Malta archbishop defends Amoris Laetitia guidelines
January 17, 2017
Archbishop Charles Scicluna of Malta has defended the guidelines published by the island nation’s bishops for the implementation of Amoris Laetitia.
Responding to the charge that the Malta bishops were breaking with the Church’s teaching that Catholics who divorce and remarry should not receive the Eucharist, Archbishop Scicluna said that the bishops’ guidelines were not so simple. The guidelines “make constant reference to a discernment process that has to take place,” he said. He also called attention to the bishops’ insistence that pastors should not be lax in guiding people through that process.
The archbishop said that he did not intend to become involved in a public debate over the guidelines, but would invite any priest who was troubled by the directives to discuss those concerns. He emphasized that the purpose of the Malta guidelines was to carry out the pastoral approach recommended by Pope Francis.
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Posted by: TheJournalist64 -
Jan. 19, 2017 6:45 AM ET USA
"Discernment" is a gift that helps us to see whether our "Spirit-inspired" understanding is actually from an evil spirit. So it is primarily guided by the moral law: Love God above all and love neighbor as yourself. The primary vehicle for discernment in these situations is the Church's annulment process.
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Posted by: Lucius49 -
Jan. 17, 2017 1:15 PM ET USA
The Archbishop is avoiding the obvious.Discernment verbiage does not solve the problem because he still teaches that a person can legitimately discern that open adultery does not bar the person from Communion or that open adultery is not mortal sin!This is all subjectivism/situation ethics.The archbishop is at odds with divine law, canon law,and the Catechism!What's truly amazing? Abp Scicluna worked for the Doctrine of the Faith Office and he cannot see his departure from Catholic teaching!
