The following comes from a Sept. 19 story on the Catholic News Agency.
Catholic Church sources have dismissed rumors that Pope Francis is annoyed by an Ignatius Press book critical of Cardinal Walter Kasper’s position on Holy Communion for the divorced and remarried.
The French Catholic newspaper La Croix said Sept. 17 that “a senior source close to the Argentine Pope” claimed that Pope Francis would be “annoyed by the publication of this collective work.”
However, sources close to the Pope denied this claim, telling CNA that the Pope is not even aware of the book.
The book, from Ignatius Press, is titled Remaining in the Truth of Christ: Marriage and Communion in the Catholic Church. It is a collection of essays on the pastoral approach to Catholics who have divorced and civilly remarried. Authors of the essays include five cardinals as well as other scholars.
Contributors include Cardinal Gerhard Muller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith; Cardinal Raymond Burke, prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura; Cardinal Walter Brandmuller, president emeritus of the Pontifical Committee for Historical Sciences; Cardinal Carlo Caffarra of Bologna, one of the closest theologians to St. John Paul II in questions of morality and the family; and Cardinal Velasio De Paolis, president emeritus of the Prefecture for Economic Affairs of the Holy See.
The book is set to be published next month, around the time that the Synod of Bishops will be meeting in Rome to discuss issues involving the family.
The Ignatius Press book’s introduction says the essays in Remaining in the Truth of Christ are responses to Cardinal Walter Kasper’s 2014 book The Gospel of the Family, which includes his advocacy of giving Holy Communion to some Catholics who have divorced and civilly remarried without an annulment.
Fr. Joseph Fessio, S.J., founder and editor of Ignatius Press, responded sharply to claims by Cardinal Kasper in an email exchange with CNA. He drew from Cardinal Kasper’s Sept. 18 interview with Italian newspaper La Stampa, responding point-by-point to the cardinal’s statements.
In the interview, Cardinal Kasper complained of learning about the book from journalists who had received advance copies of it. The cardinal said that he had not received an advance copy, adding, “In my entire academic life nothing like this has ever happened to me.”
“You chose to leave academia to enter public life. Get used to it,” Fr. Fessio responded.
The priest also referenced Cardinal Kasper’s statement, “If cardinals who are the closest collaborators of the pope intervene in this organized and public manner, at least in regard to the most recent history of the Church we are facing an unprecedented situation.”
“Well, you did something unprecedented,” Fr. Fessio replied. “And it was organized and public. Well, it was supposed to be done in secrecy, but then you published your consistory intervention as a book.”
Furthermore, Fr. Fessio responded to Cardinal Kasper’s statement that his consistory remarks had not offered “a definitive solution” but rather “posed some questions and offered considerations for possible responses.”
“Well, what are you complaining about then?” Fr. Fessio asked. “You got some answers and some responses to your considerations. Or weren’t those the answers you were expecting?”
Controversy over the subject arose when Cardinal Kasper delivered a prominent two-hour address to the February 2014 cardinals’ consistory, which focused on the topic of the family. He has advocated his position in other interviews and speeches as well.
During the consistory speech, Cardinal Kasper asked, “is it not perhaps an exploitation of the person” when a person who has been divorced and remarried is excluded from receiving Communion. He suggested that for “the smaller segment of the divorced and remarried,” perhaps they could be admitted to “the sacrament of penance, and then of Communion.”
In an interview with Italian newspaper Il Mattino published Sept. 18, Cardinal Kasper charged that some bishops in the upcoming synod “want a doctrinal war.”
Catholic doctrine is “not a closed system” but “a living tradition that develops,” he said, adding that he is not “the target of the controversy,” but rather that the Pope “probably is.”
The contributors to the Ignatius Press book write that the Bible and the Church Fathers do not support the practice advocated by Cardinal Kasper. The authors say that there is no contradiction between “genuine mercy and compassion” and Catholic doctrine and pastoral practice. Catholic teaching is “based on the teaching of Jesus himself,” they say, according to the Ignatius Press summary of the book.
The contributors also consider the Eastern Orthodox approach to divorce and remarriage and Catholic resistance to it. They find “serious theological and pastoral difficulties” in the practice.
