The following comes is September 13 Catholic Culture article by Dr. Jeff Mirus:
According to news reports, Pope Francis has commended the bishops of Argentina for recognizing that Amoris Laetitia permits Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics in some cases, without benefit of annulment. The result is that some Catholics are now saying that Pope Francis has crossed the line from doctrinal fuzziness to material heresy. But this is not at all the case.
It is not incompatible with the Church’s doctrinal teaching on either marriage or Communion to argue that, under some circumstances, persons involved in invalid marriages ought to be admitted to Communion. It is very possible to question the prudence of such a practice, as one consequence could be to weaken the Catholic understanding of and commitment to marriage in the minds of the faithful. But that remains a prudential question, which means legitimate disagreement about the best course is possible.
I have repeatedly made the point that the rules governing reception of Communion are disciplinary, not doctrinal. It is impossible to prove that advocacy of any disciplinary approach indicates heresy in the mind of the advocate. At the same time, of course, Church discipline obviously should be designed to strengthen faith and promote spiritual growth, and the discipline in question is clearly tied very closely to the Catholic doctrinal understanding of both marriage and Communion.
At the time of the first Synod on the Family, I suggested a scenario in which the sin of remaining in an invalid marriage could be venial.
If that were the case, it could be spiritually advantageous to receive Communion. When Amoris Laetitia was issued, I also suggested a specific case that might lead to the same conclusion, though I think the case I offer below is a better illustration of the point. Readers who wish to consult the two earlier articles will find them here:
• Does the Kasper Proposal make Pope Francis a heretic? Invalid marriages and mortal sin (October 28, 2014)
• The Controversy at the Heart of Amoris Laetitia (April 11, 2016)
The main factor in discerning such cases is that mortal sin requires not only grave matter (which clearly exists in invalid marriages) but also two personal conditions. The sinner must (a) Be aware that the moral breach is very serious; and (b) Commit the sin with full consent of the will. In the absence of these conditions, sins which involve objectively grave matter are venial. Hence they do not render the reception of Communion spiritually dangerous (cf., 1 Cor 11:27).
A likely particular case
Very briefly, then, I would argue that the following is the most likely scenario in which the presumption that only venial sin is involved may be reasonably justified:
1 An invalidly married couple has had children together, who are still at home.
2 Either the man or the woman recognizes the sinfulness of the “marriage”, regrets having entered into it, and desires now to do what is right (which in this case would be for the parents to live as brother and sister while still caring for their children as mother and father in the same household).
3 The other party refuses to live as brother and sister.
4 The other party says he (or she) will leave the family if sexual relations are refused.
5 Hence the man or woman in question continues sexual relations, in effect under duress, to ensure that his or her children are not deprived of one parent.
Now, even if we argue that the morally correct course is to separate from the unrepentant spouse and trust in God, it is easy to see that—at the very least—this would be hard to discern and, even if discerned, there would be tremendous fear of depriving one’s children of a family setting which includes both their mother and their father.
In this case, the continuing sins involved in the irregular union on the part of the repentant spouse would seem to be venial—on the grounds that full consent of the will to the moral evil of continued sexual relations is lacking. The sins would be rendered venial by either a very real confusion about the best course or the compulsion inherent in the particular situation, or both.
Conclusion
What all this means, again, is that the decision to admit someone in this situation to Communion is purely prudential. The key question is: Which is more important, the potential scandal which could weaken the commitment of others to the Church’s teaching on marriage, or the need for the (venial) sinner (caught in a no-win situation) to be spiritually nourished by the Body and Blood of Christ?
A final point worth mentioning is that the Church’s prudential judgment about this matter can legitimately change with cultural conditions. For example, in a culture which generally respects the permanence of marriage, the potential scandal might be far greater than in a culture which generally denies the permanence of marriage (in which case it may be difficult to erode that concept any further).
I have not yet seen the full text of the Pope’s letter. But the key point is that this remains a question of Church discipline—not doctrine—on which good Catholics can disagree. Neither position implies an erroneous understanding of the Church’s teaching on faith or morals.
