I. The Crises in the Synod Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah, one of the leading opponents of Cardinal Kasper’s proposals The Extraordinary Synod on the Family, which began on October 5, ended yesterday. The Synod was, to put it mildly, a bumpy ride. A group of bishops, lead by the German Cardinal Walter Kasper, vocally pushed… Continue reading Pope Francis Shows His Cards
Tag: divorce
The Peril of False Mercy: Divorce, Remarriage, and Holy Communion
Sandro Botticelli, The Last Communion of St. Jerome (1495) (detail) Imagine a kid who has a severe peanut allergy, but wants a peanut butter cookie. Peanut allergy is one of the worst of the food allergies, since it can be triggered by even trace amounts of peanuts (even 1/1000th of a peanut), and it can… Continue reading The Peril of False Mercy: Divorce, Remarriage, and Holy Communion
Divorce and Remarriage in the Case of Adultery: What Does the Bible Really Say?
Edmund Blair Leighton, Signing the Register (19th-20th c.) Last year, Pope Francis called for an extraordinary general assembly to address “the pastoral challenges to the family in the context of evangelization.” It hasn’t even begun and there are already rumors that this might lead to the Catholic Church overturning Her two thousand year old prohibition against divorce… Continue reading Divorce and Remarriage in the Case of Adultery: What Does the Bible Really Say?
Don’t be Shocked: Marriage Redefined
I still remember when I heard a clear defense for “same sex marriage” for the first time in college. The reasoning went along the lines of: “the only difference between same sex marriage and what is currently allowed is that some people think the sexual behavior of two men or two women is icky.” It… Continue reading Don’t be Shocked: Marriage Redefined
From Concubine to Spouse
Joe posted earlier about Archbishop Sheehan’s letter regarding pastoral care for cohabitating couples. It caught my attention as I’ve been engaged in a discussion over at American Papist about that very topic. I commend Archbishop Sheehan for providing such clarity to his people and clergy. It’s not an easy topic to discuss. As a still… Continue reading From Concubine to Spouse
Archbishop Sheehan Takes a Strong Stance Against Cohabitation
A few weeks ago, Archbishop Sheehan of Santa Fe released a letter entitled “Pastoral Care of Couples Who are Cohabitating,” on the problem of couples living in sin outside of marriage (h/t Michael Morris). It’s really good: Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ, We are all painfully aware that there are many Catholics today who are… Continue reading Archbishop Sheehan Takes a Strong Stance Against Cohabitation
Is There Salvation Outside of the Church? And Other Questions.
Leon Suprenant was asked the following question on his blog: I have a Protestant friend who has asked me two questions. I was wondering if you could help me with them. Thanks!!! First, the conclusion of the Papal Bull “Unam Sanctam” states: “Further, we declare, say, define, and pronounce it to be altogether necessary for… Continue reading Is There Salvation Outside of the Church? And Other Questions.
What the Bible Says on Divorce and Annulments
I had lunch with a couple of Catholic friends when my friend Neal talked about how his Protestant in-laws had been pressing him for the Biblical basis for annulments. Since I’ve addressed that, and similar, issues here, I figured I’d e-mail him a summary of the Biblical evidence. Here’s the e-mail: Neal and Kevin,Here are… Continue reading What the Bible Says on Divorce and Annulments
Divorce and Remarriage: The Pastoral Approach
In response to my last post, DJ AMDG has suggested that, while perhaps doctrinally sound, it lacks any pastoral sense. Fair enough. I’m not a pastor, and the last post was more to explain what the appropriate doctrine was, not how to apply it to an individual’s case. But he’s right that that’s important. Specifically,… Continue reading Divorce and Remarriage: The Pastoral Approach
Does the Bible Permit Divorce in the Case of Adultery?
I mentioned GotQuestions.org yesterday (and will mention them at least once more, tomorrow), but today’s post is only somewhat related to them. This is an e-mail I sent them a while back, but it addresses a topic which I think has been the source of great confusion: does the Bible permit divorce in the case… Continue reading Does the Bible Permit Divorce in the Case of Adultery?