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PopeWatch: Scandalous

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A signal of what to expect from the Synod?

 

Even if a pastoral proposal for helping a Catholic family with problems seems scandalous at first, it is possible God could use that proposal to bring healing and holiness, Pope Francis said.

Encouraging and celebrating family life during a Mass July 6 in Guayaquil, Pope Francis asked people to pray for the October Synod of Bishops on the family, and he tied the synod to the Jubilee of Mercy, a yearlong celebration that will begin in December.

The synod will be a time for the church to “deepen her spiritual discernment and consider concrete solutions to the many difficult and significant challenges facing families in our time,” the pope said.

Celebrating Mass with as many as 1 million people gathered under the hot sun in Los Samanes Park, Pope Francis asked them “to pray fervently for this intention, so that Christ can take even what might seem to us impure, scandalous or threatening, and turn it — by making it part of his ‘hour’ — into a miracle. Families today need this miracle!”

Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, Vatican spokesman, told reporters Pope Francis was not referring to any specific proposal discussed in anticipation of the synod; one of the most common — and most debated pastoral suggestions — was to develop a process or “penitential path” for divorced and civilly remarried Catholics who want to receive Communion but have not received an annulment.

The pope, Father Lombardi said, hopes the synod “will find a way to help people move from a situation of sin to a situation of grace.”

Go here to read the rest.  If the Pope truly wishes to give scandal to the World, a ringing endorsement of what Christ taught in regard to marriage, would be a very good start.

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Don L
Wednesday, July 8, AD 2015 4:14am

All well and good, if, and it is a very concerned if, this doesn’t meant God will perform a miracle which will allow us to ignore sin and still be saved –in the name of mercy, of course.

Art Deco
Art Deco
Wednesday, July 8, AD 2015 5:26am

The Church is execrably led.

Cthemfly25
Cthemfly25
Wednesday, July 8, AD 2015 6:10am

There is purpose to the “confusion” in this and other Papal statements. No one should be blind to see a leftist agenda after the publication of the encyclical, after the many “confusing” ecclesial and councilor appointments made by the Pope, and the constant intrigue and many deceptions associated with this synod. PF apologists should have been embarrassed into silence or redeemed through admission of mistakes, unless of course they agree with the agenda of PF as detailed in the encyclical and the pre synod statements. There is no longer room for a tempered middle ground interpretation of what is taking place in the reign of PF.

Paul W Primavera
Wednesday, July 8, AD 2015 6:14am

“The pope, Father Lombardi said, hopes the synod ‘will find a way to help people move from a situation of sin to a situation of grace.'”
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I thought we had a way – the Sacrament of Reconciliation and Penance – stop sinning, repent, do penance, and help others. Silly me. What do I, having once been a drunk and a dope fiend, know?

Michael Dowd
Michael Dowd
Wednesday, July 8, AD 2015 7:33am

When Pope Francis speaks can evil be far behind?

Mary De Voe
Wednesday, July 8, AD 2015 7:53am

There is a penitential path for divorced and remarried Catholics. It is called the “Pauline Privilege”. Unless the people apply for it, a free for all requirement will not work in the innermost soul of the person.

Dale Price
Dale Price
Wednesday, July 8, AD 2015 7:57am

So…he’s hoping to make chicken salad out of chicken s–t?

That Synod buffet is going to be…memorable.

Patricia
Patricia
Wednesday, July 8, AD 2015 10:03am

Telling all those people to pray for a miracle that the powers that be can regularize the seeming “impure, scandalous, or threatening” for the sake of the “family” is blatantly denying that the Church has the Way already, letting the spiritual starvation of the poor masses grow, and leading them into temptation. Distributing that above chicken salad recipe to the world. Talk about the CO2 pollution.

Art Deco
Art Deco
Wednesday, July 8, AD 2015 11:33am

That Synod buffet is going to be…memorable.

Either the resistance is vociferous enough that the whole thing is a shameful debacle or Francis has a stroke leaving him aphasic.

Anzlyne
Anzlyne
Wednesday, July 8, AD 2015 2:00pm

Is it fair to say he is giving scandal by saying this? If I remember right giving scandal leads others to sin.
Not that he is actively trying to induce others to sin, but I do think the words can lead people to sin.

Anzlyne
Anzlyne
Wednesday, July 8, AD 2015 2:26pm

I hadn’t thought before about the confusing and misleading things spoken by the pope actually being scandalous in themselves.
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This is from New Advent:
“It is not permitted to pass over any precept whatever in order to prevent pharisaical scandal, but we may and even should, in special cases and for one or two occasions, pass over a precept whether Divine or human, to avoid scandalizing the weak.

So what is pharisaical scandal? …that the wicked are being scandalized by someone doing good? They claim that the type of worship and works of Catholics is offensive… not charitable to point out disapproval– (pray in front of abortion clinics) it is also too offensive to say “you are not welcome in the communion line because of …

I think the German cardinals and maybe the pope think our “exclusive” Catholicism is scandalous because it could be seen as uncharitable… but the requested miracle about changing the perception of what is scandal could be that the Good Lord will open the recalcitrant eyes of progressives.

http://www.unamsanctamcatholicam.com/component/content/article/93-social-teaching/moral-issues/284-three-types-of-scandal.html

DJ Hesselius
DJ Hesselius
Wednesday, July 8, AD 2015 7:14pm

I can’t help but wonder if much of what ails the family are attempts by government (and the Church) to do the family “good.” Maybe, just maybe, all the welfare and “helps” and this and that legislation (like “family leave”) are a big part of the problem.

doris bates
doris bates
Thursday, July 9, AD 2015 10:59am

My church is coming apart!!!!!! I’m so confused and don’t know what to believe anymore!!!

God save us all!!!

Don L
Thursday, July 9, AD 2015 11:16am

“…and don’t know what to believe anymore.”

Yes, I like Cardinal Burke, will adhere to 2000 years of dogma and doctrine. The real question is, “Is all this confusion due to incompetence, the worst teaching style in centuries, or an agenda of deceit, since there can never be a new Church….?

doris bates
doris bates
Thursday, July 9, AD 2015 1:41pm

I don’t care what the church does in the future as I will live by God’s laws not mans . I was born and raised as a catholic and at 69 years old I am not about to change or go along with new laws that are totally against what God gave us. If I have to I will leave the church all together and do all my praying at home. So sad that the catholic church has come to this. I’m sure a lot of people like me will leave the church as well.

D Black
D Black
Friday, July 10, AD 2015 4:04am

PF could care less what established Catholic doctrine says, the exact same way his buddy Barry could care less what the Constitution says. ZERO will go down as the worst president in history and PF will go down as one of the worst pope’s in church history. Pray for the church and pray a lot with this Jesuit at the helm.

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