Vatican launch for cardinal’s book defending German/Maltese bishops’ reading of Amoris Laetitia

February 14, 2017

The Vatican press has published a short book by Cardinal Francesco Coccopalmerio arguing that Amoris Laetitia allows for divorced and remarried Catholics to receive the Eucharist in some cases.

Cardinal Coccopalmerio is the president of the Pontifical Council for Legislative Texts: the top Vatican body for the interpretation of canon law. His position, and the fact that his book is published by the Vatican press, indicate that the work is intended as a semi-official response to questions about the proper interpretation of the papal document.

That impression was strengthened by the announcement of a February 14 press conference at the Vatican to introduce the book. However, in an unexpected development, Cardinal Coccopalmerio failed to appear for the press conference, leaving a theology professor and an Italian journalist to introduce the work. His office later offered the explanation that the cardinal had a scheduling conflict.

In the 40-page book, entitled The Eighth Chapter of the Post-Synodal Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia, Cardinal Coccopalmerio says that Amoris Laetitia expresses “with absolute clarity all the elements of the doctrine on marriage in full consistency and fidelity to the traditional teachings of the Church.”

Nevertheless the cardinal argues that Catholics who are divorced and remarried may receive the Eucharist under two conditions: that they “wish to change this situation, but cannot realize their desire.” He argues that in some cases, insisting on sexual continence in a second union could threaten the union and the welfare of children. In such cases, the cardinal says, the individual may “be in a concrete situation which does not allow him or her to act differently and decide otherwise without further sin.”

Although his official Vatican role enables him to speak with authority about canonical issues, Cardinal Coccopalmerio says that he wrote the book to discuss the “rich doctrinal and pastoral message” of Amoris Laetitia. His intepretation of the document conflicts directly with that of the Vatican’s top doctrinal official, Cardinal Gerhard Müller, who has said that Amoris Laetitia does not change the Church’s traditional teaching that divorced and remarried Catholics can receive the Eucharist only if they make the commitment to live as brother and sister.

Cardinal Coccopalmerio’s argument matches that of the German bishops (among others), who have pushed for a change in the Church’s teaching. During the October 2014 meeting of the Synod of Bishops, Cardinal Coccopalmerio had sided with the German bishops in supporting the “Kasper proposal.”

 

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Further information:

• 'Amoris Laetitia' Chap. 8 explained by Cardinal Coccopalmiero (Vatican Radio)
• Vatican’s legal chief says desire to change enough for Communion (Crux)
• “Yes to sacraments for the remarried who wish to change but cannot” (La Stampa)
• Cardinal Müller, German bishops clash on interpretation of Amoris Laetitia (CWN, 2/1)
• “Yes to sacraments for the remarried who wish to change but cannot” (La Stampa)
• Cardinal Müller, German bishops clash on interpretation of Amoris Laetitia (CWN, 2/1)