The following comes from an April 11 Christian Newswire news release:
Pope Francis’ papal exhortation, Amoris Laetitia, was unveiled last week, and a vast number of pundits and journalists throughout the world have been dissecting the document. Ignatius Press, one of the largest religious publishers in the country, the primary English-language publisher of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI’s writings and the publisher of Pope Francis’ encyclicals and several of his books, as well as Catholic World Report, has released a video that provides expert analysis of Amoris Laetitia from Ignatius Press president Mark Brumley; Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J., founder of Ignatius Press and, like Francis, a Jesuit priest; senior editor Vivian Dudro; and marketing professional Marianna Pedrelli.
“There is so much good in this document,” says Fessio in the video. “There are things to read here, reflect on and discuss for young married people. There is a strong affirmation of mercy and the Church’s teaching, but, at least for me … [Pope Francis] makes statements [on topics pertaining to marriage] that are kind of outrageous, so I’m afraid it may discredit some of the good things he says among reasonable people who might say, ‘What’s he saying here?'”
Fessio also examines the positive aspects of Amoris Laetitia in the video, especially Francis’ reaffirmation of the Church’s teachings on key (and controversial) issues.
“The real controversy has to do with whether or not people who are validly married and yet divorced and civilly remarried may receive communion,” Fessio says. “The overall statement to make is, there is no change in this document of authentic Church teachings, nor, interestingly, a change in sound, pastoral practice. What the document has done, in its own way, has been to reaffirm what has been a traditional teaching of the Church and pastoral, careful, discerning practices of priests and bishops.”
“While I believe the secular media will focus on what looks like major change [in the document], they probably will not focus as much on the beginning of the document, where [Francis] reaffirms, in quite strong terms, the Church’s teaching on abortion, contraception, same-sex marriage, gender theory and a few other items,” added Fessio.
“The overall statement to make is, there is no change in this document of authentic Church teachings, nor, interestingly, a change in sound, pastoral practice.”
Not in “sound, pastoral practice”?
Read the footnote to paragraph 305 in which Pope Francis states that in certain cases the divorced and remarried can receive the Eucharist. Pope John Paul II made it clear that the divorced and remarried cannot receive Holy Eucharist under any circumstances.
The devil is in the details.
The beginning of AL affirms teachings on marriage and family. Some paragraphs toward the end demonstrate a studied ambiguity which is being exploited by those who do not believe Christ’s teaching transmitted by the Church up until this time. If Pope Francis wished to make a clear statement, he could have. He did not offer the clarity of Fr. Benedict XVI and Pope St. John Paul II whose teaching removed all doubt. Now seeds of dissension and doubt are sewn by the style of a pope. Cardinal Burke said this is not magisterial, yet the unfaithful who do not believe now have a hook to promote infidelity.
“yet the unfaithful who do not believe now have a hook to promote infidelity.”
Thank you, Father Perozich, for your splendid clarity!
“The priest is also the light of the world. Hence, says St. John Chrysostom, he should shine with the splendor of his sanctity so as to enlighten all others to imitate his virtues.”
Fr. Perozich, right on!
In fact, Pope Francis himself states that he is not aiming for clarity but acknowledges the ambiguity of the controversial chapter 8: “I understand those who prefer a more rigorous pastoral care which leaves no room for confusion, but….”
In a time of much confusion, years of poor catechesis, the attempt to Christianize Marxist praxis, etc., a pope needs to speak with clarity. leaving no room for multiple interpretations, misunderstandings, etc.
Of course, you left out the context and the phrase that followed “but”. Life can be confusing. It comes with uncertainties. Moral decisions are often overlapping. Ships in harbors are safe, but that’s not what ships are built for. If you live life, you will come upon ambiguities, uncertainties, and confusion. It’s called life!
Adults have to “bite the bullet,” and take charge of their lives, YFC!! That calls for hard decisions, and living with painful consequences, if you must! Life is not so full of ambiguities! It is, instead, full of difficulties and problems– and you must make some very hard decisions, at times– and LIVE WITH THEM!! Christ’s teachings are VERY, VERY HARD at times! But He promised that He would always be with us, and help us, no matter what! The pathways of all of the Apostles and Saints of our Church– were EXTREMELY HARD!! Want to follow them”” That is the TRUE CHURCH!!
Christian Morals are NEVER an ambiguity! You must do as God says– NOT what the local ignorant, anti-Christian, immoral “hippie-liberal” tells the kids! The cost of being Christ’s true follower, can be very high! In my last line, in my above post, I was saying that the Apostles and Saints all lived very difficult lives, yet they all were very close to Christ, and went straight to Heaven, at death! Want to follow them?? (there should have been a question mark, at the end of that sentence, in my post, above!) !) The “pearl of great price,” Salvation– is PRICELESS!!
YFC sums of the Left perfectly, moral confusion and ambiguity …YFC its called Right and Wrong….something you wish to eliminate
Canisius, you have in prior posts promoted actual physical violence against gay people. The Pope reminds us that violence against gay people is never justified. Are you sure you are not confused about your moral imperatives?
I know that some of you are not enamored with Crux, but there was an interesting commentary the other day about the newest exhortation’s written style and how especially Americans relate to laws vs. Mediterranean countries and much of South America and Africa. To us in the States, a law is something that must be obeyed and if not, there are consequences. In many Mediterranean countries, especially Italy I’m told, a law is more like an ideal situation that we should strive to attain at some time. The exhortation is written in Mediterranean style, which explains some of the ambiguity we feel about the writing. On the other hand I got a ticket for making a wrong turn in Italy.