Archbishop Chaput: Divorced Catholics must avoid sex to receive Communion

[47of74]

Ok then

The leader of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Philadelphia says divorced and remarried parishioners should abstain from sex and live "like brother and sister" if they want to receive Holy Communion and haven't had their previous marriage annulled.

Archbishop Charles Chaput issued a new set of pastoral guidelines for clergy and other leaders in the archdiocese. He also says Catholics in same-sex partnerships should refrain from sex and shouldn't be permitted to hold positions of responsibility in the church, to avoid "moral confusion in the community."

The instructions are an attempt to clarify Pope Francis' sweeping document on family life released in April. That document -- called "The Joy of Love" -- opened a door to divorced and civilly remarried Catholics.

[rug]

1. This is one area where gays and straights are treated equally.

[beemer27]

2. Unbelievable!

He is either making this stuff up, or he was drinking when he said it. It is hard to believe that this guy is in the position that he holds. Then they wonder why so many have dropped out of the Church!

[47of74]

3. Unfortunately the previous two Popes appointed leaders...

...not so much on leadership ability or even basic people skills but more on how conservative they are and how much they toed the party line. Guys like Burke, Jenky, and Chaput are prime examples of this. Though thankfully Burke was a little too naked in his power grab and got forced out of office by Francis.

[Drahthaardogs]

4. What are you talking about?

This is an eternally held Catholic position. If your first marriage was not annulled, you are committing adultery per the Catholic Church -even if re-married. You can be divorced and receive the Sacraments, no problem. You cannot remarry and have sexual relations and receive the Sacraments (assuming divorce and not annulment). The only way you can remarry (sans annulment) and receive the Sacraments is in a sexless marriage.

This is NOTHING new and he was neither drinking or making it up. This is Doctrine.

[Fortinbras Armstrong]

5. The problem with this piece of doctrine

Is that it ignores one simple fact: Marriages can fail.

The idea -- formulated and taught by a group consisting of unmarried men -- that all marriages are permanent is an ideal. There is much to be said for idealism. But in a clash between the real and the ideal, pride of place should go to the real. A bright young thing once said to George Bernard Shaw, "I accept the world as it is." GBS replied, "By God, you'd better!"

When my middle son got married, he and his wife had every intention of living together permanently. For a number of reasons, it didn't work out and they got divorced. He has now remarried, and this marriage shows every sign of lasting. So which is the real marriage: The first or the second? If you claim that the first one is, then you are denying reality.

Let me trot out an argument I have made before: The ministers of the sacrament of matrimony are the married couple. If the couple stops ministering to each other, is it not reasonable to say that the sacrament no longer exists?