Coverage of the rumors surrounding the Ignatius Press book has been prominent among those who speculate or assume that Pope Francis intends to side with Cardinal Kasper’s position at the bishops’ synod.
Pope Francis himself has reaffirmed the indissolubility and lifelong nature of Christian marriage, such as his April 2014 remarks to the bishops of South Africa.
“The holiness and indissolubility of Christian matrimony, often disintegrating under tremendous pressure from the secular world, must be deepened by clear doctrine and supported by the witness of committed married couples,” the Pope said, stressing that these truths must be taught “with great compassion.”
Other critical evaluations of Cardinal Kasper’s position have come from Cardinal Angelo Scola of Milan, Congregation for Bishops prefect Cardinal Marc Ouellet and Cardinal George Pell, the last of whom is on the council of nine cardinals who are special advisers to Pope Francis.
To read original story, click here.
The Modernists will take over the Synod!
John – I submit that using their own carefully chosen sanitized terms like ‘modernist / progressive’ only plays in to the hands of the Radical Leftist / Gender Feminist / Homosexualist Gaystapo…
– Who hide the Evil Facts about their Behaviors behind lighthearted and gaily sanitized ‘happy’ euphemisms.
These are Not Progressives – and as for the hateful hypocrisy they hide behind while pushing their pretenses, it is as old as the hills are dusty in a drought – and nothing truly nourishing to the Soul grows there.
Thank you CCD for this great article. There are lots of rumors that are flooding blogs and news sources every day on the upcoming synod and those prelates involved, and I’m happy to see “just the facts” being presented. I’ve become recently more and more interested in listening to Fr. Fessio-I’ve found myself downloading and listening to a lot of his appearances on CATHOLIC ANSWERS LIVE. This great priest has been amazingly consistent throughout the years. His point-by-point answers with CNA remind me of a recent quote by canonist Ed Peters: “Be careful about describing someone as being ‘honest’ or ‘dishonest’. Such determinations usually require considerable knowledge of what is actually in another’s mind and will. Rather, focus, if one must, on whether someone is being accurate or inaccurate, informative or confusing, on-topic or distracting.”
It is good promotion.
Fr. Fessio is a first class priest — a Jesuit to love.
I agree, Peggy. Fr. Fessio has such a kind heart and is so true to the faith. So fortunate for us all to have him where he can reach so many believers and non-believers as well! He is such an effective apologist on Catholic Answers, also.
” Remaining in the Truth of Christ: Marriage and Communion in the Catholic Church” – I have preordered this book.
This book along with a Catholic Bible, and the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” – will make super engagement gifts.
Hope others order it as well.
Walter Kasper, Godfried Danneels, and Johan Bonny have not taught the Faith according to the Bible and CCC (including by not asking all literate persons to read them),
therefore it is merely easier for them to try and change the Faith to suit the sins of their society which they have helped to create.
Accurate catechesis is work you know.
After all isn’t filling the pews for money, and power, and prestige most important ?
By confirming people in Mortal Sin (under the pretense of being “pastoral”) they certainly do not care about the Salvation of Souls.
CCC: ” 2285 Scandal takes on a particular gravity by reason of the authority of those who cause it or the weakness of those who are scandalized.
It prompted our Lord to utter this curse: “Whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened round his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea.”
Scandal is grave when given by those who by nature or office are obliged to teach and educate others.
Jesus reproaches the scribes and Pharisees on this account: he likens them to wolves in sheep’s clothing. ”
Kasper is from Germany where their National Bishop’s Conference published pornography to raise money, and where one gets excommunicated if they do not donate to the Church via government tax withdrawals.
Danneels is from Belgium and advised people to hide information regarding a pedophile Bishop. And in 2013 he supported homosexual unions/marriage.
Bonny is from Belgium (where the heretical 1966 Dutch catechism was published), and wants the wording changed in all Church documents to support anything that would offend anyone – (total relativism). – This is in line with the Dutch catechism, especially regarding contraception, etc., etc., etc.
Well done, Dottie.
The heresy within the Church by some high ranking Clergy needs to be exposed so that the un-catechized do not follow them into sin.
