Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love)
The Archdiocese of the Catholic Church of Philadelphia recently released a document entitled “Pastoral Guidelines for Implementing Amoris Laetitia.” The Apostolic Exhortation issued by Pope Francis on March 19, 2016, Amoris Laetitia (The Joy of Love), concluded the Church’s reflection on the family which was studied by the Synods of 2014 and 2015. After reading Amoris Laetitia, I was still confused about the conclusions Pope Francis intended to convey concerning the Eucharist, in general, and homosexual marriage in particular. The guidelines for the Archdiocese of Philadelphia (the city of “Brotherly Love”) have quelled most of my bewilderment. These guidelines become effective on July 1, 2016 in the Archdiocese. The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops can strengthen the entire Church if they would adopt these guidelines. So could the Pope.
What of marriage according to the guidelines? Of course, these guidelines apply to baptized members of the Catholic Church. So if you are not a Catholic or a Catholic, but have fallen away, these rules do not apply to you and you have absolutely no grounds to criticize, condemn or complain. Marriage is only between one man and one woman. Marriage is indissoluble, meaning it lasts forever in the eyes of the Church, unless of course, a couple has grounds for dissolubility, such as annulment. If a marriage is dissoluble, it means it is as if it never existed. Marriage, during the lives of the spouses, can only end at the death of one spouse.
Sex outside of a properly confected and intact Catholic marriage is absolutely forbidden. Divorced and civilly remarried Catholics, who are sexually active, are committing sin. They are also committing sin for having divorced and their second marriage is a nullity in the eyes of the Church. They must pledge an act of chastity. Teenagers, young adults, and everyone else who are not married, but who are sexually active, are committing sin.
What of Communion? Every Catholic before receiving the Eucharist, not only the divorced and civilly-remarried, must repent, sacramentally confess all serious sin with a contrite heart and firmly resolve to abstain from all future sin. “With divorced and civilly-remarried persons (those who are divorced but who have not dissolved their prior marriage within the Church), Church teaching requires them to refrain from sexual intimacy. This applies even if they must (for the care of their children) continue to live under one roof. Undertaking to live as brother and sister (meaning no sex) is necessary for the divorced and civilly-remarried to receive reconciliation in the Sacrament of Penance, which could then open the way to the Eucharist. Such individuals are encouraged to approach the Sacrament of Penance regularly, having recourse to God’s great mercy in that sacrament, if they fail in chastity. Even where, for the sake of their children, they live under one roof in chaste continence and have received absolution (so that they are free from personal sin), the unhappy fact remains that, objectively speaking, their public state and condition of life in the new relationship is contrary to Christ’s teaching against divorce. Concretely speaking, therefore, where pastors give Communion to divorced and remarried persons trying to live chastely, they should do so in a manner that will avoid giving scandal or implying that Christ’s teaching can be set aside. In other contexts, also, care must be taken to avoid the unintended appearance of an endorsement of divorce and civil remarriage; thus, divorced and civilly remarried persons should not hold positions of responsibility in a parish (e.g. on a parish council), nor should they carry out liturgical ministries or functions (e.g., lector, extraordinary minister of Holy Communion).” Sexually active persons outside of a validly confected Catholic marriage cannot receive the Eucharist unless they repent, sacramentally confess all sin with a contrite heart and firmly resolve to abstain from all future sin. Of course, all persons, whether married or unmarried, who are in a state of mortal sin (i.e., adultery, covetness or theft) cannot receive the Eucharist unless they undergo Reconciliation.
These objective truths discriminate against no one, including the homosexual. “When two persons of the same sex present themselves openly in a parish as a same-sex couple (including those who may have entered into a same-sex union under civil law), pastors must judge prudently how best to address the situation, both for the sake of the authentic spiritual good of the persons involved, and the common good of the believing community. It’s important to remember that some same-sex couples do live together in chaste friendship and without sexual intimacy, and many pastors have had the experience of counseling such couples. The Church welcomes all men and women who honestly seek to encounter the Lord, whatever their circumstances. But two persons in an active, public same-sex relationship, no matter how sincere, offer a serious counter-witness to Catholic belief, which can only produce moral confusion in the community. Such a relationship cannot be accepted into the life of the parish without undermining the faith of the community, most notably the children. Finally, those living openly same-sex lifestyles (even those who are unmarried) should not hold positions of responsibility in a parish, nor should they carry out any liturgical ministry or function.”
