Posted on 10/23/2013 2:00:00 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
A Vatican official reiterated this week that divorced remarried Catholics are still banned from taking Communion.
In a lengthy essay published on Tuesday in the Vatican newspaper "L'Osservatore Romano," Archbishop Gerhard Ludwig Müller acknowledged the tensions the church dealt with in choosing to stand by an earlier tenant.
"Today even firm believers are seriously wondering: can the Church not admit the divorced and remarried to the sacraments under certain conditions? Are her hands permanently tied on this matter? Have theologians really explored all the implications and consequences?" Müller, the Vatican's chief doctrine official, wrote.
Müller denied that mercy superseded the authority of Biblical teachings, and added that marriage was not a sacrament "for the individuals concerned to decide on its validity, but rather for the Church."
Müller also reminded remarried Catholics that a relationship with God was not limited to their ability to take Communion.
"It is important to realize that there are other ways, apart from sacramental communion, of being in fellowship with God. One can draw close to God by turning to him in faith, hope and charity, in repentance and prayer. God can grant his closeness and his salvation to people on different paths, even if they find themselves in a contradictory life situation," he wrote.
He also encouraged priests and church leaders to make sure that they "welcome people in irregular situations openly and sincerely, to stand by them sympathetically and helpfully, and to make them aware of the love of the Good Shepherd."
Müller's words come at a time when the Freiburg diocese in Germany announced earlier this month that it intended to give Communion to divorcees. The diocese, which first launched its campaign in February 2012, had declared that the current church teaching came from a spirit of "moral condemnation" leaving remarried Catholics with a "painful feeling of exclusion" and said that it would only individually grant the sacrament after couples had been interviewed by a priest.
Immediately after the diocese announced its decision, the Vatican immediately criticized Freiburg, arguing that its position only brought "confusion."
Current church teaching dictates that Catholics who wish to remarry must have their first marriage annulled if they seek to continue participating in the church's sacraments -- an act that declares the marriage never existed. If the church does not grant an annulment, it considers the person remarrying to be committing adultery.
RE: The rest of the list, not sure about Mel Gibson, are born Catholics.
I believe he is born Catholic. His father is in fact,an outspoken critic, both of the post-Vatican II Roman Catholic Church and of those Traditionalist Catholics, like the Society of Saint Pius X, who reject Sedevacantism.
Well, maybe, but - ain't nothing like the real thing, baby.
Then you must take Holy Orders!
Not interested in replying to that type of question.
You can always tell a non-Catholic article from a Catholic one: “taking communion”. Catholics don’t take communion, they receive communion.
Tell us the details. How long did Ted Kennedy wait for his annulment? And what were the grounds?
My husband is a Catholic of the Society of Saint Pius X.
Me, not so much. I’m a non-denominational protestant. Needless to say, we often butt heads on religious matters. And no offense to anyone, but sometimes I feel the whole Catholic religion thing is more to please man, than it is to please God.
But that’s just me.
Mel Gibson is divorced but he is not remarried. And since he has split with his baby mama he is no longer an adulterer, and can presumably be admitted to Communion.
Hey, but at least the luxury German bishop was expelled!
Yes. Assuming you're in a state of grace.
I’m glad to see this support for the sanctity of marriage. This is the direction all should go.
That is still the case. What the Church objects to, based on the teachings of Christ, is adultery, i.e. having sexual relations with someone other than your (first) spouse. So no adultery = no problem.
I find this silly. Ask them if they repented from the act of divorce. heh.
This is between them and God. The idea that humans can step in between a person and God and claim authority to tell you what God thinks is ridiculous.
The Bible doesn’t grant that power to any mortal human.
Either they are members in good standing or they are not, give them the boot if that is the case.
As for Gingrich, his first two marriages, which were when he was not a Catholic, which did not involve Catholic spouses, and which were not solemnized by the Sacrament of Matrimony in the Catholic Church, were annulled. He never attempted to divorce from a sacramental marriage, and therefore it is not an issue.
The rest --- Kerry, Giuliani, Cuomo --- do they go to Communion? I know that all three of them have been mentioned by name by Canon Lawyer Ed Peters as not being eligible. Do they belong to parishes?
Do you think somebody should be surveilling them? surveilling them?
But her parents are giving her no end of grief for getting involved with someone who cannot be married in the church. It is very sad to see what this is doing to her, at a time that should be joyful for her.What her parents are trying to do is prevent enormous grief down the line for their daughter who you say is a good Catholic. Her Catholicism will go down the drain, and her marriage will not be recognized in the Catholic Church. Lots of problems. I'm with the parents!
RE: The rest -— Kerry, Giuliani, Cuomo -— do they go to Communion? I know that all three of them have been mentioned by name by Canon Lawyer Ed Peters as not being eligible. Do they belong to parishes?
I forgot to mention the VP, Joe Biden. He was married to Neilia Hunter (1966–1972) and is now married to Jill Jacobs (1977–present). Is he taking communion?
I always enjoy these type of topics on freerepublic. “Conservative” protestants always come here and complain about the Church’s stance on divorce...it just brings a smile to my face.
Joe Biden just this year took Communion at the Vatican, he was there to meet and congratulate his Pope.
This shows a misunderstanding of the issue. The Church does not object to divorce per se, especially if it is needed to protect a spouse or family from abuse; or if the failed marriage was invalid from the git-go, and therefore the vows were defective.
"This is between them and God. The idea that humans can step in between a person and God and claim authority to tell you what God thinks is ridiculous."
Not so much if you value Biblical teaching. It was a public dispute about the validity of Herod's marriage that led to the beheading of John the Baptist, who dared to rebuke Herod and "tell him what God thinks" in public.
It was a dispute about the permissibility of divorce which cause the Pharisee to ask Jesus for his ruling on the matter as a rabbi. The Jewish tradition definitely put their religious leaders in a position to judge.
In two of his letters St. Paul affirms the indissolubility of marriage.In neither case is remarriage an acceptable Christian option:
“To the married I give charge, not I but the Lord, that the wife should not separatefrom her husband, but if she does, let her remain single or else be reconciled to her husband – and that the husband should not divorce is wife”
(1 Cor 7:10-11).
“Thus a married woman is bound by law to her husband as long as he lives; but if her husband dies she is discharged from the law concerning the husband. Accordingly,she will be called an adulteress if she lives with another man while her husband is alive. But if her husband dies she is free from that law, and if she remarries another she is not an adulteress”
(Rom 7:2-3).
"The Bible doesn’t grant that power to any mortal human."
Quite the contrary: Paul as an authorized leader in the Church --- as an Apostle --- had that power: that's why he was within his authority to make these rulings. He also ruled on other marriage cases: one where he condemns the Corinthians for tolerating a case of marriage between a man and his stepmother; and his judgment is clear: the man must be removed from the congregation. He tells the Corinthians to expel him.
He also made a ruling about divorce and remarriage when a Christian is married to an unbelieving spouse.
"But if the unbeliever departs, let him depart; a brother or a sister is not under bondage in such cases. But God has called us to peace. For how do you know, O wife, whether you will save your husband? Or how do you know, O husband, whether you will save your wife?"
What he;s saying here (if you read the whole thing) is that if they are willing to stay together, they should do so, because the believing spouse may convert the unbeliever; but, if the unbelieving spouse leaves, the believer can let him or her depart, and is not "under bondage" in such cases: in other words, they are free to remarry.
It was to settle disputes of all kinds --- including this kind --- that the Church was empowered by Christ to hear disputants and make a ruling. That's why Christ said --- well, see the tagline... :o)
Of course Nancy Pelousey and Joe Biden can still take communion. Its not the same if you push abortion.
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