Posted on 04/23/2014 6:42:51 PM PDT by marshmallow
(RNS) Did Pope Francis tell a divorced and remarried woman that it was okay to take Communion even though her parish priest denied her the host?
That’s the latest kerfuffle created by the “cold-call” pope who on Monday, the day after Easter, called an Argentine woman who had written to him about whether she should receive communion at Mass even though she was divorced and remarried.
“There are priests who are more papist than the pope,” the pope himself reportedly told Jacquelina Lisbona.
Great line, great story — but is any of it true? The details have been shifting.
The story first ran in Argentine media, was picked up by Italian outlets, made its way to the British press, and in the course of those peregrinations lost — and gained — a few details in the process.
This is potentially a big deal, as Damian Thompson of the Daily Telegraph put it, because Catholics who have divorced and remarried without an annulment are not supposed to take Communion — though Francis himself has asked the hierarchy to debate the topic, which they are, quite intensely.
“Has Pope Francis just thrown a hand grenade into traditional teaching on divorcees and Communion?” Thompson tweeted. “The Vatican MUST clarify this or the Catholic world will divide into celebration and panic.”
Kudos to CNN, which UPDATES the story with reporting from three continents (literally): CNN has a Vatican spokesman confirming that the call did indeed take place, but the Rev. Thomas Rosica provided no details.
(Excerpt) Read more at davidgibson.religionnews.com ...
Virtually everything Pope Francis has said from the beginning has turned out to be wildly distorted by a hopeful media, and he really has not said anything unorthodox. However, I don’t like the fact that he goes out and repeatedly makes himself a media focus by these personal interventions, which he is bound to realize will attract attention.
It’s too much cult of personality, and gives people the impression that the Pope is someone distinct from and even superior to the Church (which is not the case).
The jury is out on this one also.
Glad we finally have an admission of such.
He's your boy, your spiritual leader. Seems like you should just suck it up, after all he has the "keys" right?
Lisbona said she had tried going back to Mass last year but her parish priest told her she could not receive Communion, also that she could not go to confession since she would simply be going back to a sinful situation.
Where has it been reported that Lisbona was told by the Pope: "From now on sin no more"?
Douay-Rheims Bible
Jesus' Teaching about Divorce (Matthew 19:1-12)
1AND rising up from thence, he cometh into the coasts of Judea beyond the Jordan: and the multitudes flock to him again. And as he was accustomed, he taught them again.
2And the Pharisees coming to him asked him: Is it lawful for a man to put away his wife? tempting him. 3But he answering, saith to them: What did Moses command you? 4Who said: Moses permitted to write a bill of divorce, and to put her away. 5To whom Jesus answering, said: Because of the hardness of your heart he wrote you that precept. 6But from the beginning of the creation, God made them male and female. 7For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother; and shall cleave to his wife. 8And they two shall be in one flesh. Therefore now they are not two, but one flesh. 9What therefore God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.
10And in the house again his disciples asked him concerning the same thing. 11And he saith to them: Whosoever shall put away his wife and marry another, committeth adultery against her. 12And if the wife shall put away her husband, and be married to another, she committeth adultery.
______________________
He's Peter, not God.
"Catholics Do Not Believe:
That the Pope is God and can do no wrong..."
From A Manual of Religion, My Catholic Faith Most Reverend Louis LaRavoire Morrow, D.D.
Did this strike anyone as much as me? He not only told her to receive communion but to go to a different parish to do so? So, in other words, he has advised her to go behind her pastor's back where no one knows her?
Depends on the Freeper Catholic.
It sounds like her parish priest knows the whole story. That is why he denied her communion.
Yes. That’s why I bolded it when I posted the excerpt. Contextually it sounded true. The Pope told her to go church hopping to receive but she is bemoaning the fact she can’t get away with it now that there is all the media exposure of his advice.
There is nothing in all the reports or the recent Vatican statement that denies or disproves any of this.
I guess she should be mad at her “husband” for that. Wasn’t he the one who posted it on Facebook?
...who continually undermines at least the last three of The Ten Commandments.
When someone has sex with another...they become one flesh...right?
Why is it that young children abused by pedophile priest are not forgiven for poor life choices after lives spiral out of control because of childhood sexual abuse by an evil man entrusted to the priesthood, but the evil man entrusted to the priesthood can be shuffled away, hidden and someday found penitent and restored to the priesthood to attack an innocent yet again?...rinse and repeat.
Besides...if the pope did in fact say what is reported...is he not infallible?
Not pedophile, homosexual predator. This cannot be stated loud enough because there is a lesson in that for other organizations (are you listening, Boy Scouts?)
The pope is only infallible on matters of doctrine. But you already knew that, didn’t you?
Nice try. No cigar.
Hey...just asking the questions. Not trying to pick a fight. Relax.
Too much coffee . . .
God bless your day.
This whole case is very likely much simpler than presented by the media spin machine.
If everything happened as reported then the couple must be currently living without sexual intimacy for the Holy Father (or any Catholic clergyman) to say that they could worthily receive the Holy Communion.
In such case it is advisable for them to go to a different, than their own, parish to avoid giving scandal to those who don’t know the details of their situation.
I know of more than one situation just like that.
It amazes me how impetuous our dear Papa is compared to the other six pontiffs in my lifetime. It seems to me the job requires a little more circumspection.
This couple has been civilly married for 19 years and have two children. It’s not very likely they are living as brother and sister.
I agree and I expect my fellow Catholics to chastise me for this but I can’t help but think that if His Holiness would focus on his job as Bishop of Rome instead of his man of the people Father Bergoglio routine there would be less confusion. What good are all his examples of charity if they cause confusion within the Faithful?
Ultimately if he didn’t want the job he could’ve said no. He can still say no. I wouldn’t have a problem with that.
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