These guidelines still do not resolve all of the questions left unanswered by the Pope. What of the unmarried homosexuals and the civilly married homosexuals with regard to the Eucharist, Reconciliation and the other sacraments? The rules stated above would apply. Unmarried homosexuals, who are sexually active, are committing sin and must repent, sacramentally confess all serious sin with a contrite heart and firmly resolve to abstain from all future sin, before receiving the Eucharist. Their treatment is equal to the treatment of unmarried, sexually active heterosexuals. However these sexually active homosexuals are violating another express prohibition in the Bible, sex between the same genders. Must they be forever excluded from the Eucharist? How about openly active and publicly and civilly married homosexuals? Must they be excluded from the Church altogether?
What of marriage according to the guidelines? Of course, these guidelines apply to baptized members of the Catholic Church. So if you are not a Catholic or a Catholic, but have fallen away, these rules do not apply to you and you have absolutely no grounds to criticize, condemn or complain. Marriage is only between one man and one woman. Marriage is indissoluble, meaning it lasts forever in the eyes of the Church, unless of course, a couple has grounds for dissolubility, such as annulment. If a marriage is dissoluble, it means it is as if it never existed. Marriage, during the lives of the spouses, can only end at the death of one spouse.
Sex outside of a properly confected and intact Catholic marriage is absolutely forbidden. Divorced and civilly remarried Catholics, who are sexually active, are committing sin. They are also committing sin for having divorced and their second marriage is a nullity in the eyes of the Church. They must pledge an act of chastity. Teenagers, young adults, and everyone else who are not married, but who are sexually active, are committing sin.
What of Communion? Every Catholic before receiving the Eucharist, not only the divorced and civilly-remarried, must repent, sacramentally confess all serious sin with a contrite heart and firmly resolve to abstain from all future sin. “With divorced and civilly-remarried persons (those who are divorced but who have not dissolved their prior marriage within the Church), Church teaching requires them to refrain from sexual intimacy. This applies even if they must (for the care of their children) continue to live under one roof. Undertaking to live as brother and sister (meaning no sex) is necessary for the divorced and civilly-remarried to receive reconciliation in the Sacrament of Penance, which could then open the way to the Eucharist. Such individuals are encouraged to approach the Sacrament of Penance regularly, having recourse to God’s great mercy in that sacrament, if they fail in chastity. Even where, for the sake of their children, they live under one roof in chaste continence and have received absolution (so that they are free from personal sin), the unhappy fact remains that, objectively speaking, their public state and condition of life in the new relationship is contrary to Christ’s teaching against divorce. Concretely speaking, therefore, where pastors give Communion to divorced and remarried persons trying to live chastely, they should do so in a manner that will avoid giving scandal or implying that Christ’s teaching can be set aside. In other contexts, also, care must be taken to avoid the unintended appearance of an endorsement of divorce and civil remarriage; thus, divorced and civilly remarried persons should not hold positions of responsibility in a parish (e.g. on a parish council), nor should they carry out liturgical ministries or functions (e.g., lector, extraordinary minister of Holy Communion).” Sexually active persons outside of a validly confected Catholic marriage cannot receive the Eucharist unless they repent, sacramentally confess all sin with a contrite heart and firmly resolve to abstain from all future sin. Of course, all persons, whether married or unmarried, who are in a state of mortal sin (i.e., adultery, covetness or theft) cannot receive the Eucharist unless they undergo Reconciliation.
These objective truths discriminate against no one, including the homosexual. “When two persons of the same sex present themselves openly in a parish as a same-sex couple (including those who may have entered into a same-sex union under civil law), pastors must judge prudently how best to address the situation, both for the sake of the authentic spiritual good of the persons involved, and the common good of the believing community. It’s important to remember that some same-sex couples do live together in chaste friendship and without sexual intimacy, and many pastors have had the experience of counseling such couples. The Church welcomes all men and women who honestly seek to encounter the Lord, whatever their circumstances. But two persons in an active, public same-sex relationship, no matter how sincere, offer a serious counter-witness to Catholic belief, which can only produce moral confusion in the community. Such a relationship cannot be accepted into the life of the parish without undermining the faith of the community, most notably the children. Finally, those living openly same-sex lifestyles (even those who are unmarried) should not hold positions of responsibility in a parish, nor should they carry out any liturgical ministry or function.”
These guidelines still do not resolve all of the questions left unanswered by the Pope. What of the unmarried homosexuals and the civilly married homosexuals with regard to the Eucharist, Reconciliation and the other sacraments? The rules stated above would apply. Unmarried homosexuals, who are sexually active, are committing sin and must repent, sacramentally confess all serious sin with a contrite heart and firmly resolve to abstain from all future sin, before receiving the Eucharist. Their treatment is equal to the treatment of unmarried, sexually active heterosexuals. However these sexually active homosexuals are violating another express prohibition in the Bible, sex between the same genders. Must they be forever excluded from the Eucharist? How about openly active and publicly and civilly married homosexuals? Must they be excluded from the Church altogether?
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