Just reported is news that Pope Francis has responded to Cardinal Manuel Clemente, the Patriarch of Lisbon, who in February sent a note to Priests of the Archdiocese encouraging them to apply the teachings of Amoris Laetitia with diligence and compassion.
The Patriarch’s guidelines to his Priests are said to borrow heavily from the guidelines published by the Bishops’ Conference in Argentina.
Cardinal Clemente urged that couples in irregular unions should first try to live in continence if they wanted to receive the Sacraments. However, if that proves impossible they should move on to a discernment process that could lead to them rejoining the sacramental life of the Church.
Some five months later comes the response of Pope Francis thanking Cardinal Clemente for the guidelines he offered to his Priests.
“I recognised in it the effort of a Pastor and father who, aware of the duty to accompany his faithful, wished to begin with his Priests so that they can better fulfil their ministry”, the Pope wrote. The letter is dated June 26th, and was just released to the public.
The Pope goes on to encourage the Patriarch and all the Priests of Lisbon to continue with their commitment to help those in complex situations. “A commitment which, on one hand, requires considerable effort on the part of us Pastors, but which, on the other, regenerates us and sanctifies us, as everything is animated by the grace of the Holy Spirit which the Risen Lord bestowed on his apostles, for the remission of sins and the solicitous caring of all wounds.”
Bravo, Your Holiness!
Only, I have one question: do you ever speak to the Cardinals you appoint to the various Dicasteries of the Holy See?
On July 6th, I published an article on this blogsite entitled: Cardinal Farrell: Reflect Before You Speak.
Admittedly, I took Cardinal Farrell rather harshly to task for the ludicrous and hypocritical remarks demeaning the competence of Priests saying: “Catholic Priests lack credibility to prepare the faithful for the Sacrament of Marriage because they have never been married, according to the leader of the Vatican’s office for ministry to the family. Priests are not the best people to train others for marriage.”
I went on to offer a biography of the career of the Cardinal which contradicts the very charges of incompetence which he levels against his Priest-brothers.
So, which is it, Holy Father?
Do Priests have the competence and credibility to fulfill the mission of accompanying and counseling those entering into marriage as well as those entrusted to their care who are in complex marital situations, or do they not?
Cardinal Farrell’s ridiculous comments were met with silence by the Holy See. A reasonable person would conclude the Pope had no problem accepting Cardinal Farrell's comments.
Now comes a note praising Cardinal Clemente for encouraging Priests to carry out their role as Pastors of souls who experience moral dilemmas such as divorce, remarriage and a continuing desire to receive the Sacraments.
It is remarkable how the Pope can live in a world of contradictions so comfortably.
Some would say this is part of the philosophy of “existential dialectic” so prevalent among Jesuit scholastics these days, especially from South America.
Frankly, I find it all more complex and confusing than it needs to be.
But, then again, I have a plaque on the wall of my office here in my home which reads: “If you can’t convince ‘em, confuse ‘em.”
I am beginning to think the Pope has an exact duplicate and refers to it often in administering the Church and speaking on critical moral issues of the day.
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