Donald Wuerl, Blasé Cupich, Timothy Dolan and others who do not believe in Sacrilege against the Body and Blood of our Lord (receiving Holy Communion while in the state of unrepentant Mortal Sin),
nor of the sins of Scandal,
need to be exposed and prayed for.
Their actions or inactions (omissions) help send Souls to Hell.
They do not teach, correct, or when necessary discipline those to are obstinate in mortal sin (like a good ‘father’ should).
Jesus warned us many times about false teachers and false prophets.
Read your Bible and the CCC to know who the false teachers really are.
This will help in avoiding confusion, and helping us stay true to Christ.
.
Like Dolan, I don’t remember ever seeing a picture in which Kasper is not laughing!
God bless, yours in Their Hearts,
May God have mercy on an amoral Amerika and His Church!
Viva Cristo Rey!
Kenneth M. Fisher
I called the Pope this morning and asked him to tell the Cardinals to stop smiling. It makes them look like happy people. We can’t have that can we? :)
It seem to me the Left wants this Synod to turn into VC3. And they can do it with Pope Francis on their backs.
and what, exactly, would be wrong with the Pope convening a Council, if he thought that was where the Holy Spirit was leading the universal Church?
Not all spirits are Holy, Anonymous. That’s why a council that one might call saying it was ‘inspired by the Holy Ghost’ and then proceeds to contradict what was previously inspired ‘By the Holy Ghost’ and confirmed in the deposit of Faith, is questionable.
And if a kingdom has become divided against itself, that kingdom cannot subsist. And if a house has become divided against itself, that house cannot subsist. And if Satan rise up against himself, and is divided, he cannot subsist, but has an end. But no one can, having entered into his house, plunder the goods of the strong [man] unless he first bind the strong [man], and then he will plunder his house.
Ann, I remember during the papal selection that the commentators from EWTN stressed that it wasn’t the Holy Spirit at work in choosing the pope but men voting on who they believed to be the best candidate. Fr Mitch Pacwa said as much also. I agree with you and that many of the decisions of this council will not be the work of the Holy Spirit. Frankly, I think this synod is not in the least necessary! All that is needed is to teach and practice what the Church has taught for centuries. It would seem these cardinals intend to weaken, rework or eliminate age old solutions to divorce by enabling adulterers, homosexuals and other sinners to be painlessly dealt with in order to appease secularists who MAY then join the Church and increase Church coffers…win/win for all but Truth, Tradition and most of all God’s Law. The Germans on the Synod are apparently planning to do to the Church what they were unable to do in WWII . Pure guesswork and I’ll be most happy to be wrong!
What??? “The Germans on the Synod are apparently planning to do to the Church what they were unable to do in WWII”. What in blazes does that mean? Are you accusing German bishops of being Nazis? Of promoting a holocaust? Honestly, the crap that passes here for discussion is just exactly that.
That is why I duck for cover and stick with Tradition. If nothing was changed by VII then there *shouldn’t* logically be anything wrong in sticking with that which was ‘safe’ for centuries. Goodness knows the stonewall I met with attempting to talk anything close to logic with Fr. B convinced me to stay far and clear of anything that remotely smacks of chancery office. They’ll sufficient a soul down to the spiritual equivalent of a slim fast only diet via IV.
God bless you, Dana.
Ps. Where do you see anything in what I wrote about the holocaust? Like Pavlov’s dogs, you begin salivating at the mention of Germany and WWII in the same sentence. Not all Germans were Nazis and seeing what is happening in our own country I have a greater understanding of how thugs and bullies can hijack a whole country through fear and intimidation.
There is so much confusion, Dana, surrounding what people are led to believe that the Holy Ghost does.
It’s rather the reverse of those people who always see the devil behind each and every sin they commit, while negating their own weak will. There are those who attribute every weird new thing to a so called inspiration of the Holy Ghost, while negating their own weak will or desire for that which is weird and new.
No personal accountability. No spines. No Faith.
Creates a big problem. And now, like Pavlov’s dog as you so rightly put it, the no longer anonymous Chancery cry will begin. Thugs and bullies indeed!
