An American archbishop has released guidelines upholding the Church’s constant teaching that Catholics in “serious sin” – including active homosexuals and those in adulterous unions – must repent before receiving Communion.
The new guidelines from Archbishop Alexander Sample of Portland, Oregon are intended to implement Pope Francis’s Exhortation Amoris Laetitia in a way that he said is “compatible with Church teaching.”
The guidelines state that those in “serious sin,” including divorced and civilly-remarried persons living unchastely as well as persons in an active same-sex relationship, must “sacramentally confess all serious sins with a firm purpose to change, before receiving the Holy Eucharist.”
Sample wrote in his May 2017 guidelines that Amoris Laetitia “calls for a sensitive accompaniment of those with an imperfect grasp of Christian teaching on marriage and family life, who may not be living in accord with Catholic belief, and yet desire to be more fully integrated into Church life, including the Sacraments of Penance and the Holy Eucharist.”
But true accompaniment, he said, can only take place within the “tradition of the Church’s teaching and life.”
“In fact, pastors must always convey Catholic teaching faithfully to all persons – including the divorced and remarried – both in the confessional as well as publicly. They should do this with great confidence in the power of God’s grace, knowing that, when spoken with love, the truth heals, builds up, and sets free (cf. Jn 8:32),” the guidelines state.
The Archbishop said that there have been “misuses” of the Pope’s Exhortation “in support of positions that are not compatible with Church teaching.”
Among these is the notion that an individual’s conscience has, after Amoris Laetitia,become the final judge in moral matters. Such a position is taken by Chicago Cardinal Blase Cupich, who has argued that the civilly-divorced-and-remarried as well as active homosexuals should be able to receive Communion if they came to the decision “in good conscience.”
The guidelines specifically address what pastors must do when a same-sex couple presents themselves openly in a parish.
The Church welcomes all men and women who honestly seek to encounter the Lord, whatever their circumstances. But two persons in an active, public same-sex relationship, no matter how sincere, offer a serious counter-witness to Catholic belief, that can only produce moral confusion in the community. Such a relationship cannot be accepted into the life of the parish without undermining the faith of the community, most notably the children.
“Those living openly same-sex lifestyles would not hold positions of responsibility in a parish, nor would they carry out any liturgical ministry or function until they are reconciled with the Church and are living in accord with the Church’s moral teaching,” they add.
Sample said that while the guidelines may be a “hard teaching for some” they “correspond[] with our belief about the nature of the Holy Eucharist, marriage and the Church.”
Full at from LifeSiteNews.
WHAT A TRUE SHEPHERD!
BUT, I WOULD ALSO ADD ALL ‘CATHOLIC’ POLITICIANS!!!!!!
As it should be. Bishop McGrath and Bishop McElroy should take some remedial lessons from the bishop of Portland in Catholic faith, doctrine and sacramental discipline.
The agent provocateurs who troll California Catholic Daily will no doubt mock the good Archbishop just like the Sanhedrins mocked Christ.
The Catholic Catechism is unchanged regardless of the corruption within the hierarchy, and the good Archbishop Samples is a modern Christ as he preaches the Faith.
If only the other Archbishops, Cardinals—and Pope—had the same courage of Faith.
Eddie, what is an “agent provocateurs who troll? I don’t know what that means. The rest of your comment I understand.
Thank you Archbishop Sample for having the courage to speak the Truth to the Secular Powers. May God send His Angels to camp ’round about you and put a hedge around you to protect you.
Given what I know about the people of Portland, I wouldn’t expect Archbishop Sample to have an easy time of it if he interprets the prohibition of communion to those in serious sin as applying soley to gay people.
I doubt he’s looking for an “easy time,” YFC.
YFC, have you checked out Courage?
I’ve checked out Courage. If by Courage you mean the secretive sect that publishes nothing about themselves or their meeting times and places publicly. Seems that they have no courage, actually.
“If by Courage you mean the secretive sect that publishes nothing about themselves or their meeting times and places publicly” Probably because they do not want their meetings disrupted by people like you and others who demand sodomy be blessed. Smaller but Holier
YFC,
If San Francisco was a city of tolerance, Courage would undoubtedly have a higher profile.
As I know from personal experience, it takes humility to recognize sin in one’s life. When that sin is more integral to your life, it also takes authentic love to help recognize it and a strong will to fight it and root it out. In short, this process takes courage.
