Cardinal Wuerl: The Catholic Church is moving from legalism to mercy

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ROME — “The frame of reference is now going to be: ‘What does the Gospel really say here?’ That’s our first task.”

That’s Washington Cardinal Donald Wuerl summing up the new course for Catholicism set by the momentous Vatican meeting of 270 bishops from around the world that concluded last weekend, a three-week marathon in which he played a key role.

After often-contentious talks on whether to adapt the Church’s approach to issues such as divorce and cohabitation, the high-level synod succeeded in giving Pope Francis a document that offers him significant new flexibility in shaping more pastoral policies.

cruxnow.com/church/2015/10/28/cardinal-wuerl-the-catholic-church-is-moving-from-legalism-to-mercy/
 
*The frame of reference now is no longer the Code of Canon Law. The frame of reference is now going to be, “What does the Gospel really say here?” *

So, are we to believe that Canon Law does **not ** reflect the Gospel?

If that’s true, the Catholic Church has been in error for the past 2000 years.

:mad:
 
Why does it always have to be one or the other, why cannot it be both and
 
LittleFlower378 said:
Why does it always have to be one or the other, why cannot it be both and
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Exactly…I don’t read it that the church is going to abandon canon law…one focuses on the legal system and the laws that regulate the Catholic Church in light of the gospel …the other is how to realistically apply that same gospel message in a more loving and merciful way…nothing about Canon Law not reflecting the gospel…nor changing doctrine.
 
sarah_j said:
*The frame of reference now is no longer the Code of Canon Law. The frame of reference is now going to be, “What does the Gospel really say here?” *

So, are we to believe that Canon Law does **not ** reflect the Gospel?

If that’s true, the Catholic Church has been in error for the past 2000 years.

:mad:
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The Gospel can be understood intuitively, even by those that lack faith. If the Code of Cannon Law reflects the Gospel it reflects it like a fractured mirror.

We are not going to abandon the law, it’s a very human way of approaching morality and things of God but it isn’t the sum of the Gospel message, law is simply a tool to help us.
 
Hmm… A few head-scratchers here. First, I don’t see the Cardinal uttering the words “the Catholic Church is moving from legalism to mercy.” I doubt he would ever say such a thing.

Secondly, to say that the Synod document “succeeded in giving Pope Francis a document that offers him significant new flexibility” is nonsense theologically, biblically, canonically, … everythingally.

Third, the Cardinal says “The frame of reference now is no longer the Code of Canon Law.” I wonder, when was it ever the frame of reference for anything? Even a canon lawyer like me would say, when it comes to Catholic belief and practice, the Catechism of the Catholic Church is the “frame of reference.” Legal processes, sure, that’s the purview of the Code but nobody was even talking about that at the synod (as far as I know…since the Pope pretty much preempted that discussion back in September).

Fourth, I continue to be mystified by the statements which make it seem that conversation in the Church, about all these issues, was so stifled in the past and is only now, under Pope Francis, possible. My entire adult life (not that long, I guess, but long enough) has been lived in an atmosphere of Catholics, from Bishops on down, saying pretty much whatever they want.

Dan
 
dans0622 said:
Hmm… A few head-scratchers here. First, I don’t see the Cardinal uttering the words “the Catholic Church is moving from legalism to mercy.” I doubt he would ever say such a thing.

Secondly, to say that the Synod document “succeeded in giving Pope Francis a document that offers him significant new flexibility” is nonsense theologically, biblically, canonically, … everythingally.

Third, the Cardinal says “The frame of reference now is no longer the Code of Canon Law.” I wonder, when was it ever the frame of reference for anything? Even a canon lawyer like me would say, when it comes to Catholic belief and practice, the Catechism of the Catholic Church is the “frame of reference.” Legal processes, sure, that’s the purview of the Code but nobody was even talking about that at the synod (as far as I know…since the Pope pretty much preempted that discussion back in September).

Fourth, I continue to be mystified by the statements which make it seem that conversation in the Church, about all these issues, was so stifled in the past and is only now, under Pope Francis, possible. My entire adult life (not that long, I guess, but long enough) has been lived in an atmosphere of Catholics, from Bishops on down, saying pretty much whatever they want.

Dan
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All of this certainly makes sense to me. All of my life in the Catholic Church, I have never experienced a disconnect between moral teachings and pastoral practice. Yet much of what I read now makes it seem as though the Church I grew up in never existed. That is not possible.
 
