Posted on 03/01/2014 2:20:16 PM PST by NYer
That is my paraphrase of this story, which contains some direct, blunt words from the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith:
Just because many Catholics do not understand the Church’s teaching about the indissolubility of marriage, that does not mean the Church can change that teaching, said Cardinal Gerhard Müller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday — just days after the College of Cardinals held a two-day meeting to discuss the pastoral care of families — he said the widespread lack of understanding among Catholics about church doctrine was “lamentable.”
However, just because people don’t understand Jesus’ word doesn’t mean it can or should be changed, he said. “It would be paradoxical if the Church said, ‘Since not everyone knows the truth, the truth isn’t obligatory for the future.’”
Cardinal Müller then made this absolutely on-the-mark statement, one which goes to the heart of much of the confusion that exists among Catholics, as well as non-Catholics: "Doctrine and pastoral care are the same thing. Jesus Christ as pastor and Jesus Christ as teacher with his word are not two different people."
Exactly. For far too long there has been a false clash, or schism, foisted between the Church's theological doctrine and her pastoral care. The latter is always rooted in the former; it is the ground from which is grows and the source of its nourishment. For instance, what the Church teaches about sexual morality is rooted in her theological understanding—via divine revelation and supported by reason and natural law—of the nature of God, man and woman, charity, marriage, and so forth. When one's sexual passions and desires are cited as the foundation for changing the nature of marriage, sex, and charity, then confusion and destruction follow, because the foundation is made malleable and relative to transitory whims.
And:
Many Catholics “think marriage is just a festive gathering celebrated in church, but the spouses are giving their word,” promising to fully live in each other, in body and soul, in faith and in God’s grace, he said.
“There is no solution, since church dogma isn’t just some theory created by some theologians;” it represents “the word of Jesus Christ, which is very clear. I cannot change church doctrine.”
Nor can the Pope, who is not a creator or author of doctrine, but a defender and, when the need arises, a definer (or clarifier, if you will) of doctrine. But don't take my word for it; just read what the conciliar fathers said in "Lumen Gentium":
For then the Roman Pontiff is not pronouncing judgment as a private person, but as the supreme teacher of the universal Church, in whom the charism of infallibility of the Church itself is individually present, he is expounding or defending a doctrine of Catholic faith. The infallibility promised to the Church resides also in the body of Bishops, when that body exercises the supreme magisterium with the successor of Peter. To these definitions the assent of the Church can never be wanting, on account of the activity of that same Holy Spirit, by which the whole flock of Christ is preserved and progresses in unity of faith.
But when either the Roman Pontiff or the Body of Bishops together with him defines a judgment, they pronounce it in accordance with Revelation itself, which all are obliged to abide by and be in conformity with, that is, the Revelation which as written or orally handed down is transmitted in its entirety through the legitimate succession of bishops and especially in care of the Roman Pontiff himself, and which under the guiding light of the Spirit of truth is religiously preserved and faithfully expounded in the Church. The Roman Pontiff and the bishops, in view of their office and the importance of the matter, by fitting means diligently strive to inquire properly into that revelation and to give apt expression to its contents; but a new public revelation they do not accept as pertaining to the divine deposit of faith.
Note: expounding, defending, defines, prounounces, faithfully expounded, give apt expression, etc. As a wise man once noted: we can either try to conform reality to ourselves, or conform ourselves to reality, which ultimately means being conformed to Reality, that is, God.
Ping!
Thank you!
Most people everywhere are clueless about the definition of marriage... ask 100 people, you would get 100 answers.
I agree
Divorce is largely ok because so many consciences are so poorly formed that Catholics can no longer enter into valid marriages. Very sad. This situation is not going to easily change and the hierarchy is responding by recognizing the previous marriage regime, while better doesn’t hold in the post-Christian West.
Unfortunately, Cardinals Maradiaga (head of the Pope’s Gang o’ Eight), Marx and Kasper (the Pope’s “superb theologian”) all say Cardinal Mueller is wrong and he needs “to be a bit more flexible”, as Maradiaga puts it.
ALL CARDINALS are clueless about marriage
coz THEY NEVER BEEN MARRIED.
Oh man....Mensa material!!
They know what Our Lord said about marriage and that is what matters.
Here`s what Jesus said about marriage:
Mark 10:6-9
“But at the beginning of creation God ‘made them male and female.’ ‘For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.”