HUH? What about the ‘Communion of Saints’? Splitting hairs to attempt to produce a ‘real’ scenario where the Pope is ‘sort of right’ does not make for an argument that the pope’s not heretical on this topic. The conclusion that this (reception of Holy Communion in a state of grace) is a discipline and not doctrine comes from where, when & who (besides the author)? God deliver us from fabrications & scandals of non-doctrine authors.
Continued……Another related article about ‘special circumstances’ allowing for the reception of Holy Communion by persons in invalid marriages…more hair splitting found @ http://www.thecatholicthing.org/2016/09/14/a-bizarre-papal-move/
God deliver us from bizarre papal moves.
We are falling apart.
You are right.
But you and I and some others have one positive: we know they (those charged with the teaching office of the Church) are wrong. And they cannot make black white (except to sycophants like Dr. Mirus).
The writer of this article is NUTS!! I don’t think couples in sinful relationships, who say they love Christ– but lack the real interest to leave their sinful relationship– are very serious Catholics! Too bad! They also set a horrible example, for their children– LIVING A LIE, before God!! Many serious Catholics have decided to leave sinful relationships, and get their life right with God! That is what is needed! Go down to the Tribunal, at your local Chancery office– and BE HONEST WITH YOUR FAITH!! The process is now FREE– and will be FAST-TRACKED FOR YOU!! Let those who really do care– do it! DON’T LIVE A LIE, BEFORE GOD– WITH YOUR KIDS WATCHING!!
P.S. I don’t think Pope Francis is a heretic– just a weak human being, and a poor, uncommitted Catholic leader, who lacks the enthusiasm and interest, to encourage his Catholics to do what is right, and help them do it!! Many athletic coaches of today, do much better! They can take seemingly impossible situations, and work miracles, with their coaching– because they are HIGHLY MOTIVATED!! Isn’t religion as important as athletics?? Wait until the next marathon, or triathlon–when ordinary people start their training– and you can’t figure out how in the world, they can ever attempt such goals, as they set, and actually achieve! Amazing!!
Many people might say, “That’s impossible!” But with God, all things are possible! Go to the gym, or go to your parish church– see what is truly possible, with God! And annulments are FREE, and FAST-TRACKED, as Pope Francis arranged it, for his Catholics! God has just the right thing, for each Catholic, who is having marital problems! With God, all things are possible– He will show you the way!
SO you would break up a home with children who need their father and mother TOGETHER?
The parents who entered into the situation broke up the home. Sorry, jon, the blame shifting isn’t gonna cut it. That said, sincerely devoted and wanting to come close to God is to learn about Him. To be perfect as My Heavenly Father is perfect. That is to try, jon. With the aid of grace to do that which is hard. Because hard produces sweet, spiritual fruit that you would deprive people of receiving by feigning “too hard”.
There are couples who stay together for the sake of the children, but live in separate rooms. Why? Because the children are well aware of the sinful nature of their parent’s union. So the parents who do their duty by their children while similarly doing what is required before God are setting an even better…
…example.
One of sacrifice and doing that which is right before God. Because it is easy? No. But because it is to love God and to draw good from what bad one has done. That’s why.
Polygamous families have to split up, and invalidly married couples have to split up, in both cases even when there are children involved.
jon, you cannot LIVE A LIE, BEFORE GOD!! Christianity has always demanded its followers to SACRIFICE for what is right, in God’s eyes, and in faith, do as He tells them to do! What is God telling you to do? Do as He says, and all will turn out well! We cannot serve two masters, as the recent Gospel reading relates! Choose God! And He will give you the grace to choose His Divine Will for you, too, and follow it!
AMalley’s words are totally inadequate. What if there were no children in the prior union, but there is in with the second spouse? Cases like that are becoming more and more common. Typically, AMalley is totally incapable of thinking in the grey areas of life, totally oblivious to the complexities and messiness of human situations. LMaria and AMalley would rather see the breakup of homes. Pathetic. Francis at least is bravely going to these grey areas. AMalley, one can judge from her comments, hasn’t even read the Exhortation. Pathetic.
