Cardinal: Ignorance about marriage is no reason to change doctrine

[SuperLuigi]

Yes, Jesus’ words on marriage are binding, but they can be interpreted as today there are many new situations of cohabitation and answers which can no longer be based on authoritarianism and moralism.

There is nothing new in this comment. I think we’ve all heard how “outdated” some people think Christian teachings are.

Interesting considering:

1. Living together before marriage statistically damages the chances for people in that situation to have a long-lasting, healthy marriage.
2. The average gay relationship is less than 2 years, and some GLBTQ folks have hundreds of sexual partners in their lives.
3. The connection between polygamy and child sex abuse and even incest is quite relevant, I would say.

 

[SuperLuigi]

I wonder, will the academics help or is preaching a gift of the Holy Spirit which naturally flows from truly spiritual priests who plant their feet firmly on the pathway to holiness? After all, we’ve had undereducated priests who have attracted and converted hundreds of souls (St. John Vianney comes to mind.)

We each have our own gifts from God, but sheer ignorance is no way to go through life.

Now, I’m not talking about the propaganda machine of Western liberal education and media, but I am talking about knowledge as a gift from the Holy Spirit.

 

[RPRPsych]

That is about as bigoted as they come. Being German has nothing to do with it.

I think that poster was poking fun at the Muller / Maradiaga storm in a teapot.

Be that as it may, Muller sounds like a very wise man. Hurrah for German theologians!

 

[Lapey]

If it were me I would tell Cardinal Mueller to lighten up. He is German and also a German professor of theology. There is only true and false in his mentality. That’s all. But I’d say: my brother, the world is not like this, you should be a little more flexible so you don’t just listen and say, here is the wall. Yes, Jesus’ words on marriage are binding, but they can be interpreted as today there are many new situations of cohabitation and answers which can no longer be based on authoritarianism and moralism.

Really??? So Jesus is not the same yesterday, today and tomorrow. Jesus=Truth. Wow!

 

[Lapey]

Deacon Jeff, you obviously know more about the function of the homily than I do, as you are a deacon. But I fail to understand how bad jokes, pointless reminiscences and anecdotes help move the congregation from the readings to Eucharist.

The United States conference of catholic bishops has produced an interesting document titled, “Preaching the mystery of faith”. It is a fast easy read and gives an excellent explanation on what a homily should comprise.

“The message of the Gospel is truly a matter of “life and death” for us; there is nothing routine or trivial about it. If a homilist conveys merely some example of proverbial wisdom or good manners, or only some insight gained from his personal experience, he may have spoken accurately and even helpfully, but he has not yet spoken the Gospel, which ultimately must focus on the person of Jesus and the dynamic power of his mission to the world.”

usccb.org/beliefs-and-teachings/vocations/priesthood/priestly-life-and-ministry/upload/usccb-preaching-document.pdf

Sadly, “routine and trivial” are how I would have to describe many of the homilies I’ve sat through.

I fixed it for you.

I must agree with much of what you state here. We do not hear preaching on these “difficult” readings.

 

[zz912]

From my standpoint of hearing homilies, almost all revolve around general wisdom, good advice, and how the live the Christian life. And that is the problem. The message is being received by an audience that doesn’t even know the Christian faith. The deacons and priests would be better served in having their homilies focus on the WHAT and WHY of the faith, with just a sprinkle of HOW. All we hear today is HOW, and never WHAT and WHY.

Unless people know why they are doing something, it is pointless to tell them how to do it.

(and yes, I’ve mentioned this to my pastor on a couple of occasions, and I’ve seen some incremental movement to increase the educational factor).

 

[Lapey]

Deacon Jeff, the homily is what you say it is, a time to touch the soul of the hearer, but it is more than that. St. Justin Martyr in 155 AD spoke about the homily;

“On the day called Sunday, all who live in cities or in the country gather together to one place, and the memoirs of the apostles or the writings of the prophets are read, as long as time permits; then, **when the reader has ceased, the president verbally instructs, and exhorts to the imitation of these good things. **Then we all rise together and pray, and, as we before said, when our prayer is ended, bread and wine and water are brought, and the president in like manner offers prayers and thanksgivings, according to his ability, and the people assent, saying Amen; and there is a distribution to each, and a participation of that over which thanks have been given, and to those who are absent a portion is sent by the deacons.”

The laity may be guilty of ignoring truth, but many have never heard it preached in that authoritative moment known as the homily. If we, the clergy, will not preach the fullness of the truth in the most authoritative moments, who will? Society is preaching it to our people, why are we not? Priorities do need to be adjusted I agree; both in the laity and the clergy. The homily is supposed to comfort the afflicted and afflict the comfortable.

We must be ready to preach on the evils of abortion, same sex marriage, contraception, cohabitation, end etc. or we will continue to have Catholics by the majority live by societies guidelines and not God’s. You yourself state here that the only time we do have to teach is in Mass, because they won’t come to other teaching moments. If we do not teach in these times, Mass times, when will we?

I would even go as far as to say the reason we have the most pro-abortion president in US history right now is the clergy’s fault. We have not taught the truth about voting for abortion supporters. We have much work to do.

 

[vsedriver]

If it were me I would tell Cardinal Mueller to lighten up. He is German and also a German professor of theology. There is only true and false in his mentality. That’s all. But I’d say: my brother, the world is not like this, you should be a little more flexible so you don’t just listen and say, here is the wall. Yes, Jesus’ words on marriage are binding, but they can be interpreted as today there are many new situations of cohabitation and answers which can no longer be based on authoritarianism and moralism.

I’m dying to know how Jesus’ words on marriage are binding yet can be altered for the many new situations of cohabitation.

As if these new situations of cohabitation didn’t exist in Jesus’ lifetime.

 

[mkarzon]

Interesting dichotomy between Cardinals Mueller and Walter Kasper. Both are German, which is interesting. In Germany, some tax revenue gets donated to Churches. Indivuduals can specify to which church the money goes. The Catholic Church has been losing a lot of that money because so many Catholics are divorced-remarried, then attending other churches that allow them to receive communion, and also directing that tax money to those other churches.

The German bishops want the church teaching concerning receiving communion for the divorced and remarried changed so they can get that tax money.

They must have missed that part about “render unto Ceasar”.

It would be wise for the Catholic Church in Germany and elsewhere (esp the USA) to make plans to give up tax money or tax exempt status. Because “Ceasar” will eventually take it away, like it or not.