YFC, the Apostles and Martyrs didn’t have an easy time either…so I am sure he will use those great men and women as examples to fall back on. Smaller but holier… the way to go.
“If” is the key word in your presumptuous statement, YFC. The Archbishop is merely clarifying Church teaching, perhaps taking steps to address that cross that is more predominant in his flock.
The archbishop is teaching the need for chastity for everyone before Holy Communion, reflecting St. Paul’s admonition in 1 Corinthians 11. If a person has same sex attraction and is working out salvation through Penance and chastity, he is cooperating with Christ’s grace. If a person tries to redefine himself using language as “gay” and assign himself rights to have sex and communion, he would need to repent. Also,so do all of us in Holy Church need to live in the same way. Bless the archbishop for teaching the truth, for loving his people, for leading them to grace rather than telling them they can sin and come to Holy Communion as some unfaithful clergy have done, wolves in sheep’s clothing.
The Archbishop never said he did. Grow up and stop making “gaiety” your be-all and end-all. So you’re gay.
Stay out of others’ faces, and you’ll be fine. Get into others’ faces with your gaiety and you’ll make trouble and find trouble.
Homosexuality used to be labelled “the love that dare not speak its name”. Now it won’t shut up.
How this will square with active cocaine fueled homosex orgies in the Vatican – remains to be seen.
It appears that a true Schism is brewing over ‘tolerance’ for the ‘Happy Mafia’ of homosexual ‘Priests’ infiltrating the Church, who have destroyed so many lives and cost so much treasure that could have been used for good works (instead of 40% enriching lawyers) – and the outcome will determine the fate of the Church – going forward (hopefully) as opposed to wallowing in depravity abusing the youngest and most vulnerable.
It appears that a true Schism is brewing over ‘tolerance’ for the ‘Happy Mafia’ of homosexual ‘Priests’ infiltrating the Church” I pray Mike McD that it becomes an actual schisms, they can go their gay little way. And the Church will be purified, I pray it happens
Bohemond,
Schism is the antithesis of what it means to be Catholic. If a schism were to happen, it would be a most regretful thing. It should never be prayed for.
To paraphrase Christ: Father, I pray that they are one just as we are one.
Schism already exists, even if informal. And it’s not been caused by those who follow the perennial teachings of the Church. It’s caused by those who reject those teachings. The first leader of the movement was Lucifer who famously said “non serviam.” Being officially in the Church will not save these apostates on judgment day, when the schism that exists now is ratified forever.
Ralph .. For the ordinary Catholic, say like me, how would “schisim” change things. I mean at my parish we have mass, the sacraments, take communion to the homebound worry about the upkeep of the buildings etc. On a real practical parish level what would happen.
Ralph,
What you describe is not schism: it’s not even excommunication. So informal schism is a term without real meaning.
When we use terms on a Catholic website, it’s important that we use the Catholic definition of such terms. To do otherwise does harm to the public forum.
There is an irreparable divide within our church, Steve’s seminar notwithstanding. Basic grammatical skills are sufficient for discerning the meaning of “informal” as a modifier for schism. The term “informal schism” is also commonly used in parlance, but perhaps rarely heard in the NO churches. I’m not sure what C&H is asking exactly, but the church has been infiltrated from within by innumerable groups who have a singular purpose of undermining the traditional faith. Perhaps Bohemond could comment further on how a formal schism would change things, he sort of did already.
“To paraphrase Christ: Father, I pray that they are one just as we are one.” We cannot be one with satanic people, we need them to be removed from our midst a schism will purify the Church and in time they will fall to dust as they should. Schism will remove all the liberal corruption, imagine no false priests like James Martin no pathetic weak Bishops and Cardinals, the gay mafia brought to knees and crushed, no schism will be a very good thing. These evil people and not Catholic.
Bohemond,
The Church has always had unfaithful Catholics. In fact, most of St. Paul’s epistle letters were written to communities whose members needed significant correction. He reserved excommunication to only the most egregious, public sins.
The problem that we have today is that we have a great many bishops who are either timid or who have become morally corrupt. Either way, a great many of our bishops are simply not up to the task of their episcopal vocation.
Michael – All I can tell you is that a Catholic who is a lesbian “active cocaine fueled homosex orgies in the Vatican” are not relevant to my life. If the Msgr. was so high on cocaine as the press reported to be near death we should pray for him.