Additionally, something for these folks to ponder: what if the other spouse disagrees with getting the annulment? You have one spouse who has converted, wants to come closer to the Church, yet the other remains unconvinced because he/she may be a non-believer. Will AMalley and LMaria out of the goodness of their heart at least “accompany” “befriend” and “disciern” with them with the pastor how the Catholic spouse can become a participating member of the parish? Or will they just ignore her, as they usually do when they spot a newcomer in Church?
How many “do-overs” of marriage and family will be allowed?
After all, each successive batch of children will need two parents, right?
jon– Sorry, but Christ never preached the babyish, modern “psycho-babble” baloney, that you are deciding to accept, from IMMATURE, bad Catholic leaders! Christ never preached dumb ideas, like “accompanying,” and :befriending,” and so forth. Christ gave us the REAL TRUTH!! Now, do you have the COURAGE to do as He says?? God provides the GRACE!! Christ was compassionate– but also, truthful! We once had a well-liked priest (now deceased) many years ago, who often told struggling married couples, “When the going gets tough the tough get going!”
I will continue, with my above post. jon– when you follow Christ, you have to GROW UP to be VERY TALL and STRONG, and SELF-SACRIFICING, GIVING TO OTHERS AND TO GOD (not “TAKING” like a SPOILED BABY, all the time!)— just as Christ taught! You cannot be a babyish, spoiled, self-centered child, any more, waiting for “Santa Claus” to come and hand you everything you want! You have to grow up, and take responsibility for your life, like a REAL ADULT MAN OR WOMAN!! That is what has been MISSED, since the immature, ignorant 1960’s, and the Council!!
“… Will AMalley and LMaria out of the goodness of their heart at least “accompany” “befriend” and “disciern” with them with the pastor how the Catholic spouse can become a participating member of the parish? Or will they just ignore her, as they usually do when they spot a newcomer in Church?”
jon, you may want to grow past the stereotypes of what you fear believing Catholics are. Seriously.
Folks, if I may, if you all respond like LMaria to a Catholic who is returning to the faith after many wrong choices in the past and is now repentant, it should be NO surprise that folks see TLM devotess as “snobbish” “aloof” “unwelcoming” “unsympathetic” “cold.” It should be no surprise then if attendance at TLM has plateaued.
Sorry, jon, but it takes a MATURE ADULT to follow Christ! If one is MATURE ENOUGH to “return to Christ,” then one is MATURE ENOUGH to DO AS HE TELLS YOU TO DO, FOR THE REST OF YOUR LIFE!! P.S. Christ ALWAYS DELIVERS 100% +, on ALL HIS PROMISES! But the Devil ALWAYS OFFERS POISONED CANDY TO BABIES, AND CHEATS THEM– AND YOU WILL ALWAYS EMD UP WORSE THAN BEFORE!, 100%+, GUARANTEED!! DON’T LISTEN TO SATAN!!
Linda, the Church allows brother-sister relationship if the two persons have children and remain celibate. But you’re right if you are talking about a couple who are childless.
People, comments by LMaria, AMalley, and now by Roseanne Sullivan are breathtaking in their heartlessness and cruelty. They would rather that families break-up EVEN with small children, depriving them of a home with Mom and Dad. People: WHY SHOULD THE CHILDREN SUFFER FOR THE SINS OF THEIR PARENTS?? You’re compounding wrongdoing with more wrongdoing! Merciless you people are.
jon a priest, like a doctor, is a PROFESSIONAL, who trains for eight-plus years, after high school, for his vocation! A priest and a doctor, both have big responsibilities, for the heath of a patient’s body, mind, and soul! They both assess a patient’s condition, and give a PROFESSIONAL “Rx,” based on their diagnoses, which the patient must follow! Doctors and priests are not “backyard quacks,” or simple-minded FOOLS, who play “baby games,” to win popularity — while the poor patient’s life (or moral life) may be in peril! Better take your “Rx,” jon, and BE THANKFUL!
P.S. A doctor or priest with a true vocation, always knows that a “bedside manner” is half the cure, and a “spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down!” Good doctors and good priests, also daily pray for their patients and penitents! You are not alone! Christ is with you, 100%, ALL THE WAY!! He really MEANT IT, when HE DIED FOR YOU!– And He REALLY WANTS YOUR SUCCESS WITH HIM!!
