Saturday, January 6, 2018

The Crisis We are Living



Fr. Murray wrote an outstanding reflection on damage being done by Pope Francis: The Crisis We are Living

The publication in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis of Pope Francis’ letter confirming the interpretation of Amoris Laetitia by the bishops of the Buenos Aires region marked a new phase in the serious crisis affecting the Church. We now know that the pastoral advice of this group of bishops embodies what Pope Francis intended in chapter 8 of AL.

Here’s the problem: When a group of bishops teaches that persons in invalid second marriages are free to judge that it is not “feasible” for them to avoid committing acts of adultery, they are telling the faithful that they are not at fault for doing what the Catholic Church teaches to be gravely sinful. “Feasibility” means “the state or degree of being easily or conveniently done,” and even more precisely “capable of being done, accomplished or carried out.” The avoidance of mortal sin does involve difficulty and inconvenience. But the Church does not teach that grown-up people in their right minds are incapable of obeying God’s commandments.


To say to someone that it may be infeasible for him to refrain from acts of adultery is to advise him that, in effect, he is not subject to God’s law in this matter. When pastors tell Catholics living in sin that they are not really guilty of mortal sin as long as they decide that they cannot “feasibly” observe God’s law, the shepherds have seriously failed them.

Fr. Murray has a way with words. Truth be told, what these pastors are doing is lying to Catholics. Hoodwinking them into believing they can commit mortal sin.

I honestly can't think of anything in the history of Christendom that was more diabolical.

As the Kazak bishops rightly say: “The Catholic faith by its nature excludes a formal contradiction between the faith professed on the one hand and the life and practice of the sacraments on the other.”

Yet that is where one arrives if one claims that for some people mortal sin is both inevitable and inculpable. The Gospel is compromised, the constant Magisterium of the Church is repudiated and those who object to this are stigmatized.

Herein lies the crisis we are living.

11 comments:

Michael Dowd said...

Pope Francis has become untrustworthy as the leader of the Catholic Church. He is now a questionable character who doesn't seem to know what his job is supposed to be: a Socialist politician, an environmentalist, or a part time Progressive religious leader moving Catholics rapidly into Protestantism. His permissive attitude on adultery in Amoris Laetitia is perhaps his worse offense against Christ's teachings . A recent biography called 'The Dictator Pope' spells it all out.

Catechist Kev said...

Carol,

Did you see this beauty?
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"In comments to the Register last month, Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio insisted the Pope’s official endorsement of an Argentine directive on the issue did not contradict canon law.

The president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts said it is true that “divorced and remarried (or cohabiting) cannot be admitted to Holy Communion because they are ‘in manifest grave sin.’”

But he added that there are “divorced and remarried (or cohabiting) who have the intention to change their condition but cannot. Therefore such faithful are only in objective sin, not subjective sin, precisely because they have the intention to change, even if they cannot. This intention makes a difference!”

[Kev here: this is straight out of the Fundamental Option theology on what constitutes mortal sin - it, the F.O., *contradicts* P(St.)JPII's Veritatis splendor who was trying to put the kibosh on this line of thinking]

He further noted that the relevant canon, number 915, states that Holy Communion cannot be allowed if the person remains “obstinately persevering” in grave sin. The word “obstinate” means “without any intention to change,” Cardinal Coccopalmerio said, “so these faithful can be admitted to Holy Communion because they have the intention to leave the condition of sin and therefore they are not in sin.”

He added that the “doctrine of sincere repentance” which contains the purpose of changing one's condition of life as a necessary requisite to be admitted to the sacrament of Penance “is respected” because the faithful in such hypothesised situations “are conscious, have conviction, of the situation of objective sin in which they currently find themselves.” They also “have the purpose of changing their condition of life, even if, at this moment, they are not able to implement their purpose.”

The cardinal added that the doctrine of “sanctifying grace as a necessary requisite to be admitted to the sacrament of the Eucharist is also respected” because the faithful in this case “haven’t yet arrived at a real change of life because of the impossibility of doing so, but have the intention of implementing this change.”