And right after he recovers he should be returned to the lay state. No room in the priesthood for either druggies or perverts. And the Monsignor is BOTH.
Roberto,
Given his stature in the Church, the spiritual lethality of his conduct, the multiplicity of civil felonies, and the publicity that his activities received, St. Paul would probably also recommend his immediate excommunication to help safeguard the reputation of the Church.
But I get the sense that Pope Francis doesn’t have the spirit or the care of souls of St. Paul.
“Michael – All I can tell you is that a Catholic who is a lesbian “active cocaine fueled homosex orgies in the Vatican” are not relevant to my life.” Perhaps it is relevant to the life of the Church, has that thought even crossed your mind?
The Archbishop states Catholic teaching clearly, no doubt about it. Society in general doesn’t accept the teachings of the Catholic Church on the issue of same sex marriage or any other rules related to sex. If Bishops have to do what they must do. But we also have to be aware that those rules are a big reason the flock is leaving the Church. They don’t agree with the teachings. If you don’t agree with the teachings, perhaps you should leave. Other denominations, Bible centered at that, seem to have worked around this issue, at least to their satisfaction. Maybe we will have the schism so many want, but that is never a good thing.
“Society in general doesn’t accept the teachings of the Catholic Church” Yes Bob One and the world hated Christ first so we should expect this, “But we also have to be aware that those rules are a big reason the flock is leaving the Church.” This only mean society on a whole is rotten and corrupt, but I say let them leave so we can have a smaller but holier Church. ” Other denominations, Bible centered at that, seem to have worked around this issue, at least to their satisfaction” maybe to their satisfaction but certainly not Christ’s. “Maybe we will have the schism so many want, but that is never a good thing.” Nonsense, being separated from evil and corrupt liars will be a good thing and we can start to rebuild the Church…
Please note that while this Cal Catholic post and the Lifesite article (over) emphacise what the Bishop says about gay people, his actual proclomation mainly covers the situations of hetrosexual people. In fact the part about gays is left until the end. I sometimes worry that Cal Catholic and Lifesite have Gay-on-the-Brain.”
I have to say that this website contributes to the ‘boiled frog syndrome” in several ways. One is by allowing people who disagree with Church teaching to publish their views here. Another is by allowing the faithful to be criticized, ridiculed and mocked for their views. Thirdly, by having too many stories about gay people and issues,
I agree with your first two examples; after all, CCD does purport to be “Catholic.” However, in order to wipe out this spiritual infection, we must expose their motives, acts, and quislings to the Light. The misery brought into the Church by homosexuals, et al, cannot be overstated.
” I sometimes worry that Cal Catholic and Lifesite have Gay-on-the-Brain.” Perhaps C&H there are so many “gays in the clergy” who have corrupted it.
The double standard is shocking! Priests can molest little, innocent children and yet receive communion and celebrate the Mass. Bishops can cover up pedophile priests and receive communion and the other sacraments? How many gay priests are celebrating Mass everday?How much longer will the laity tolerate the double standard? As a result of all of the sex scandals, the Church’s credibility with regards to its teaching about human sexuality is sorely lacking.
WHILE ROME BURNS, TIMOTHY DOLAN DANCES WITH THE ROCKEFELLER CENTER ROCKETTES, THIS IS HOW A CARDINAL OF THE CHURCH UPSTAGES NERO
Posted on July 13, 2017
https://abyssum.org/2017/07/13/while-rome-burns-timothy-dolan-dances-with-the-rockefeller-center-rockettes/
MY ECCLESIASTICAL SERVICE | ABYSSUS ABYSSUM INVOCAT / DEEP CALLS TO DEEP
https://abyssum.org/my-ecclesiastical-service/
Archbishop Sample is a good man and great friend of the TLM and has offered it many many times to the faithful, however this is Portland after all and very very LEFT WING he will be persecuted for teaching the Roman Catholic Faith but Christ will protect him. Portland and Seattle were once NORMAL cities, over the decades they have become bastions of communists, feminists, and anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-family cities.
God bless Archbishop Sample. He is only teaching what should be taught. Our saintly Pope John Paul II taught the very same thing. Did some soon forget, or did they really hate him all along and only make a pretense of accepting his magisterial teachings.