And, So It Continues . . . The Pope vs. Catholic Doctrine
If it Was Easy, It Wouldn’t Be Worth It!
The Catholics in Malta seem to be taking on the burden of trying to bring many of our bishops back into line. https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/maltese-catholics-rebuke-abominable-communion-guidelines-in-stinging-full-p The Pope’s last encyclical was vague to the point of seeming to allow reception of the sacraments to people who have divorced and remarried outside of the Church. When pressed for clarification by several Cardinals in good standing, the Pope has remained silent.
I defended the Church’s stand to a friend who called me intolerant and worse for putting God’s Law over the desires of people who wish they weren’t in the predicament of not being able to receive the sacraments. To me, people doing what they want and then demanding the graces of what they gave up by doing so, is not the way to instruct all Catholics in how to abide by the rules of the Church.
There should be no confusion in the Church over something like this. The laws of the Church are there for a reason. One member of the church hierarchy said that something to the effect that the ‘common’ people can’t be expected to reach the heights of sacrifice that were accomplished by the saints. Uh, wouldn’t that eventually stop a lot of canonizations if no one felt they had to step up to the plate and BE a Catholic. I’m praying the Pope clarifies his meaning in the encyclical before souls are lost looking for the easy way out of their status in life.
“Concerning the Reception of the Eucharist by Divorced and Remarried Members of the Church.” This document was issued on September 14, 1994, and signed by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.
“Members of the faithful who live together as husband and wife with persons other than their legitimate spouses may not receive Holy Communion,” the Vatican document states. “Should they judge it possible to do so, pastors and confessors, given the gravity of the matter and the spiritual good of these persons as well as the common good of the Church, have the serious duty to admonish them that such a judgment of conscience openly contradicts the Church’s teaching.”
Sacred Scripture vs. Pope’s Direction?
There seems to be a difference of opinion in the Church today about who can or cannot receive Holy Communion. For me, any priest worth his salt, will abide by the words of Pope John Paul II . . . which are totally in line with Church practice.
The Pope Said . . . What?
The Pope . . . An Observation!
Crazy Quilts, Catholics & Cookies 