JimG said:
All of this certainly makes sense to me. All of my life in the Catholic Church, I have never experienced a disconnect between moral teachings and pastoral practice. Yet much of what I read now makes it seem as though the Church I grew up in never existed. That is not possible.
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I wouldn’t say ‘diconnect between moral teachings and pastoral practice’, but I bet you will have known little exceptions in ‘disciplines’ and practice that others may have confused with doctrine and practice. For instance I was aware of the less rigid application of limbo to practice prior to it being abandoned. In some legalistic minds this put the doctrine of original sin and the necessity of baptism in doubt.
 
dans0622 said:
Hmm… A few head-scratchers here… I continue to be mystified by the statements which make it seem that conversation in the Church, about all these issues, was so stifled in the past and is only now, under Pope Francis, possible. My entire adult life (not that long, I guess, but long enough) has been lived in an atmosphere of Catholics, from Bishops on down, saying pretty much whatever they want.

Dan
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Don’t be mystified; it’s just damage control on the part of a minority. It would seem that some want to create a “Spirit of the Synod” not unlike the “Spirit of Vatican II.” The latter gave cover to all sorts of “pastoral” changes never supported by, and even contradictory to, Vatican II.

Here is Cardinal Pell on the Synod:
ncregister.com/blog/edward-pentin/cardinal-pell-on-the-synod-the-final-report-and-decentralization/
 
sarah_j said:
*The frame of reference now is no longer the Code of Canon Law. The frame of reference is now going to be, “What does the Gospel really say here?” *

So, are we to believe that Canon Law does **not ** reflect the Gospel?

If that’s true, the Catholic Church has been in error for the past 2000 years.

:mad:
Click to expand...
The Code of Canon law is based off of the authentic interpretation of scripture by the Church handed down since the beginning. To come back and try and reinterpret scripture again after 2000 years of changes in language and different translations is simply ludicrous and would prove more disastrous than the whole Martin Luther affair 500 years ago.
 
sarah_j said:
The frame of reference is now going to be, “What does the Gospel really say here?”
Click to expand...
Ahh, at last in 2015, Cardinal Wuerl is finally uncovering “what the Gospel really says” because all the holy saints of the last two millennia have been incorrect! Give me a break!

Stop vilifying your own Church, Your Eminence. Stop pretending as if the Church of Jesus Christ didn’t understand the concept of “mercy” until you and your friends came around. Stop proclaiming ambiguous sentimental whims rooted in the thought processes of a deformed culture and instead embrace the traditions of the Church and lead us to salvation!

Please…you are a successor of the Apostles, you are supposed to be our shepherd - don’t lead us astray! We don’t want to be accepted by the world. We want to serve Our Lord Jesus Christ and be with him in eternity.
 
LongingSoul said:
I wouldn’t say ‘diconnect between moral teachings and pastoral practice’, but I bet you will have known little exceptions in ‘disciplines’ and practice that others may have confused with doctrine and practice. For instance I was aware of the less rigid application of limbo to practice prior to it being abandoned. In some legalistic minds this put the doctrine of original sin and the necessity of baptism in doubt.
Click to expand...
I always thought the theory of limbo was a rather comforting theory myself, since it avoided consigning infants to hell for lack of baptism. If I understsand correctly, it is still a permissible theological opinion. The restated theological hypothesis about the unbaptized infants does not state categorically that unbaptized infants are going to enjoy the Beatific Vision; it simply says that we leave them to the mercy of God, and that there are reasons to hope for salvation.
 
Unless a priest does something that makes the Washington Post angry, or if you want to advertise that you’re doing a regular Latin Mass. Then mercy is out and it’s Law Time.
 
It doesn’t speak well of the Church, or maybe just the bishop, if he thinks the church is legalistic and isn’t interpreting the gospel correctly. What does he connsider legalistic and what is mercy? Are we to pretend there isn’t any truth? Mercy consists in abandoning truth for kindness?
 
dans0622 said:
Hmm… A few head-scratchers here. First, I don’t see the Cardinal uttering the words “the Catholic Church is moving from legalism to mercy.” I doubt he would ever say such a thing.

Secondly, to say that the Synod document “succeeded in giving Pope Francis a document that offers him significant new flexibility” is nonsense theologically, biblically, canonically, … everythingally.

Third, the Cardinal says “The frame of reference now is no longer the Code of Canon Law.” I wonder, when was it ever the frame of reference for anything? Even a canon lawyer like me would say, when it comes to Catholic belief and practice, the Catechism of the Catholic Church is the “frame of reference.” Legal processes, sure, that’s the purview of the Code but nobody was even talking about that at the synod (as far as I know…since the Pope pretty much preempted that discussion back in September).