Here`s what other NT writers wrote about marriage:
Ephesians 5:22-33
Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife as Christ is the head of the church, his body, of which he is the Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit to their husbands in everything. Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless. In this same way, husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. After all, no one ever hated his own body, but he feeds and cares for it, just as Christ does the church— for we are members of his body. “For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh.” This is a profound mystery—but I am talking about Christ and the church. However, each one of you also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband.
Hebrews 13:4-7
Marriage should be honored by all, and the marriage bed kept pure, for God will judge the adulterer and all the sexually immoral. Keep your lives free from the love of money and be content with what you have, because God has said, “Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you.” So we say with confidence, “The Lord is my helper; I will not be afraid. What can man do to me?” Remember your leaders, who spoke the word of God to you. Consider the outcome of their way of life and imitate their faith.
Colossians 3:18-19
1 Corinthians 7:1-16
Now for the matters you wrote about: It is good for a man not to marry. But since there is so much immorality, each man should have his own wife, and each woman her own husband. The husband should fulfill his marital duty to his wife, and likewise the wife to her husband. The wife’s body does not belong to her alone but also to her husband. In the same way, the husband’s body does not belong to him alone but also to his wife. Do not deprive each other except by mutual consent and for a time, so that you may devote yourselves to prayer. Then come together again so that Satan will not tempt you because of your lack of self-control. I say this as a concession, not as a command. I wish that all men were as I am. But each man has his own gift from God; one has this gift, another has that. Now to the unmarried and the widows I say: It is good for them to stay unmarried, as I am. But if they cannot control themselves, they should marry, for it is better to marry than to burn with passion. To the married I give this command (not I, but the Lord): A wife must not separate from her husband. But if she does, she must remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband. And a husband must not divorce his wife. To the rest I say this (I, not the Lord): If any brother has a wife who is not a believer and she is willing to live with him, he must not divorce her. And if a woman has a husband who is not a believer and he is willing to live with her, she must not divorce him. For the unbelieving husband has been sanctified through his wife, and the unbelieving wife has been sanctified through her believing husband. Otherwise your children would be unclean, but as it is, they are holy. But if the unbeliever leaves, let him do so. A believing man or woman is not bound in such circumstances; God has called us to live in peace. How do you know, wife, whether you will save your husband? Or, how do you know, husband, whether you will save your wife?
“Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them.”
p.s i can read anything the cardinals can read about Jesus and marriage coz it it`s only 4 sentences long. I can read it in the Greek NT and latin too- no problem. The cardinals have no monopoly on reading the NT.
coz THEY NEVER BEEN MARRIED.
You think that might play into it?
GMTA. I was thinking the same thing.
And whose fault is that?
I lay blame for that directly at the feet of the Bishops, who are responsible for Catholic education in their dioceses. The problems began when the American Bishops started going squishy on Humane Vitae. The religious education programs that started coming out of universities and publishing companies began to be less authoritative and more loosey-goosey. More about God's mercy on sinners and less or nothing about our having to REPENT before being forgiven by God for our sins.
In fact, the whole idea of sinfulness was scoffed at in some cases. Because the 'social justice' ideas took precedence, there was no time to cover Catholic Doctrine, so we have now at least 3 generations of Catholics who know almost nothing about WHY the Church teaches what she does. All they know is what they hear in the media, and on social networks, where the notion of 'fairness' seems to trump all.
They are certainly NOT clueless.
A cardinal would have never experienced
`1. the “silent treatment” from a wife
2. in-law troubles nor a mother-in-law
3. “She wants me to read her mind all time and guess what the hell she is talking about-
Nah a cardinal would have never experienced those personality changes at that time of the month-
Nah a cardinal would have never experienced an unfaithful wife
Then he would understand the dynamic forces of divorce that wrench a man`s very soul- But they don`t understand anything cos THEY NEVER EXPERIENCED MARRIAGE-
They appear to be a bunch of SECOND-HAND ROSES
Naahh those cardinals would have never had the experience of the wife trying to make him jealous by flirting with an other guy
-nahh these cardinals are for the marriage birds.yup
NSAHGHHH
They are really clueless old men.-unless they are widowers who had a vocation to the priesthood and made it up the ranks.
“the Blind Leading the Blind”
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