Synod Pre-Game Show II

JMJ

I just skimmed Bishop Tobin's article on the upcoming synod and a reply by Dr. Peters.

Aside from his suggestions in reducing the barriers (making the process faster), which will only result in more 'annulments' (simple economics), there appears to be a cultural assumption missing. The purpose of the annulment process isn't to allow the couple to marry again etc. Its purpose is to determine whether or not a Catholic marriage was contracted.

It is a search for the truth.

This appears to have been lost, just like in the canonization process. In the desire to achieve the end, the means are been adulterated.

The following passage of Bishop Tobin stood out as an example of this desire for 'mercy'.

But at the same time, the Church has taught the pre-eminent value of receiving the Holy Eucharist, and I keep hearing the words of Jesus about the Eucharist, words that are just as valid and important as His words about marriage: “Unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you do not have life within you.” (Jn 6:53)
...
Nevertheless, my forty-one years as a priest and nearly twenty-two as a bishop have convinced me that the status quo is unacceptable. For the spiritual well-being of the divorced and remarried members of our Catholic Family, for the salvation of their souls, we’ve got to do something! (source)

The key item here is the primacy of 'salvation of their souls'. I don't know if Bishop Tobin has considered:

And therefore, if anyone eats this bread or drinks this cup of the Lord unworthily, he will be held to account for the Lord’s body and blood. 28 A man must examine himself first, and then eat of that bread and drink of that cup; 29 he is eating and drinking damnation to himself if he eats and drinks unworthily, not recognizing the Lord’s body for what it is. (Knox: 1 Cor 11:27-29)

Yes, the salvation of their souls is at stake. But not for the reasons that Bishop Tobin indicates. It is because the 'married, divorced and re-married' are living in a state of concubinage. They are living in a public state of mortal sin. To re-admit them is not mercy, it is a condemnation.

What is really necessary is the reinforcement of Church doctrine and indoctrination on the permanency of Christian Marriage (yes - even the protestants are included).

All that Bishop Tobin wants to do is open the barn door wider.

P^3

Comments

Morning and Evening and other sundry Prayers

+ JMJ Along the theme of P^3 (Prayer, Penance, Patience), and for my own reference ... here is a collection of Morning and Evening prayers from the Ideal Daily Missal along with some additional prayers. In this crisis of the Church, I do not think it is possible to do too much prayer, penance and have patience. P^3

Benedict XIV, Encyclical Annus Qui 1749

+ JMJ At Mass today I started reading some of the commentary added to the Ideal Daily Missal, as I listened to the Gregorian Chant and Hymns, this is what my eyes fell upon. There is certainly no one who does not desire a certain difference between ecclesiastical change and theatrical melodies, and who does not acknowledge that the use of theatrical and profane change must not be tolerated in churches. Benedict XIV, Annus Qui, 1749 In my experience what is forbidden is what actually happens in Modern Catholic Churches (Latin Rite - Novus Ordo). P^3

Dogmatic Fact or Fancy III

+ JMJ Recently, I've been engaged in a 'dogmatic fact' discussion / argument and a thought occurred to me. Based on what reading I had done, I had concluded that the dogmatic fact of who is Pope was fixed in time - meaning that acceptance of the Pope at the time of election provided infallible surety that the election was valid and that indeed the elected Cardinal/Bishop was Pope at that moment. Then I realized that some people believed that the dogmatic fact meant they were always Pope. At the time I thought they meant that the understanding of the doctrine was that the one time recognition made that person infallibly the Pope until he either abdicated or died. A light went on this morning. Does the continual acceptance of the Pope by the hierarchy continually 'refresh' the dogmatic fact - meaning we can be certain that the Pope is'still' Pope etc? I asked a friend (a real theologian) and he pointed out that the Pope is already elected. The...

De Veritate - St. Thomas Aquinas - What is necessary to believe explicitly?

I was recently introduced to a work of St. Thomas De Veritate ( Source ) in the course of an argument concerning the minimum content of explicit faith. When I submitted the following quote as proof: Theological faith, that is, a supernatural faith in Revelation, is necessary, and this is an effect of grace (D 1789); nemini unquam sine ilIa contigit iustificatio (D 1793). As far as the content of this faith is concerned, according to Hebr. 11, 6, at least the existence of God and retribution in the other world must be firmly held, necessitate medii (by the necessity of means) with explicit faith. In regard to the Trinity and the Incarnation, implicit faith suffices. The supernatural faith necessary for justification is attained when God grants to the unbeliever by internal inspiration or external teaching a knowledge of the truths of Revelation, and actual grace to make the supernatural act of faith. Cf. De verite 14, I I.Ott - Fundamentals of Dogma p241 In response my opponent ...

SSPX and the Resistance - A Comparison Of Ecclesiology

Shining the light of Church Teaching on the doctrinal positions of the SSPX and the Resistance. Principles are guides used to aid in decision making. It stands to reason that bad principles will lead to bad decisions. The recent interactions between Rome and the SSPX has challenged a number of closely held cultural assumptions of people in both sides of the disagreement. This has resulted in cultural skirmishes in both Rome and the SSPX. Since it is the smaller of the two, the skirmishes have been more evident within the SSPX. The cultural fault-line that Bishop Fellay crossed appears to be linked to two points of Catholic Doctrine: Ecclesiology and Obedience. The cultural difference of view points is strong enough that it has resulted in the expulsion of a number of members. It should also be noted that some other priests expelled since the beginning of the latest interactions (starting in 2000) held the same view points and have joined with the l...

Tradicat

Search This Blog