Fourth, I continue to be mystified by the statements which make it seem that conversation in the Church, about all these issues, was so stifled in the past and is only now, under Pope Francis, possible. My entire adult life (not that long, I guess, but long enough) has been lived in an atmosphere of Catholics, from Bishops on down, saying pretty much whatever they want.

Dan
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Yep, well said.

Not to mention, too many people interpret mercy as “don’t worry, we love you anyway” instead “hey we love you, and want you to be in Heaven one day.”

All this talk of mercy versus legalism
  1. Plays into what detractors want to claim about an abundantly merciful Church teaching
and
  1. Provides a de facto admission that we have gotten it wrong these last 2000 years or so.
:tsktsk:

I don’t like hearing leaders of the Church echo the sentiments of our frankly ignorant detractors outside the Church. Rather I’d rather hear the rallying cry of “The Catholic Church is the Church of the God of abundant love and mercy, and let us show you why!”

When was the last time anyone heard a lifelong Catholic say “man, these homilies since Vatican 2 have been so devoid of compassion and brutally legalistic; such a drag. Oh, and Marty Haugen’s music just reeks of nasty legalism too.**”

** I generally enjoy his tunes, fyi. I admittedly hum “Eye Has Not Seen” and “Gather Us In” a lot.
 
Maximilan_Kolbe said:
All this talk of mercy versus legalism
  1. Plays into what detractors want to claim about an abundantly merciful Church teaching
    and
  2. Provides a de facto admission that we have gotten it wrong these last 2000 years or so.
:tsktsk:

I don’t like hearing leaders of the Church echo the sentiments of our frankly ignorant detractors outside the Church. Rather I’d rather hear the rallying cry of “The Catholic Church is the Church of the God of abundant love and mercy, and let us show you why!”
Click to expand...
Agreed, and I actually think we have kind of an existential Christian/Catholic duty to push back - set the real 2000 year standing record straight:
:love::love::love:
 
Peebo said:
Exactly…I don’t read it that the church is going to abandon canon law…one focuses on the legal system and the laws that regulate the Catholic Church in light of the gospel …the other is how to realistically apply that same gospel message in a more loving and merciful way…nothing about Canon Law not reflecting the gospel…nor changing doctrine.
Click to expand...
I agree that no doctrines are being changed. It appears the “loving and merciful way” is simply to ignore them. So long as the debate remains vague and centered on the results one would like to achieve, or on the motivations behind the movement - mercy, love, pastoral care - it all seems very reasonable. It is only when the discussion becomes specific, and the relevant doctrines are identified, that the proposed change can be seen to be what it is: not possible.

It is not legalism that prohibits the divorced and remarried from receiving communion.*"**This norm is not at all a punishment or a discrimination against the divorced and remarried, but rather expresses an objective situation that of itself renders impossible the reception of Holy Communion: They are unable to be admitted thereto from the fact that their state and condition of life objectively contradict that union of love between Christ and his Church which is signified and effected by the Eucharist." *(Cardinal Ratzinger)
Ender
 
dans0622 said:
…Third, the Cardinal says “The frame of reference now is no longer the Code of Canon Law.” I wonder, when was it ever the frame of reference for anything? Even a canon lawyer like me would say, when it comes to Catholic belief and practice, the Catechism of the Catholic Church is the “frame of reference.” Legal processes, sure, that’s the purview of the Code but nobody was even talking about that at the synod (as far as I know…since the Pope pretty much preempted that discussion back in September). …
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I’ll quote/respond to myself with a post from Dr. Peters.

canonlawblog.wordpress.com/2015/10/28/canon-law-has-never-been-the-frame-of-reference-for-the-church/

A sample:
The “frame of reference” for the mission of the Catholic Church has never, ever been the Code of Canon Law, and no canon lawyer I know of has ever, ever claimed otherwise. The “frame of reference” for the Catholic Church has always been, and has only been, Christ the Lord. For the cardinal archbishop of a major Western capital to talk as if the Code of Canon Law, for so much as one second, ever fancied itself as the “frame of reference” for the Catholic Church—well, it confirms the stranglehold that antinomian attitudes have secured over ecclesiastical thought in the space of one lifetime, to the point that today, many in the highest circles of ecclesiastical leadership can scarcely even talk about canon law without caricaturing it.
Click to expand...
Dan
 
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