Well, LMaria, your prescription will only result in the suffering and illness of innocent people, namely the children in these unions who shouldn’t be made to suffer for the sins of their parents.
jon, read what Our Lord said, about Marriage, particularly in the Sermon on the Mount! Was He “too cruel?” Only a GROWN UP is ready for the lifelong ADULT COMMITMENT and RESPONSIBILITIES of Marriage! Marriage is NOT FOR KIDS!! It is VERY SERIOUS!! Many people today, are NOT SERIOUS about Marriage— they end up in serial “shack-ups” with NO REMORSE, and lots of BIRTH CONTROL, ILLEGITIMATE BABIES BY DIFFERENT LOVERS, and ABORTIONS, too! Whatever they want, with NO RESPONSIBILITY– and NO REMORSE FOR SIN!!
The Sacrament of Holy Matrimony is a LIVING SACRAMENT, containing the LIVING, SANCTIFYING GRACE OF CHRIST, STRAIGHT FROM HEAVEN! Holy Matrimony is NOT a cheap, self-indulgent “emotional high,” nor an irresponsible sex spree, with some sleazy, good-for-nothing teen lover! It is NOT ABOUT “ME,” “ME,” “ME!!” It is about CHRIST!! The Catholic Bride and Groom are entering into a sacred union, that will guide their way to a total transformation to become Christ-like, in preparation for Heaven! The Church had better RESPECT IT!!
Methinks LMaria has been taken over even by her own falsehoods that she CANNOT address the question of the welfare of the children in these irregular unions. Sorry LMaria, but you persist in your ignoring the children and their well-being.
jon, you sound like you only think of yourself, and your own comfort—- and being “politically correct,” with the Pope, and whatever the current Pope says– you sound like his ROBOT! You do not care about kids, either– and BEING HONEST WITH THEM! Kids need HONESTY, jon– not lying, cheating, sinning parents! Many kids leave the Church, when their parents are BAD CATHOLICS!
“Many kids leave the Church when their parents are bad Catholics” this is a sweeping generalization which is a logical fallacy. Being a bad Catholic also means breaking up the home. And that is what you are mercilessly endorsing, especially those in an irregular situation.
LMaria: the Catholic Church is NOT ABOUT breaking up households and families especially with children, even those households formed unlawfully in the eyes of the Church. Learn mercy LMaria while the Year of Mercy is still upon us.
Now Francis once again as of Friday tells us that we should welcome the ISLAMIC invaders for this will make us safer from terrorism. My friends this man is truly in need of help, I for one put the blame on him for the TOTAL destruction of what is left of Christian Europe. As I do Obama, Clinton, and the democrat party, they are bringing in over 100,000 Syrian Muslims this year alone, and for what purpose? They are resettling them in places like Boise, Billings, Denver, Salt Lake City, Spokane, Cheyenne, tell me what would Muslims have to do with anything in these cities, nothing in common at all. This is being done on purpose by this man in the White House and he did say he would fundamentally change America prior to his “election” in…
J, AMEN. BO has brought in immigrants that have zero interest in any way, shape or form of assimilation. In fact, they take over areas they live in such as — Dearborn & Hamtramck Michigan. Us infidels need to vote them out. We are losing Christian America as islam only wants to convert us infidels or worse, kill us if we won’t convert. This news weekend reported that BO said his third term is HC & he wants to defend his legacy. And he will take it as a personal insult if his people (blacks) don’t vote for HC. Isn’t that an insult to his people? What has his legacy done for them? Sad, but factual.
Janek is right about the bizarre settlement pattern of the Obama administration Muslim re-settlement plan–but it isn’t really bizarre:
It is selecting cities with high concentrations of traditional conservative white families, usually Christian (or even LDS in the case of Boise and Salt Lake), to use the Muslim presence as their shock troops against the remnants of traditional America.
..Just as Bill Clinton drove Serbian Orthodox Christians out of Kosovo and resettled ethnic Muslims in their stead. But that was payback to Muslim UN members.
