Vatican official regrets Archbishop Chaput’s interpretation of Amoris Laetitia
November 17, 2016
The prefect of the Vatican’s new dicastery for the Laity, Family, and Life has criticized Archbishop Charles Chaput of Philadelphia for saying that Amoris Laetitia does not change the Church’s teaching that divorced-and-remarried Catholics cannot receive Communion.
“I don’t share the view of what Archbishop Chaput did, No,” Archbishop Kevin Farrell—who will receive a cardinal’s red hat at a Vatican consistory on Saturday—told Catholic News Service. He added: “I think there are all kinds of different circumstances and situations that we have to look at - each case as it is presented to us.”
In July, Archbishop Chaput had issued guidelines for the Philadelphia archdiocese, confirming the traditional Church teaching that Catholics who are divorced and remarried may receive the Eucharist only if they renounce sexual activity.
Cardinal-designate Farrell indicated that he thought individual bishops should not issue guidelines for the implementation of Amoris Laetitia until after a “gathering of the conference of bishops where all the bishops of the United States or all the bishops of a country would sit down and discuss these things.”
Archbishop Chaput is the chairman of the US bishops’ committee for the implementation of Amoris Laetita.
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Further information:
- New Vatican family czar questions Chaput’s guidelines on ‘Amoris’ (CNS)
- Archbishop Chaput: divorced/remarried must live as brother and sister to receive Communion (CWN, 7/5)
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Posted by: spledant7672 -
Nov. 20, 2016 3:30 PM ET USA
"The USCCB has no standing. Individual bishops do." Exactly. I detect the strategy of bureaucratization at work, the most insidious way to undermine and redirect a community.
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Posted by: spledant7672 -
Nov. 20, 2016 3:29 PM ET USA
"The USCCB has no standing. Individual bishops do." Exactly. I detect the strategy of bureaucratization at work, the most insidious way to undermine and redirect a community.
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Posted by: bernie4871 -
Nov. 18, 2016 10:31 AM ET USA
“I think there are all kinds of different circumstances and situations that we have to look at - each case as it is presented to us.” (Cdl Farrell) vs. “Man, who appointed me a judge or an arbiter between you?”(Luke Xii.) So now the Priest is to be the judge of right and wrong itself, rather than who broke the law. This issue is exactly the point of the crisis in our Church and Western civilization itself.
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Posted by: rjbennett1294 -
Nov. 18, 2016 4:22 AM ET USA
What Archbishop Farrell said is sad, very sad, even tragic, because it contradicts the Magisterium, the Gospel, and the two-thousand-year-old tradition and teachings of the Church itself. Decades from now, perhaps, Archbishop Farrell's errors - and by extension the errors of our "pope" - will be corrected. But in the meantime those errors may lead many souls into much unhappiness.
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Posted by: clinnickr49 -
Nov. 17, 2016 8:34 PM ET USA
Archbishop Chaput is orthodox; the new cardinal-designate Farrell seems to be out of the loop on both orthodoxy and the Tradition on the correct exercise of authority. Francis himself appears to be ducking his responsibility to strengthen his brothers by refusing to respond to the "Dubia" about A. L. submitted by 4 Cardinals. Pray that the pope accepts charitably the apostalic correction that is on its way. Pope Benedict XVI has already confirmed that Chaput has it right.
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Posted by: Ken -
Nov. 17, 2016 7:29 PM ET USA
I wonder if the College of Cardinals has learned its lesson with this pope's election.
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Posted by: jeremiahjj -
Nov. 17, 2016 6:47 PM ET USA
I stand with Archbishop Chaput on this. He speaks the truth, and while circumstances and attitudes change over time, truth does not.
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Posted by: MWCooney -
Nov. 17, 2016 1:26 PM ET USA
The Church is in for a rough time, and it is the result of the problems generated by our current Pope. Please pray for him daily, for it seems Divine intervention is our only hope of correction. Thy will be done.
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Posted by: Frodo1945 -
Nov. 17, 2016 12:55 PM ET USA
The USCCB has no standing. Individual bishops do. On what authority is Bishop Ferrell speaking? Hooray for Archbishop Chaput, he is just reiterating what has been held for years.
