Why does this make me nervous?
But he asked them to arrive early so that they could spend time discussing one of Francis’ signature themes: shifting the church’s approach on controversial topics like divorce and remarriage, cohabitation, gay marriage and contraception.
Fran........wrong will never be right. Flexibility is for Gumby.
Makes it sound as though the Church's social justice mission is paramount, while doctrine is just a pesky distraction to a community organizing "people's church" in which social outreach trumps the mission for the salvation of souls.
I hope the outcome is very serious pressure on parish priests to actually prepare couples for Catholic marriage, not look the other way at co-habiting and other accommodations to worldliness, such as intent to have just one or two children in order to maintain a certain standard of living, or to keep partying like they are single.
Catholics are supposed to live right and make it last and be unselfish and affectionate in their marriages. Priests can’t just say “at least they’re getting married in church”. Marriage is for mature people, and priests who want to be “nice” are doing couples a disservice by soft-pedaling what God is asking of us, and not explaining why such effort is totally worth it, because it offers a truly happy and lasting marriage.
And all I can keep thinking is : Why is this even on the table?