Look at the twin cities of Minneapolis-St. Paul over 90,000 Somali Muslims were brought in over the last decade helped by Lutheran and Catholic social services of course! Once a state of Swedes, Danes, Germans, Norwegians, both Lutheran and Roman Catholic, now as of yesterday in St. Cloud a “man” as the media calls him stabbed over 10 people at a mall screaming Allahu-Akbar killing one before being shot DEAD by an off duty police officer, and asking them is they were Muslims, of course the media will not give us his “name” yet we all know of course what that name will be, a hint, is is the most common name in London England for the 4th year in a row??????????? The twin cities lead the nation in recruits for Al-Shabaab and ISIS from…
Calling the Pope Heretical is a straw man argument. One could also argue that pope Francisco wants to turn the Catholic Church Protestant. One could argue our Pope wants to be loved by the United Nations Leftist Globalists. One could also argue Amoris Lætitia and completing the Second Vatican II project is draining the church of faithful, weddings, babtisms and funerals in the Faith. I would argue that what has injected into the veins of the Church by Pope Francisco – such as approval of cohabitation and homosexual sex – will sicken the Bride of Christ for decades.
Well the name of the Muslim attacker in St. Cloud just came out the MSM tried to suppress the name of course but alas could not any longer. Dahir Adan, Somali of course, that is all the Minnesotans allow into their LIBERAL state, The Islamic State already gave their thumbs up to Adan’s attack that killed one and put dozens into the hospital, but not to fear they will continue to bring in thousands of more Somali Muslims into Minnesota yet denying entry of Christians from Europe and the Middle East. LIBERALISM is truly a mental disorder as Michael Savage so often notes.
The American Left has always stated they will completely eradicate the era of 1950’s America, white Liberals hate themselves and all that America once stood for, to them the police, military, family, white males, law and order, Christianity, morality, are to be hated and destroyed, they pray for the races in America to turn against each other as Saul Alinsky had intended.
Welcome to Minnesota land of 10,000 terrorists I mean lakes, sorry.
Janek I agree. Born and raised in Mn, I’m waiting for Francis to meet with the Ultra Liberal so called leader of this state Mark Dayton to discuss how wonderful it is that “All Are Welcome” in Mn, sound familiar ? Oh how I wish Benedict would slap some sense into this man.
If the issue has to be raised and the defense mounted, then I guess we know the answer. Pope Francis is indeed guilty of heresy.
But I say to you: that whosoever shall put away his wife, excepting the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is put away, committeth adultery. Matthew 5:32
“Hence it is can no longer
simply be said that all those in any “irregular”
situation are living in a state of mortal sin and are
deprived of sanctifying grace.” Amoris Laetitia Ch. 8 (301)
The Words of Our Lord are quite clear. What the Pope has proposed is a direct contradiction of those words. That is heresy.
The views of “Dr.” Mirus have been everywhere attacked by Catholic scholars (beyond even Traditional ones). Yes, Dear Reader, the rules regarding reception of communion are doctrinal (the distinction as to “who” may rightfully accept communion was often spoken of by the disciples; this is not about rules as to how many hours you need to fast before receiving our Lord). Dr. Mirus is one of the legion of Francis-Liars that will pretty much say whatever will curry favor with the Court. Amoris Laetitia is rife with error, particularly in Ch. 8 (see fn. 351). Do not be misled.
There are no comments found above (and I doubt that there will be any subsequently) that truly addresses the scenario put forth by Mirus. NONE! They are all about unfairly castigating Pope Francis for all sorts of ills in the West, such as terrorism, and others. These folks are incapable of addressing problems in the grey areas of life. At least the Pope is wading into the messiness of people’s lives. What are you people offering to a parent in this scenario? A welcome? Counsel? No. I can just imagine you people saying (and I say this as a devotee of the TLM myself): “Sorry, we have no program for you. Be sure not to present yourself for Communion because you’ve violated doctrine. You’ve been duped by the Pope because he…
is a heretic and a buffoon. Go to the Novus Ordo parish down the street. You belong there.”
