Is Pope Francis Really an 'Unfaithful Bishop?"

Once again, the readers of this page were treated to dueling op-eds concerning the Catholic Church’s recent Extraordinary Synod on the Family -- and indeed, on the Catholic Church itself: one by Don Wooton and one by the Rev. John Theiryoung, of Aledo.

Mr. W. favors compassion; Father T., favors orthodoxy. Mr. W. believes that Christ will reject no one -- no “sinner” -- who comes to him -- even if the sinner comes without first having repented. Father T. believes Christ would bar the way of those sinners who are divorced and have entered second marriages without the blessing of a priest, until they have repented of their sin -- their “adultery.” Father T. is so certain that he refers to those bishops who would not agree with his view of Catholicism as “unfaithful bishops.” The real question for me, is would Father T. label Pope Francis as an “unfaithful bishop?"

Most Americans probably have never heard of German Cardinal Walter Kasper, the only cardinal Pope Francis invited to speak to the 2014 preparatory two-week session of the Catholic Church’s Extraordinary Synod on the Family. He is author of a controversial proposal that would make it easier for divorced, civilly remarried Catholics to receive Communion. The Cardinal believes Pope Francis backs the measure, but that Pope Francis would not apply it without support from bishops at the 2014 and 2015 sessions of the synod.

The National Catholic Reporter writes that Pope Francis presided at the 2014 session, but never expressed his views, keeping silent throughout the two weeks of discussions, while encouraging the participating bishops “to speak freely.” Indeed in his opening remarks, the Pope said, "Everyone needs to say what one feels duty-bound in the Lord to say, without respect for human considerations, without fear."

By church law, according to the Catholic News Service (CNS), divorced and remarried Catholics are not admitted to Communion unless they obtain an annulment of their first, sacramental marriages or abstain from sexual relations with their new partners, living together as "brother and sister."

In an interview with CSN, Cardinal Kasper said, "I had the impression the pope is open for a responsible, limited opening of the situation, but he wants a great majority of the bishops behind himself. He does not like division within the church and the collegiality of bishops." (catholicnews.com/data/stories/cns/1404088.htm)

The Cardinal argues, “That, in certain cases, the church can tolerate something that, in itself, is unacceptable: a couple living together as husband and wife in a second union.”

Critics commonly point to several scriptural prohibitions of second marriages, especially Jesus' words in Matthew 19:9: "Whoever divorces his wife (unless the marriage is unlawful) and marries another commits adultery."

Cardinal Kasper responds that Matthew 19:9 must be read in the context of Christ’s larger, essential  “message of love, of mercy, of forgiveness and of a new chance."

The cardinal is uncomfortable describing second unions as adulterous, especially in a “pastoral context.”

"If you tell people who live in this way, and [who] do it in a responsible way, [that they are living in]  ‘permanent adultery,’ I think they would feel insulted and offended ... Permanent adultery? It seems to me too strong."

The Cardinal notes that “second unions,” while not equivalent to  “sacramental marriage,” possess many of the "essential elements of marriage and of a family: there is love, there is commitment, there is exclusivity, there is forever, there is prayer life, there are children who are well-educated in Christian life.” Additionally, “there is a public dimension."

Cardinal Kasper expresses "high esteem" for those who abstain from sexual relations” in their canonically irregular marriages, but he questions "whether this can be the path for everybody -- 
especially for younger people? He argues that there is danger in focusing only on the "sexual relations aspect," while ignoring what might be the many other good aspects of the relationship. He suggests that under the “right circumstances,” the church might not merely tolerate sexual relations in an "irregular" union but even consider them good. Such marriages frequently have  “positive values; not only ... negative values.”

Cardinal Kasper believes when love is involved, the church’s first word, in every situation is, “Yes.” He believes the church should say, “I'm happy that God gives you this love and that you can express this love. It's not the fullness (of love) ... but who of us loves God and loves the neighbor as he should do it? We are all on the way."

CNS notes that the cardinal stresses that his proposal is intended only for a small number of people -- serious Catholics -- who would be admitted to Communion only after following a "penitential path" for the failure of their sacramental marriages. The Cardinal notes that when a marriage breaks up, neither partner, more often than not, is totally innocent. And like Pope Francis, who said “Who am I to judge,” the Cardinal says, “It's difficult to judge here."

Cardinal Kasper knows his views are not shared by all Cardinals. Indeed, four important cardinals -- including the Vatican's doctrinal and finance chiefs and the head of its highest court -- recently have published essays arguing against the cardinal's proposal.

So who is right? A Pope who asks, “Who am I to judge?” Or churchmen who believe it is their duty to judge, and to bar people they judge to be sinners from taking the Eucharist?

Who is more Christ-like? Did Christ ever bar any sinner from coming to him? Didn’t Christ say nobody can come to him unless the Father wills it, and that he would reject no one whom the Father had sent? It seems to me that if Christ is the judge of the living and the dead, the Pope is right when he asks, “Who am I to judge?”

Posted Online:  Nov. 19, 2014 1:00 am - Quad-Cities Online
by John Donald O'Shea

Copyright 2014
John Donald O'Shea