I wrote an email to a priest friend with
something I read on social media: “Mommy, what does pastoral mean? Oh sweetie,
that is when daddy shows up at Mass with his new wife and Father pretends that I am dead.” My
friend wrote back, “or with the other daddy!”
Let us recall for a moment what the Catechism of the Catholic Church 1650 states,
“Today there are numerous Catholics in many countries who have recourse to
civil divorce and contract new civil unions. In fidelity to the words of Jesus
Christ—‘Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against
her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits
adultery’—the Church maintains that a new union cannot be recognized as valid,
if the first marriage was. If the divorced are remarried civilly, they find
themselves in a situation that objectively contravenes God’s law. Consequently,
they cannot receive Eucharistic communion as long as this situation persists.
For the same reason, they cannot exercise certain ecclesial responsibilities.
Reconciliation through the sacrament of Penance can be granted only to those
who have repented for having violated the sign of the covenant and of fidelity
to Christ, and who are committed to living in complete continence.”
At least, he can keep his sense of humour in
this insanity.
The Rev. Brian W. Harrison, O.S., M.A., S.T.D.,
a priest of the Society of the Oblates of Wisdom, is an Associate Professor of
Theology in the Pontifical Catholic University of Puerto Rico in Ponce, P.R..
He is also parochial vicar of the parish of Saint Joseph the Worker in the city
of Ponce, and a ‘Defender of the Bond’ for the island’s marriage tribunals. He was born in Australia and, after being
raised as a Presbyterian, converted to the Catholic faith in 1972. In 1979 he
began studies for the priesthood in the major seminary of Sydney, and after
completing his Licentiate in Theology at Rome’s Angelicum university was
ordained as a priest in Saint Peter’s Basilica in 1985 by His Holiness Pope
John Paul II. In 1997 he gained his doctorate in Systematic Theology, summa cum
laude, from the Pontifical Athenæum of the Holy Cross in Rome. Fr. Harrison, who has lived in Puerto Rico
since 1989, is well-known as a speaker and writer. He is the author of two
books and over 120 articles in Catholic magazines and journals in the U.S.A.,
Australia, Britain, France, Spain and Puerto Rico. His special interest in
theological and liturgical matters, in keeping with the charism of the Oblates
of Wisdom, is upholding a ‘hermeneutic of continuity’ between the teachings of
Vatican Council II and the bimillennial heritage of Catholic Tradition.
The most troubling aspect of AL, however, is
its treatment in Chapter 8 of those living in irregular sexual relationships.
Not a few stalwart champions of the magisterium are reassuring us that,
basically, all is well. Canonist Ed Peters insists that the exhortation effects
no change in church law. That is true, but it misses the point. For in
paragraphs 302 (last section), 304 and 305 Francis has sent a clear message to
priests that in individual cases they can and should bypass, rather than apply,
the law, making ‘pastoral’ exceptions to it according to their own ‘merciful’
discretion. Robert Moynihan and George Weigel assure us that there is no change
of doctrine embodied in the new document. But that’s only half true. Moral
doctrine (i.e., teaching proposed as divine law) will be effectively changed
not only if the Pope directly contradicts it, but also if he undermines it by
relaxing disciplinary measures needed to protect it. Lamentably, like a tiny
mustard seed full of massive potential, this kind of change has now been
carefully planted in the fertile soil of two footnotes to an Apostolic
Exhortation.
Remember, when does doctrine change?
"Doctrine changes when pastoral contexts
shift and new insights emerge such that particularly doctrinal formulations no
longer mediate the saving message of God's transforming love. Doctrine changes
when the Church has leaders and teachers who are not afraid to take note of new
contexts and emerging insights. It changes when the Church has pastors who do
what Francis has been insisting: leave the securities of your chanceries, of
your rectories, of your safe places, of your episcopal residences go set aside
the small minded rules that often keep you locked up and shielded from the
world." Thomas J. Rosica from Richard Gaillardetz
Returning to Father Harrison:
In notes 336 and 351 to paragraphs 300 and 305
respectively, the Holy Father breaks with the teaching and discipline of all
his predecessors in the See of Peter by allowing at least some divorced and
civilly remarried Catholics (with no decree of nullity and no commitment to
continence) to receive the sacraments. Since “discernment can recognize that in
a particular situation no grave fault exists" owing to a variety of
mitigating psychological and other factors, Francis affirms in n. 351 that the
Church’s “help” to these Catholics living in objectively illicit relationships
can “in certain cases . . . include the help of the sacraments”. The context
indicates that this means mainly Penance and Eucharist. Commentators of all
beliefs and none have almost universally interpreted the footnote in that
sense, and their widely trumpeted claims have been confirmed by eloquent
silence from the See of Peter.
It would seem to me then that Father Harrison, who's article is in harmony with the Catechism of the Catholic Church, doctrinally infallible and magisterial document is correct and Jorge Bergoglio, neither a theologian or a philosopher but not much more than a simple modernist pastor, is quite wrong.
The Bishop of Rome has set himself against the Catechism because Amoris Laetitia grants permission in its pastoral footnotes to provide the sacraments to those in adultery and other "irregular" situations. Of this, there can be no doubt.
The Pope himself is responsible for this
confusion. He must clarify what he meant or Cardinals and Bishops must meet
together and demand that he clarify the errors inherent in the Joy of Whatever
you call Love.
Perhaps the Archbishop of Los Angeles would like to explain this?
It is perfectly in keeping with the Apostolic Exhortation. Notwithstanding what the document says to uphold Catholic faith and doctrine, there are more holes in it than a slice of Swiss cheese and what you see below is well within the pastoral initiatives of this document. After all, Edward Beck, Blase Cupich, Anthony Spadaro and James Martin have told us so.
The question is, what does Jorge Bergoglio think and who will get the answer out of him?