Your comment, “jon,” reflects your idolatry of “humanism” (and, gosh, who just asked for an expanded “European humanism”?). The answer to your questions is — wait for it . . . — the Catholic Faith. The Church is there to assist sinners to overcome what they have done, not to “accompany” them to perdition. Is it OK for a priest to tell a family that contraception is OK because they already have too many kids? (NB — trick question, as many priests and those in the Vatican say “yes.”) We all sin, and for some, the affects of the sin live throughout their lives. The Pope is simply without any authority to declare that sexual acts, which by their definition are sinful, are not (based on this or that fact). Easy answer.
“I am a devotee if the TLM. .” — some kind of self-authentication? Sheep’s clothing.
Classic tactic of “distract-and-disorient”. Hi, Mr. Wolf!
SChristopher’s comments above are pure straw-man: totally unrelated to the Holy Father’s Exhortation. How so? Francis has not declared anything sinful to be unsinful. He hasn’t changed the discipline and the dogmas of the Church. If he wants to change the Law, I am sure the Holy Father knows that it is not done by sending a letter meant only to the Argentine bishops! Or even just by penning an Exhortation. So, your comments up there are pure malarky.
People, none of you have even addressed the meat of Mirus’ comment above, the fact that the mortality of a sin is determined by three factors: grave matter, consent, and knowledge. Depending on the circumstances the latter two can diminish or even remove the imputability of a…
of a grave offense (Catechism 1859). I don’t read anyone at least commending the bravery and courage of the Holy Father in searching for the “lost sheep”, considering ways for them to be brought back in, and showing them mercy. The comments above, especially from the usual vociferous castigators are: the Pope is weak, he is a heretic, he is a bad Pope, a humanist, a charlatan. Have you people not read about Our Lord being known as a friend of sinners and tax collectors? Hanging out with the “deplorables” of his time, associating with the adulterers and prostitutes? This is not “humanism” at all, this is mercy, divine mercy. Deus Papam defendere!
The Pope is not searching for the “lost sheep,” “jon.” That is the problem (as well as your incorrect notion of a sinful act). Francis wants to make defined notions of sin irrelevant. Certainly God will grant mercy as he will, be it to serial adulterers, homosexuals sexualists, fornicators and the like; or He may not. That decision, however, is for God alone, not the Pope. Francis’s approval of the Argentinian bishops’ position causes, at least, scandal. Further, given its scope (versus a private discussion), Francis clearly seeks to provide further authority for his theologically awful work, Amoris Laetitia. Francis is not brave, he is stubborn against the Faith.
Ascribing mal-intentions against the Holy Father is WRONG SChristopher. Of course he is after the lost sheep, He said it himself at his very first General Audience back in 2013: “We should not simply remain in our own secure world, that of the 99 sheep who never strayed from the fold, but we should go out, with Christ, in search of the one lost sheep, however far it may have wandered.”
How much longer Lord, how much longer?
Satan always morphs the exception into the rule. This is just the beginning.
Here’s an article that refutes the errors and silliness that Dr. Minus wrote about:
https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2016/09/op-ed-adultery-as-venial-sin-and-other.html?m=1
The Exorcist Fr Gabriele Amorth said in this article, “Biblically speaking, we are in the last days & the beast is working furiously.” For more of his insights @
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2016/09/17/catholic-churchs-most-prominent-exorcist-enemy-of-yoga-and-harry/
Rest in peace Fr Amorth.
“It is impossible to prove that advocacy of any disciplinary approach indicates heresy in the mind of the advocate.” Say what? Heresy is to be determined based on the subjective cognizance of the speaker? Sorry, that’s wrong. Heresy is heresy, it’s a strict liability offense. No mens rea required.
He’s not a heretic; he’s a bad pope. There is a difference between the two. Although the former would include the latter, the latter does not necessarily imply the former.
The Pope Who Quit: A True Medieval Tale of Mystery, Death and Salvation
https://erenow.com/postclassical/the-pope-who-quit-a-true-medieval-tale-of-mystery-death-and-salvation/20.html
“Soon Jacopone of Todi coined this prophecy about Boniface VIII: “You crept into the papacy like a fox, you will reign like a lion, and you will die like a dog.” And sure enough, Boniface was nearly killed by his enemies. On September 7, 1303, he was abducted at his home in Anagni by one of the Colonnas together with William of Nogaret, whom Boniface had also excommunicated for calling him a criminal. The two men beat him for three days, leaving him humiliated but still pope. Boniface died a month later.
