Cardinal Dolan calls for clear reaffirmation of Church’s teaching on marriage
October 15, 2014
Cardinal Timothy Dolan of New York, a participant in the Synod of Bishops, said in an interview that “we want to be as clear and as compelling as possible in reaffirming the Church’s timeless teaching on marriage and family, without scaring people off, and without seeming to marginalize.”
“The Church is a family,” he told the Zenit news agency. “It is a supernatural family. And just like in our natural families, you’ve got the parents who have the challenge of clear teaching and calling to expectation, calling to virtue and responsibility, with firmness, yet being extraordinarily loving and tender with the children.”
He added:
So how can we, with those unable to live up to the Church’s lofty, noble teaching on the marriage and the family—and you know who I am talking about—cohabiting couples, divorced and remarried, people in same sex unions—that are clearly not consonant with what God has revealed to us about marriage. How can we continue to affirm what God’s taught and told us about marriage, without marginalizing them? How can we do that in a way that would still invite them to reconsider what God has taught us? …
I think we take our cues from the Holy Father, from Pope Francis, who says, ‘Look, what you are saying is that you are a sinner. Well, if you are a sinner, nice to meet you, because so am I. And why don’t you come and join another group, a big group of sinners who are trying their best?’ For conversion of heart, depending on God’s grace and mercy, and slowly, gradually, trying to conform our lives to what Jesus and the Church have taught. It’s an ongoing process, isn’t it? None of us are completely there. We might make progress in one area, then we fall back. That’s why we have the Sacrament of Penance, isn’t it?
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Posted by: skall391825 -
Oct. 16, 2014 2:44 AM ET USA
"How can we continue to affirm what God’s taught and told us about marriage, without marginalizing them? How can we do that in a way that would still invite them to reconsider what God has taught us? … Oh, I know! Let's let them march in St. Patrick's Day parades all over the world.
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Posted by: Minnesota Mary -
Oct. 15, 2014 1:26 PM ET USA
"It may be that some there will not obey the message we send you in this letter. If so, take note of them, so that they will be ashamed. But do not treat them as enemies; instead, warn them as believers." 2Thessalonians 3:14-15 How's that for marginalizing those that do not obey the Church's teachings?
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Posted by: ElizabethD -
Oct. 15, 2014 12:41 PM ET USA
Those "unable to live up to the Church's teaching on marriage" are of course able to live chastely with the help of God's grace, but choose not to. Yes, they should be treated kindly, but this kindness includes respecting them enough to clearly affirm that they ARE capable of virtue.
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Posted by: 1Jn416 -
Oct. 15, 2014 10:37 AM ET USA
The ideal Christian marriage is indeed "lofty," but we're not talking about people who are failing to reach the ideal. We're talking about people who are failing to reach the bare-bones basics, and, in many cases, refuse to acknowledge them as good and binding. Just saying.
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Posted by: feedback -
Oct. 15, 2014 8:33 AM ET USA
"That’s why we have the Sacrament of Penance, isn’t it?" What good would be Penance without sincere confession before a Priest; sorrow for sins committed, repentance and amendment of life?
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Posted by: feedback -
Oct. 15, 2014 8:25 AM ET USA
We are all sinners but we are all called to conversion and to sainthood. The Church is the fount of Sacramental grace and not just another sinners' club where no wedding garment is needed. If you fear too much about "scaring off and seeming to marginalize" then you will never be able to be clear and compelling. "Do not be afraid of those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul; rather, be afraid of the one who can destroy both soul and body in Gehenna". Mt 10:28
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Posted by: jg23753479 -
Oct. 15, 2014 7:33 AM ET USA
Yeah, but usually in a 'hospital for the sick' the doctors tell the patients in straight language what their ailment involves. Sometimes they also prescribe painful treatments and bitter medicine. What you won't catch them saying is that there are some positive angles to being seriously ill. But that is exactly what the wretched document released by the Synod this week says to those involved in very serious sin. Let's hope more sane prelates finally condemn this embarrassment in clear terms.
