Vatican newspaper article criticizes dissent from Amoris Laetitia
March 17, 2017
L’Osservatore Romano has published an article criticizing “dissent in the form of public criticism” of Pope Francis’s apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia.
Father Salvador Pié-Ninot, a theologian from Barcelona, analyzed such criticism in light of Donum Veritatis, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s 1990 instruction on the ecclesial vocation of the theologian.
Describing Amoris Laetitia as a non-definitive exercise of the ordinary Magisterium, Father Pié-Ninot quotes Donum Veritatis in stating that its teachings, even “if they are not guaranteed by the charism of infallibility, are not without divine assistance and call for the adherence of the faithful.”
After reviewing the section of Donum Veritatis devoted to “the problem of dissent” (nos. 32-41), Father Pié-Ninot wrote that “the confrontation between the Magisterium, in this case papal, and a theological interpretation that dissents, is not a simple conflict between two opinions.”
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Posted by: TheJournalist64 -
Mar. 18, 2017 6:28 AM ET USA
AL appears to be the kind of document that in shorter form might just circulate informally among priests regularly involved in marriage regularization. The question, "what about marriages that appear to be invalid, but for which invalidity we can't get needed cooperation from the parties or alternate documentation?" Answer: treat them case by case in the confessional. Why circulate to everybody?
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Posted by: David K -
Mar. 17, 2017 7:10 PM ET USA
I think we can see the "divine assistance" in the fact that Amoris doesn't actually teach that the remarried can take communion. It is clear that Pope Francis is of the opinion they can, but he didn't teach that. I'm prepared to give my assent to the document, but not to the opinion. Fortunately, that's all I'm required to do.
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Posted by: Biscjim -
Mar. 17, 2017 7:03 PM ET USA
Why is it that “dissent in the form of public criticism” is allowed against any doctrine of the the Church, including infallible ones, but not against "Amores Laetitia"? Very curious, indeed!
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Posted by: feedback -
Mar. 17, 2017 7:48 AM ET USA
Those who dissent from Amoris Laetitia claim that it dissents from the Magisterium of the Church and from former Papal encyclicals. No Catholic in the right mind will assent to a new teaching that contradicts the Magisterium. I'm glad that the Spanish theologian described Amoris as "not guaranteed by the charism of infallibility," because that is what it looks like to many, if not most, Bishops.
