shake the faith of many. Will this be the cause of it to take place?
Good analysis here: http://wdtprs.com/blog/2015/08/pope-francis-general-audience-on-the-divorced-and-remarried/
I honestly don't know myself and am filled with grave unease. But having prayed about all this months ago have decided to follow the Holy Father as a good Catholic should. I am not looking forward to the Synod though. Not at all.
Perhaps there will be so many other disturbances taking place in the world at the time it could make a big turn in the Synod. God has a way of disrupting our plans, especially when they may not be His.
Cardinal contends with Cardinal. Bishops disputes with Bishops. Enitre local Synods fall into rankest heresy. Priests no longer obedient set themselves in the place of the Pontiff. The flock of Christ wanders untended. ..and over all looming portends of Prophecy....
Yes. That is the very crisis we are in. There are thousands upon thousands of Catholics ....who through no real fault of their own......who have not been properly grounded in their faith ......when they were young or for whatever reason. Who are now perhaps in a second or third marriage etc.......who are now coming to true faith and living better lives for Christ. They are now craving the body of Christ .....and are beng denied because of divorce. How many Catholics have we all met .....and maybe we are one of them.....who have come to our faith later in life ......but are fortunate enough not to have previously divorced. Imagine starting your life in adulthood and coming to true faith in God and then being told .....that the body of Christ is not for you because of divorce. How many Catholics have we met or know personally......who were baptized as young children and confirmed .....but we're raised in homes where they didn't grow up learning much about Jesus. .......then they get married in the church because they marry a catholic.....who also never really knew Jesus personally or was taught well. This is what is going on. Now.......these people have turned their life to Jesus and know his love and mercy......but are denied his body and blood because of discisions they made not fully knowing of Jesus and living a life of faith. Where is mercy? Is not Jesus all mercy and love?. We are weak as water and we cannot save ourselves. We need Jesus. What about the couples who are married to spouses who won't marry them in the church after they convert? Are they to be denied because their marriage is not officially in the church? I have 2 friends who are denied the Eucharist because thier spouses won't marry them in catholic church blessing after they converted. This is sad. Jesus would truly not deny them. ...but the church does. What about contraception being allowed in cases of life threatening conditions? Where is mercy for them? Has the church become like the saducees and Pharisees and put burdens on the people they cannot bear? It use to be a mortal sin to eat meat on Friday.....but do you hear about that being enforced anymore? You don't hear about that even in most traditional churches . Pope Francis is the pope of Mercy and he will have much to suffer."....and it will be from his own people ....just like Christ. For he is the vicar of Christ.
My spiritual director is a bishop and we had a long talk yesterday about all this. He sees the sadness of so many couples and familïes and he sees that these people are crying out for mercy and for Jesus. These people are being judged by things they could not control and cannot fix. We are all wretched sinners. We are going to be judged on LOVE and Charity not our fleshy weaknesses. Even saint Paul talked about the wretched man he was. The good he wanted to do.....he could not do. We are saved by grace. We must have good works yes......but we cannot save ourselves. Jesus said forgive them ."...for they know not what they do" . This is what HE is saying again. So very many ....DO NOT KNOW WHAT THEY ARE DOING. SO MANY DID NOT KNOW. JESUS.....I CLING TO YOUR MERCY.
You've confused me a little here Padraig (which I admit is not that hard). I know what a "Special Synod" is but I don't think I've heard of a "local Synod" other than in Protestant Churches? Perhaps I am mistaken. As for "heretical" ones - which ones are you meaning?
About 10 months ago , A Synod pushed heretical ideas. Fortunately the teaching is clear. Know you not that the unjust shall not possess the kingdom of God? Do not err: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, 10Nor the effeminate, nor liers with mankind, nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor railers, nor extortioners, shall possess the kingdom of God. God.http://biblehub.com/drb/1_corinthians/6.htm
The church may have thier faith shaken this year or after ......but who will be shaken the most? When Jesus was in Israel preaching.....who did he shake the most? He cut to the core....the hearts of the saducees and Pharisees for thier hearts were hardened and lacked mercy. Is the church lacking mercy as in Jesus day? Have they laid on burdens to hard for the people to bear? Jesus gave us many parables of how those who we think are the greatest of sinners....were actuall the ones who would be first in the kingdom ......because they loved much and were forgiven much. The prodigal son returned and his father prepared a feast for him. Do we deny the prodigal sons and daughters thier feast? No.....we joyously feed them and rejoice for they have been forgiven.
Yes they will not inherit the kingdom because THEY REFUSE TO REPENT. We are talking about people in the church who love Jesus and have repented but because of the lack of knowledge or upbringing or conversions late in life.....want to be allowed the body of Christ. Do we deny them because of past sins they cannot fix? We ALL fall short of the kingdom of heaven. Those who will be denied the kingdom are those who deny Christ and refuse to repent.
