My Photo
Name:
Location: United States

Friday, June 17, 2016

Pope Francis and invalid marriages

In the news: Pope Francis is under fire for calling a "great majority" of today's Catholic marriages invalid ...

Pope Francis has said the "great majority" of Catholic marriages being celebrated today are invalid because couples do not fully realize it is a lifetime commitment, drawing sharp criticism from Church conservatives.

The pope, who has come under fire before for making spontaneous comments about doctrinal matters, was speaking at a question-and-answer session with priests, nuns and parish workers on Thursday night in a Rome basilica .....

In the Vatican's transcript issued on Friday morning his words were changed to read "some" instead of "a great majority". A Vatican spokesman said the pope's off-the-cuff remarks are sometimes edited after consulting with him or among aides ...


Actually, this isn't news - the pope said this in 2014 too: Pope Francis says half of marriages today are invalid. He's wrong. ... During a media blitz earlier this month, Kasper revealed to Commonweal magazine the pope's eye-popping assessment that half of Catholic marriages are likely invalid.

I think what this whole thing is really about is Cardinal Kasper ("the Pope's theologian") and his interest in having divorced/remarried Catholics get communion. The church won't simply admit that it's wrong about divorce ... that someone could have a valid marriage which somehow still does not last for life ... so instead, the pope says that most marriages are actually invalid, and thus annulment-worthy.

I think this is a cynical and disingenuous work-around .... it's time the church faced the truth that some valid marriages do end in divorce. And I'm not sure a vowed celibate, the leader of a church ruled by vowed celibates, can really understand what makes a marriage valid, anyway.

More: Can Only Theologians Get Married?

5 Comments:

Blogger Dina said...

Oi, are you OK?? Take care.

8:42 AM  
Blogger Dina said...

(You and the cats.)

8:51 AM  
Blogger crystal said...

Thank for asking, Dina! I'm in a terrible mood. It just seems like so many things have been going wrong lately with my health and the house and the cats and money. Very hard to be optimistic right now.

10:34 AM  
Blogger Dina said...

Hard times for you, dear Crystal. I pray things will take an upward turn for you and soon.
Lots of shalom to you

12:38 PM  
Blogger crystal said...

Thank you, Dina. You're a good friend :)

11:17 PM  

Post a Comment

<< Home