Cardinal Gerhard Müller, former Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has written an essay defending Pope Francis’ post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation, Amoris Laetitia.
It appears that His Eminence finally has happened upon a distinction in moral theology which acknowledges that there can be factors or circumstances which may mitigate, in some instances, even eliminate a person’s culpability for engaging in actions which are by their very nature gravely evil.
As though he has arrived at some breakthrough in the annals of the traditional moral theology of the Church, the Cardinal concludes that it is possible that, by way of pastoral discernment in the internal forum, Catholics who are divorced, civilly remarried and living in a conjugal relationship may indeed be able to receive the Sacraments of Reconciliation and Holy Communion.
The Cardinal, referring to “the bitter controversy” that has developed with regard to Chapter 8 of the Apostolic Exhortation, calls the conflict “lamentable".
Never mind the fact that he did little or nothing as head of the Vatican’s dicastery in charge of providing doctrinal clarity regarding Church teachings, Cardinal Muller now presents himself as the great “defender of the truth" as he observes that the question of Holy Communion for the divorced and civilly remarried has been “falsely elevated to the rank of a decisive question of Catholicism and a measure of ideological comparison in order to decide whether one is conservative or liberal, in favor or against the Pope.”
Of course, any first year student of moral theology would have been able to differentiate between the Church’s moral doctrine regarding the commission of an innately and gravely evil act and the determination of a person’s personal responsibility for the action, a determination which would likewise affect the imposition of any penalty upon the individual.
No, once again, the Cardinal suggests that his insight into this issue is novel, ground-breaking, able to resolve the conflicts which have surrounded Pope Francis’ pastoral response to a growing crisis within the Church.
Muller’s arrogance is astounding! Of course, the Cardinal continues to be a “legend in his own mind”. Some less informed or ignorant of the traditional moral doctrine of the Church might even consider the Cardinal’s latest essay a masterpiece of theological insight and acumen. Well, to such as these, I can only reiterate the words of the sage observation that “in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king”!
Perhaps, in the quiet moments which his forced resignation from the Congregation now afford him, His Eminence has had ample opportunity to apply the clear and fundamental moral principles which have always been inherent in the Holy Father’s approach to wounded and suffering members of the Body of Christ.
How fortunate for Cardinal Muller (and the Church itself) that Pope Francis will continue to provide His Eminence with all the free time he has at his disposal since the Holy Father seems to have permanently released him of any future pastoral assignment or responsibility.
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