He said it is “precisely this theological element that allows absolution and access to the Eucharist, always — we repeat — in the presence of an impossibility to immediately change the condition of sin.”"

Source: http://www.ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/three-bishops-issue-profession-of-truth-about-sacramental-marriage

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[Big sigh] Nowhere, that I am aware of, in *sound* Catholic moral theology can one receive the Blessed Sacrament while their soul is in grave or serious sin. "Intention" means nothing. Action is the key. Our Lord said "Go and sin no more" not "Go and be at peace with your 'intention to leave the condition of sin'."

Aie-yaie-yaie. Aptly titled piece by Fr. Murray. The crisis we are living, indeed.

TLM said...

The 'crisis' we are living is turning into a real formal schism. We now have though, one more Bishop from Austria that has signed onto the 'correction' given by Bishop Schneider & Co. So now there are seven that have formally signed on. Pray for more! Pray for a whole army of Bishops that will sign on!!

Slick said...

Did you mean "cannot commit mortal sin." (?)

Here is your text: Fr. Murray has a way with words. Truth be told, what these pastors are doing is lying to Catholics. Hoodwinking them into believing they can commit mortal sin.

TTC said...

I don't think so Slick but correct me if I'm mistaken: I'm saying here that Fr. Murray has a way with words - he is being pastoral I suppose - but the truth of the matter is, these bad pastors are lying to Catholics, tricking them into believing its ok for them to commit mortal sins.

Is that what comes across? If not, I'll reword the sentence.

Thank you!

Dr. T.T.Coals said...

"I honestly can't think of anything in the history of Christendom that was more diabolical." Well, the diabolical is by nature sneaky and disguised, and there is nothing sneaky or disguised about what Francis is doing. For truly diabolical, I vote for Roncalli's opening speech to Vatican II, wherein he declares that the penal (i.e. "militant") Church should give way to the "merciful" Church - as if it is merciful to not correct errors and heresies - which opened the door for the likes of Francis. In fact, you might say that Roncalli and Bergoglio are the two bookends of the Vatican II revolution: false mercy.

Karl J said...

False mercy.

Amen!

Michael Dowd said...

Dr. TT Coals. I think you are correct. Considering who are the worst Popes in history John XXIII has to be near the top. He was responsible for the catastrophe of Vatican II by forcing through the Progressive (Modernist) agenda which turns Catholicism into Protestantism.

TLM said...

What this crisis is really all about is sodomy and the glorification and enshrine of sodomy within the Church of Christ. The 'irregular' marriage thingie is just the tip of the iceberg. Just kind of a 'springboard' if you will to get to the golden calf that they worship.....sodomy. Hang on tight because we are going to have another 'Synod' this year for the 'kids'. They want to find out what the 'kids' really want you know so that the Church can dispense with all of Her 'MERCY'. I'm sure there will be some great 'dialoging' going on and so much 'meeting them where they are', and 'walking with them.' I just can't wait!

TTC said...

Kev - just catching up to this --yikes!!!!! Diabolical!

Michael Dowd said...

We should expect nothing less from our “new” religion based on the “new” theology adapted at Vatican II. The Church was forewarned in the 3rd Secret of Fatima. Here is a summary by a French priest received in an elocution:

“There will be a wicked council planned and prepared that will change the countenance of the Church. Many will lose the Faith; confusion will reign everywhere. The sheep will search for their shepherds in vain. A schism will tear apart the holy tunic of My Son. This will be the end of times, foretold in the Holy Scriptures and recalled to memory by Me in many places. The abomination of abominations will reach its peak and it will bring the chastisement announced at La Salette. My Son’s arm, which I will not be able to hold back anymore, will punish this poor world, which must expiate its crimes. One will only speak about wars and revolutions. The elements of nature will be unchained and will cause anguish even among the best (the most courageous). The Church will bleed from all Her wounds. Happy are they who will persevere and search for refuge in My Heart, because in the end My Immaculate Heart will triumph.”
—-https://novusordowatch.org/fatima-true-third-secret/