BOSTON, Massachusetts, October 6, 2017 (LifeSiteNews) -- Jesuit priest and papal confidant Father Anthony Spadaro said that Pope Francis holds that the Catholic Church can no longer set down general norms that apply to entire groups of people.
Spadaro, editor of the Italian magazine La Civiltà Cattolica, made the comment today at a conference at Boston College where liberal Cardinals met with dissident theologians to discuss strategies for implementing Pope Francis’ controversial teachings on marriage and family in dioceses across the United States.
The Jesuit priest told attendees that Amoris Laetitia, the Pope's 2016 teaching on marriage and family, recognizes that people living in "irregular" family situations, such as the divorced and remarried living in adultery, "can be living in God's grace, can love and can also grow in a life of grace."
"We must conclude that the Pope realizes that one can no longer speak of an abstract category of persons and ... [a] praxis of integration in a rule that is absolutely to be followed in every instance," he said, according to a report by National Catholic Reporter.
"Since the degree of responsibility is not equal in all cases, the consequences or effects of a rule need not necessarily always be the same," he added.
"It is no longer possible to judge people on the basis of a norm that stands above all," he concluded.
Jesuit Fr. James Keenan, a dissident theologian at Boston College and one of the main organizers of the October 5-6 event, said the conference will “fortify and further the ongoing reception of Amoris in the U.S."
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Me and My Bible
11 hours ago
4 comments:
It's tempting to assume that this is an argument against moral norms in toto. Egads, post-modernism! Anathema! In fact, the broad brush, blanket rules these theologians are arguing against are specific to the Catholic context. For instance, I don't think any Orthodox leader would disagree with the idea that, "Since the degree of responsibility is not equal in all cases, the consequences or effects of a rule need not necessarily always be the same." Given the way we treat those who have been divorced The gloss in this headline that I'm not sure what exactly we're supposed to be appalled by. That those involved were arguing against moral norms, in general, is inaccurate. One might wish to assign deeper, hidden motivations, but the comments themselves are merely about addressing what Orthodoxy would agree is a broad brush, legalistic approach to dealing with, for instance, divorce and ones ongoing relationship to the church and the Eucharist.
It seems to me that the approach by the Pope and his confreres is moving towards the "Orthodox" position. Of course, there are "Orthodox" who wish to move towards the pre-Francis type of moral theology. An interesting contrast.
The Latins have always had problems due to their failure to understand economia. I would have more confidence they'd get it right if they started moving in our direction on matters of marriage if Benedict XVI were still in charge. With Francis, I fear having climbed out of the ditch on the right side of the Royal Road they will end up in the ditch on the left.
I expect Frank will follow the lead of female, mostly Episcopal clerics who too warmly tolerate abortion.
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