[Grem] XVI.Benedek implicite - az októberi családszinódus előtt a polgárilag elváltak esetlegesen felmerült áldozása kérdésében

[Emoke Greschik]

Holy Communion for divorcees is again on the agenda: as the Synod
approaches, the Pope Emeritus has quietly spoken again
by *William Oddie <http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/author/william-oddie/>*
posted Thursday, 30 Jul 2015
http://www.catholicherald.co.uk/news/2015/07/30/holy-communion-for-divorcees-is-again-on-the-agenda-as-the-synod-approaches-pope-benedict-has-quietly-spoken-again/
[image: Pope Benedict has quietly spoken (PA)]
Pope Benedict has quietly spoken (PA)

*The ‘silent’ Pope Benedict* has ways of being heard; and he *is still
being listened to*

I begin with the “working instrument” (which in Vaticanese means
“preparatory document”) for the October session of the synod of bishops on
the family. This, says Sandro Magister, “is showing itself to be ever more
disappointing for the champions of change”.

The document reproduces in its entirety the final report of the synod of
October 2014, which itself marked a clear retreat from the pretentiously
entitled “Relatio post disceptationem” which was, you will remember,
published halfway through the synod, and which as Magister says was “the
result of a sneak attack by the innovators immediately repudiated by most
of the synod fathers”.

It’s clear that *no repetition of the **sneak attack **is going to be
allowed*, and that *Cardinal Kasper* (widely supposed at the time to be a
‘mentor’ to Pope Francis) *is not going to be allowed once more to call the
shots* on this. Perhaps* Cardinal Kasper’s most insolent stroke had been to
quote** the words of one Joseph Ratzinger* (*implying that he had* *Pope
Benedict’s support)* *in support of his arguments in favour of* *giving
Holy communion to the civilly divorced and remarried.*

*What happened was this. Long ago, in 1972, writing as a priest of the
Archdiocese of Munich and Freising, Joseph Ratzinger published an essay
which argued for access, under certain limited conditions, to Communion for
the divorced and remarried.* *While affirming the indissolubility of
marriage,* Ratzinger and other authors appealed to certain passages in the
Church Fathers that seem to allow leniency *“IN EMERGENCY SITUATIONS”*.

In 1977, *Ratzinger *was appointed *Archbishop of Munich and Freising*; in
that capacity he *participated in the 1980 Synod on the Family, where he
stated that “it will be up to the synod to show the correct approach to
pastors” in the matter of Communion for the divorced and remarried.*

*The concluding document of that synod, Familiaris consortio (1981), found
that “reconciliation in the sacrament of Penance which would open the way
to the Eucharist, can only be granted to those who, repenting of having
broken the sign of the Covenant and of fidelity to Christ, are sincerely
ready to undertake a way of life that is no longer in contradiction to the
indissolubility of marriage.* This means, in practice, that when, for
serious reasons, such as for example the children’s upbringing, a man and a
woman cannot satisfy the obligation to separate, they ‘take on themselves
the duty to live in complete continence, that is, by abstinence from the
acts proper to married couples.’”

Days *after *that document was issued, *Cardinal Ratzinger was appointed
prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.”*

Then,* in 1991,* *a canon lawyer,* Fr Theodore Davey, suggested that
Confession and spiritual direction could open up the way for the divorced
and remarried to receive Communion, and* cited Ratzinger’s 1972 essay* in
support of his position. * Cardinal Ratzinger quickly retracted the
“suggestions” of his 1972 essay as no longer tenable, because he made them
“as a theologian in 1972”.*

*Finally, Pope Benedict amended the text of his 1972 essay; The new version
excluded* *the crucial final paragraphs quoted by Cardinal Kasper.* This
was seen as a repudiation by Benedict of Kasper, who had been* liberally
quoting the essay to justify his calls for a more liberal church teaching
on remarriage.”*

*Now, Archbishop Georg Gänswein* has given an interview
<http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/francis-is-the-only-convincing-voice-that-says-things-as-they-are>,in
which he gives “his views” on the issue of Holy Communion for the divorced
and remarried. They are of course, identical with those of Pope Benedict,
for whom he has been working since 1996. In 2012, he was appointed Prefect
of the Papal Household and, with the new Pontificate, Pope Francis
confirmed him in that post. Hence, Archbishop Gänswein is* the only person
in the history of the Church who has served two Popes contemporaneously. He
lives with Pope Benedict: he concelebrates with him in the morning, they
pray the rosary together, and walk together for about a half hour in the
Vatican Gardens. Thus, when he speaks, he is universally understood to be
reflecting the views of Benedict XVI.*

*This is part of what Archbishop **Gänswein said in his interview,* about
the “challenge” of “Christians who are in a marital situation theologically
called ‘irregular’… persons who have divorced and remarried civilly”:

*“We must help them, certainly, but not in a reductive way. It’s important
to get close to them, to create contact and maintain it because they are
members of the Church as everyone else, they are not expelled and even less
so excommunicated. They are supported, but there are problems in regard to
the sacramental life…. The question of access to the sacramental life must
be addressed sincerely on the basis of Catholic teaching …. *twenty years
ago,* after a long and laborious negotiation, John Paul II didn’t accept
that remarried Christians could accede to the Eucharist. Now, we can’t
ignore his teaching and change things.”*

Pope Benedict’s teachings, underlining those of Pope John Paul, were summed
up by him in Sacramentum caritatis, the concluding document of the 2005
Synod on the Eucharist, in which he stressed the Church’s continuing
pastoral role towards the civilly divorced and remarried “where the nullity
of the marriage bond is not declared and objective circumstances make it
impossible to cease cohabitation, the Church encourages these members of
the faithful to commit themselves to living their relationship in fidelity
to the demands of God’s law, as friends, as brother and sister; in this way
they will be able to return to the table of the Eucharist, taking care to
observe the Church’s established and approved practice in this regard.”

Now, says Archbishop Gänswein,* “Clearly the Church doesn’t close her eyes
in face of the difficulties of [the] faithful living in difficult
situations. However, the Church must give sincere answers that are
oriented, not to the spirit of the times, but to the Gospel, to the Word of
Jesus Christ and to the Catholic Tradition.” *

*Pope Benedict, I think we can assume, has quietly spoken once more; and
his influence continues*.* Cardinal Kasper, I predict, will not speak on
this subject again: if he does, he will be generally repudiated. Except,
perhaps, in Germany; but that is another problem.*
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