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New Zealand archbishop finds 'new hope' in Synod's discussion on Communion for divorced/remarried

October 10, 2014

Archbishop John Dew of Wellington, New Zealand told Vatican Radio that he has seen "new life" in the work of the Synod of Bishop during this year's extraordinary session.

The archbishop related that in 2005, when the Synod discussed the Eucharist, he had tentatively proposed allowing Catholics who were divorced and remarried to receive Communion. At the time his proposal was widely criticized, he recalled, but now the Synod is discussing the idea quite seriously.

Archbishop Dew said that he felt "a great sense of hope not that things are going to change immediately, but that at least we can talk about some of these issues that in the past we haven’t been able to talk about."

 


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  • Posted by: jacquebquique5708 - Oct. 13, 2014 1:18 PM ET USA

    Since it appears that divorce is a sign of growth and development, it must be assumed with this logic that Elizabeth Taylor and Larry King must be filled with sanctity.

  • Posted by: feedback - Oct. 11, 2014 3:15 PM ET USA

    Time, and again I see why Pope Benedict decided to resign. Maybe a basic lesson of the Catechism of the Church would help some Bishops to see the light of truth. Catholic Home-schoolers usually have pretty good Religious Ed programs.

  • Posted by: - Oct. 11, 2014 10:02 AM ET USA

    Dew is a good example of liberalism at work. Their first step is to start people talking about a subject, and by people I mean People Mag. type people, the uninformed, those who think 30 seconds is enough time to reason on an issue. Step 2 is the "can't we all just get along" phase, when it's agreed that all parties just want what is best. Then lastly, the libs claim that now all of us just "know" what is right, so let's just do it and be done with it. Sadly, this approach always seems to work.

  • Posted by: rjbennett1294 - Oct. 11, 2014 6:42 AM ET USA

    So Archbishop Dew says that bishops at the synod are "discussing the idea quite seriously" that divorced and civilly remarried Catholics should be allowed to receive Holy Communion without reordering their lives. God help us.

  • Posted by: BobJ70777069 - Oct. 10, 2014 9:15 PM ET USA

    What is this "allowing"? If a person is living unrepentedly in sin, his reception of the Body and Blood is a sacrilege; it is not merely a rule for bishops to forbid or permit.

  • Posted by: jg23753479 - Oct. 10, 2014 7:57 PM ET USA

    "Progressives" both inside and outside the Church are nothing if they are not patient. Outside the Church they have been chipping away at decency and reason since the Enlightenment. Were they successful? Suffice it to say that someone like Barack Obama can now lead a great country. Things have gone a bit more slowly inside the Church; only tangential advances like eliminating Latin have happened. But, as I said, progressives are patient. Prelates like Abp. Dew are chipping away, slowly chipping.