Bishop Mario Grech, one of the co-signatories of the controversial “Maltese Guidelines” on Chapter 8 of Amoris Laetitia, has defended the document in a radio interview.
He told listeners Jan. 21 on RTK, a Church radio satation, that the guidelines are not opposed to the Magisterium, and urged reading them “as they are” rather than what is written about them in the media.
Critics have argued that the document contradicts Church teaching; the Maltese Bishop of Gozo insisted that the guidelines need “further reflection, study and prayer” in order to “assimilate them properly.”
Bishop Grech said both he and Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta had only one desire: to help others “encounter Christ the Saviour.”
Here below is the full transcript of his comments:
MY COMMENTS (not the transcript):
Bishop Grech said both he and Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta had only one desire: to help others “encounter Christ the Saviour.”
By encouraging committing of adultery, blasphemy, and sacrilege?
The teaching of the Church regarding marriage, sin, the sacraments remains and does not change. Liar. All three change with your guidelines.
And put your minds at rest; because ourselves, your Bishops, we are very attentive towards all this and take seriously our responsibility, both in front of God and in front of history, of the teaching by which we lead you. Obviously not nearly enough. You either don’t really believe in God, the Real Presence, or judgment. Or all three.
I appreciate the trust which the great majority have in us bishops, but at the same time it pains me when I notice that, among the flock, there are those who are not only rigid (strict) towards themselves, but would also be rigid towards others, and so are confusing you. Well, looky there! Francis' favorite dissing word: rigid. I'm shocked.
So now those of us who are "rigid" are confusing others, too? Wow, a twofer!
If you want a guarantee that our teaching is that of the Church, I assure you that myself and the Archbishop are in complete unity with Pope Francis. Notice he doesn’t say they're in unity with the Magisterium. Francis<>Magisterium.
In the Church, to be in communion with the Pope has always been, and remains, a criterion which offers a guarantee that a teaching is authentic. That’s another lie. Not if he's a heretic.
The fact that the criteria which we issued a week ago were published in the newspaper of the Holy See, L’Osservatore Romano, confirms that the doctrine given by us bishops, is not opposed to what is known as the Magisterium of the Church. No, it means that it's not opposed to the heretic or the heretic’s newspaper. It has nothing to do with the Magisterium. Another lie.
Whoever criticises us bishops – and criticises roughly and with lies – has a problem with Pope Francis; they are trying to hit us in order to get at him. Yes, we want to get at him – and get him out of the Chair of Peter. But not with lies, with the truth. You're the liar.
But in order that one may assimilate them properly there is need for further reflection, study and prayer. You mean like Cardinal Cupich said you need a conversion if you don't understand the infamous paragraph in Amoris Laetitia?
There are those whose intention is to communicate half of the truth. Like Francis and his henchmen (that includes you, Grech). You lie by omission (half of the truth), and just plain outright.
In this document there is no new teaching, but there is a new pastoral approach which addresses today’s problems. Liar. In 2,000 years, there hasn't been a single exception to receiving Communion while committing adultery, and now there is. That isn't a change?
And now the word "pastoral" is being used to cover a whole bunch of sins. How convenient.
And this is the first time in 2,000 years that there’s a problem with adultery? I’m dying laughing at you.
...
we bishops have returned to the well-spring of the Gospel and to those principles of Moral Theology that were taught by great saints such as St Alphonsus of Liguori and St Thomas (Aquinas). How DARE you make them complicit in your heresy. If they were alive today they'd spit in your face.
This is a new wine that the Church would like to offer all to taste. New wine; but served in old barrels. Yep, the new wine of permission to go to Communion in grave sin while served in the old barrel of a heresy.
Our desire is only one; that we help you encounter Christ the Saviour. Nobody must be denied this meeting; not even the greatest sinner. Oh, now mass murderers can go to Communion if they feel "they're at peace with God"? How about serial rapists? How about Osama bin Laden if he were alive?
It is the encounter with Jesus which brings about conversion, and order to one’s life; and not first we convert (repent) and then He meets us. So, now you're saying that no one needs to go to repent and go to Confession before going to Communion? So I guess I was right about Osama -- he could go to Communion, convert (to the Catholic Church), and everything would be okeydokey.
You damned heretic. Jesus can’t possibly come soon enough.