The Pope Who Quit: A True Medieval Tale of…
April 2009, symbolic gesture? Pope Benedict XVI leaving his pallium at the tomb of Pope Celestine V – YouTube
Very interesting, Catherine, that P BXVI left his pallium at the tomb of P Celestine V in 2009—700 or so years earlier, the only other known pope who resigned (and was later imprisoned by his successor out of fear he might become installed as an anti-pope to the successor).
P. Celestine had wanted to return to the Benedictine monastery as a hermit, but it was not to be. Will history repeat itself?
Once, I read of a priest who said that his mother and father, who were not married in the eyes of God, and one of them couldn’t marry in the Catholic Church- finally made the hard decision, to live as brother and sister- and stuck to it! Their kids were in Catholic school, and receiving the Sacraments. They did not want to LIVE A LIE, before God, the Church, and their kids! When their son made the decision for the priesthood, his parents were thrilled!
Whatever a couple decides to do in a marital situation that is not right with God– it is always the best thing for their children, to do God’s Will. NOT to simply make decisions based on secular concepts, like “stay together for the sake of the kids,” etc. Instead, one should pray, and seek God’s Will– and pray for the grace, to do as God says! And then, all shall turn out for the highest and best!
Catholics do have what is called the “Pauline privilege,” in which if one partner is not Catholic, and the marriage falls apart– the Catholic is free to re-marry– and hopefully, to marry another Catholic! I am not sure, in the modern era, if this rule has changed. Anyway– it has always been recommended, that Catholics marry other Catholics, and form a true Catholic home, and raise their children in the Church! “Mixed marriages” are not desired!
Well Linda Maria, mine has lasted for 56 years so far.
“Satan always morphs the exception into the rule. This is just the beginning.”
Well stated, Ron!
Wake up and feel the tightening noose! Hillary wants “religious beliefs” and “structural biases” to change too!
“RELIGIOUS BELIEFS” “STRUCTURAL BIASES” HAVE TO BE CHANGED
RESTORE-DC-CATHOLICISM: RAYMOND ARROYO AND ROBERT ROYAL ON THE AMORALIS LAMENTIA ALLOWANCE FOR SACRILEGE
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 17, 2016
Raymond Arroyo And Robert Royal On The Amoralis Lamentia Allowance For Sacrilege
https://restore-dc-catholicism.blogspot.com/2016/09/raymond-arroyo-and-robert-royal-on.html
Look, I’m a post Catholic but still deeply love the faith. When the church finds it necessary to state that the the Supreme Vicar of Christ is NOT a heretic or an apostate that reminds me of Nixon saying ” I’m not a crook.”
This Pope is indeed a heretic and is spreading his secular malarkey as if Gospel. For those faithful souls still practicing, I suggest you ignore the pronouncements of this prideful charlatan.
https://www.wsj.com/articles/when-information-storage-gets-under-your-skin-1474251062
‘ When Information Storage Gets Under Your Skin ‘
Members of the so-called bodyhacker movement have been implanting RFID chips under their skin, programming them to perform various tasks. Photo: Henrik Andree, Telefónica BASECAMP/Digiwell.com
By Nina Adam and William Wilkes – Sept. 18, 2016
Patrick Paumen doesn’t have to worry about forgetting his keys and being locked out of his apartment. That is because he doesn’t need a key anymore—he simply unlocks the door with a wave of his hand.
continued…..
continued..
The 32-year-old IT expert from the Dutch city of Heerlen is one of a growing number of people with electronic implants under their skin, mostly to use as keys or for identification.
Mr. Paumen has several such implants, or tags, embedded in the fatty tissue of his hands and his lower arm. He uses separate tags to unlock not only his apartment door, but also his office and the gate to a secure parking lot at work. Another stores information he would otherwise put on a business card—name and contact details—and yet another holds similar information for nonbusiness encounters.
continued…..
continued….