If you were a faithful catholic, you would know that a spirit that is not holy cannot persuade a pope to call a council that would contradict prior councils. Perhaps you set up a false and impossible situation because you fear the genuine Holy Spirit which must, by dogmatic faith, be present, at an Ecumenical Council. The Bishops when they teach in unity with Rome cannot err in matters of faith. Perhaps in your zeal to undo Vatican II you forgot that, and so you fear a Vatican III.
Anonymous please provide a link to the Vatican or other OFFICIAL Church teaching to support your statement of Sept 26 at 12:23pm.
All men are human beings and as such – sinners.
When men purposely deviate from the teaching of Holy Scripture and the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition” – which contains the ‘Deposit of the Faith’,
– – – for false mercy and false/ wicked’ ‘pastoral’ reasons, they are not doing God’s work.
There is no promise that all Popes, all Bishops, or all Priests, or all Nuns will get to Heaven.
A Synod is only as good as those invited to attend.
.
FYI – the CCC also contains the teachings of V II.
And I support the CCC in entirety. So must you if you are Catholic.
https://www.vatican.va/archive/ccc_css/archive/catechism/ccc_toc.htm
It has nothing to do with nazis but everything about control, anon. Read this. https://rorate-caeli.blogspot.com/2014/09/achtung-as-in-vatican-ii-germans-seem.html?m=1
Nazism was just one manifestation of a cultural zeitgeist. As Fr Z says, try to contain your speckled flecked nutty and reflect for a moment. Maybe you’ve forgotten but I have not that this was the country that embraced the protestant rebellion from its inception…obviously there’s a strong and faithful Catholic presence there or we wouldn’t have had one of our most beloved popes, but it has also been a stronghold of anti-Catholic sentiment.
The Holy Spirit does not contradict or call Jesus a liar. Nor does the Holy Spirit violate God’s Commandments.
Only the black spirit (devil) does that.
It is not merciful or pastoral to confirm anyone in the state of mortal sin.
This includes but is not limited to those who purposely continue to commit adultery with the valid spouse of another; and those who violate their bodies and the bodies of others in homosexual acts for personal gratification.
Nor would the Holy Spirit support SACRILEGE against the Body and Blood of our Lord.
.
Any Pope (there were 12 known corrupt Popes), or Bishop, or Priest who leads us away from the teachings of Jesus is not of the Holy Spirit.
Know your Faith – read the Bible and CCC.
There is too much evil within the Church.
So we have a problem, maybe. The Synod, this year will discuss issues related to the family. Next year the Synod will give final recommendations, if any, to the Pope for his approval. If next year the Pope and the Bishops promulgate new laws that are different from what we have now, what are we to do. Everyone seems to believe that the teachings of the Magisterium are the true teachings of the church. By the Magisterium we mean the teaching office of the Church. It consists of the Pope and Bishops. Christ promised to protect the teaching of the Church : “He who hears you, hears me; he who rejects you rejects me, he who rejects me, rejects Him who sent me” (Luke 10. 16). Now of course the promise of Christ cannot fail: hence when the Church presents some doctrine as definitive or final, it comes under this protection, it cannot be in error; in other words, it is infallible. This is true even if the Church does not use the solemn ceremony of definition. The day to day teaching of the Church throughout the world, when the Bishops are in union with each other and with the Pope, and present something as definitive, this is infallible. (Vatican II, Lumen gentium # 25). So, if we reject those teachings are we then no Cafeteria Catholics?
“You of little faith, why are you so afraid?” (Matt 8). Reading many of these comments one senses the fear that our Holy Father, Pope Francis is going to destroy the Church. The Church has survived and flourished in spite of many less than stellar Popes. In my 70 years as a practicing Roman Catholic (from the cradle to now), I have seen much change in the Church…some of it for the better. Under the leadership of St. Pope John Paul II and Pope Benedict XVI we’ve had to endure the sexual abuse and fiscal scandals. Perhaps God, in his wisdom, has given us Pope Francis to help the Church heal and regain its purpose as a living sign of the Lord’s presence in our broken world. As St. Pope John Paul II often quoted the words of our Lord: “Be not afraid!” Turn away from your fear and love our broken Church and your neighbors!