The implants can be activated and scanned by readers that use radio frequency identification technology, or RFID. Those include ordinary smartphones and readers already installed in office buildings to allow entrance with a common ID card.
Mr. Paumen says the tiny devices simplify his life. When nearing the secure office parking lot, he says, “I just roll down the window, stick my arm out and let the reader at the gates scan the implant, which is just below my little finger. I don’t have to worry about losing my access card.”
https://www.wsj.com/articles/when-information-storage-gets-under-your-skin-1474251062
C, Thanks for the warning. I’ll stay low tech as long as I can. How lazy can we get with this tech stuff? Absurd.
You’re welcome, From The Pew!
St. Augustine said, “Before the devil can destroy you, he must *first*, deceive you.”
Pope Francis has a real problem. People think they know what he has said, put their own spin on it and then convince others that is true. I challenge anyone to come up with one statement Pope Francis has made that was not in conformity with the true faith. He hasn’t! He has questioned how his Priests act as Pastors, how we should treat each other and our planet, but not one of those exhortations is out of the main stream of Catholic teaching. Is it possible that our own beliefs and practices aren’t so Catholic after all?
I will not call him a heretic, however I stand here and say he is a truly bad Pope who is NOT teaching the Holy Roman Catholic Faith and comes across as not even liking who and what he stands for. He dislikes with a passion the TLM that is a fact, he has made fun of Traditional priests and as he calls them STERN and RIDGID!! Really? Francis, these young men who you call STERN and RIDGID have given up their lives for the priesthood and you should love and support them not call them names.
Let’s try to avoid name calling and focus on words and actions. Some of what Pope Francis is saying and doing is not Catholic.
Contrary to the comments on this conservative Catholic daily blog, most of what the Pope does is Holy, and caring and Christ-like. Here’s just one example. https://www.facebook.com/Channel4News/videos/10154068276676939/
….we are warned in scripture by St. Paul of those who will come disguised as an Angel of Light to preach a different gospel, Panthermom. So your pointing to the Holy and Christ-like aspects of certain folks is all well and good, but one must look to that which is leading folks away from the actual Catholic Faith.
Temptations, remember, are disguised as a something good.
Just watched that, beautiful! Thank you
He is a Jesuit and an Argentine, that says it all!!!
Catherine, Ann Malley, and others: if you have not already done so, I highly recommend your reading of “The Mosque of Notre Dame”, by Elena Chudinova, a Russian author (completed in 2005). I would really like to get your reaction: it is available for about $20 from Remnant Press (don’t buy it from E-Bay: they are trying to hawk it for $70 and upwards).
“The Mosque” is a gripping, fascinating futuristic novel about Paris, France in 2048: The Caliphate has conquered Europe; wine merchants and other sharia-law miscreants are being executed at the Arch de Triumph; all France has been forced into Islam or executed; and Notre Dame Cathedral has been converted to a mosque, its great organ ripped out and its statues smashed, its altar…
..desecrated and flattened, and a prayer-niche (mehrab) orienting the Muslim to Mecca installed in its stead.
Chudinova, even tho the version is a translation, sometimes with an error here or there, write with a gripping starkness as though she sees the events happening, and you do, too, before your eyes. I want to get your reaction to having read it.
Chudinova was compelled to write the story after the Muslim attack on the children’s school in Beslan, North Ossetia, an Orthodox Christian province near Chechnya, Sept. 1. 2004. Officially about 300 people were executed, including at least 170 children, but the actual toll may have been as many as 1000 murdered, many being children as young as age 9, who spent their last hours…
..in horrible fear and torture, in the grip of the Chechnyan and Ingush Muslim terrorists.
Chudinova predicts in many ways, in 2005, the coming Muslim invasion of EuroIslam and soon AmerIslam, orchestrated by powerful world-national leaders (think: Merkel; Obama; Hollande; Soros) in order to obtain a joint world domination of nations without borders any longer.
How in the spiritual world did we end up with a liberal Jesuit, Argentine, Marxist sympathizer Pope? (Especially after the JPII & Benedict experiences?) Only God knows. May God help us all.