Did Thomas More and John Fisher die for nothing?

[I_trust]

Did Thomas More and John Fisher die for nothing?
Following the words of Christ himself, the Church has always taught that divorce and remarriage is simply adultery by another name
BY ARCHBISHOP AQUILA
OCTOBER 19, 2015
Source:
denvercatholic.org/did-thomas-more-and-john-fisher-die-for-nothing/#.VicMHVUrKUn

At the Synod on the Family taking place right now in Rome, some of the German bishops and their supporters are pushing for the Church to allow those who are both divorced and remarried to receive communion, while other bishops from around the world are insisting that the Church cannot change Christ’s teaching. And this begs a question: Do the German bishops believe that Sts. Thomas More and John Fischer sacrificed their lives in vain?
…
Last May, Cardinal Kasper claimed in an interview with Commonweal that we “can’t say whether it is ongoing adultery” when a repentant, divorced Christian nonetheless engages in “sexual relations” in a new union. Rather, he thinks “absolution is possible.”

And yet, Christ clearly called remarriage adultery and said adultery was sinful (Mt. 5:32, Mk. 10:12, Lk. 16:18). In the case of the Samaritan woman (John 4:1-42), Jesus also confirmed that remarriage cannot be valid, even when informed by sincere feeling and fidelity.

 

[I_trust]

From the article…

The German bishops’ “Plan B” to do things “their way” in Germany, even if it goes against the grain of Church teaching, has the same flaws. And, it has an eerie ring to it – in an Anglican sort of way. Consider the words of the head of the German Bishops Conference, **Cardinal Marx, who was cited in the National Catholic Register as saying that while the German Church may remain in communion with Rome on doctrine, that in terms of pastoral care for individual cases, “the synod cannot prescribe in detail what we have to do in Germany.” **Henry VIII would most certainly have agreed.

“We are not just a subsidiary of Rome,” Cardinal Marx argued. “Each episcopal conference is responsible for the pastoral care in their culture and has to proclaim the Gospel in its own unique way. We cannot wait until a synod states something, as we have to carry out marriage and family ministry here.”
The Anglicans also sought such autonomy – though with increasingly internally divisive results and the emptying of their communities.

Contrasted with

vatican.va/holy_father/special_features/encyclicals/documents/hf_jp-ii_enc_20030417_ecclesia_eucharistia_en.html

ENCYCLICAL LETTER
ECCLESIA DE EUCHARISTIA
OF HIS HOLINESS
POPE JOHN PAUL II

The judgment of one’s state of grace obviously belongs only to the person involved, since it is a question of examining one’s conscience. However, in cases of outward conduct which is seriously, clearly and steadfastly contrary to the moral norm, the Church, in her pastoral concern for the good order of the community and out of respect for the sacrament, cannot fail to feel directly involved. The Code of Canon Law refers to this situation of a manifest lack of proper moral disposition when it states that those who “obstinately persist in manifest grave sin” are not to be admitted to Eucharistic communion.76
…
39. Furthermore, given the very nature of ecclesial communion and its relation to the sacrament of the Eucharist, it must be recalled that “the Eucharistic Sacrifice, while always offered in a particular community, is never a celebration of that community alone. In fact, the community, in receiving the Eucharistic presence of the Lord, receives the entire gift of salvation and shows, even in its lasting visible particular form, that it is the image and true presence of the one, holy, catholic and apostolic Church”.79 From this it follows that a truly Eucharistic community cannot be closed in upon itself, as though it were somehow self-sufficient; rather it must persevere in harmony with every other Catholic community.

The ecclesial communion of the Eucharistic assembly is a communion with its own Bishop and with the Roman Pontiff. The Bishop, in effect, is the visible principle and the foundation of unity within his particular Church.80 It would therefore be a great contradiction if the sacrament par excellence of the Church’s unity were celebrated without true communion with the Bishop. As Saint Ignatius of Antioch wrote: “That Eucharist which is celebrated under the Bishop, or under one to whom the Bishop has given this charge, may be considered certain”.81 Likewise, since “the Roman Pontiff, as the successor of Peter, is the perpetual and visible source and foundation of the unity of the Bishops and of the multitude of the faithful”,82 communion with him is intrinsically required for the celebration of the Eucharistic Sacrifice. Hence the great truth expressed which the Liturgy expresses in a variety of ways: “Every celebration of the Eucharist is performed in union not only with the proper Bishop, but also with the Pope, with the episcopal order, with all the clergy, and with the entire people. Every valid celebration of the Eucharist expresses this universal communion with Peter and with the whole Church, or objectively calls for it, as in the case of the Christian Churches separated from Rome”.83

 

[GEddie]

Shouldn’t we wait to hear what the Synod decides before wringing our hands??

ICXC NIKA.

 

[Megan7]

Did Thomas More and John Fisher die for nothing?
Following the words of Christ himself, the Church has always taught that divorce and remarriage is simply adultery by another name
BY ARCHBISHOP AQUILA
OCTOBER 19, 2015
Source:
denvercatholic.org/did-thomas-more-and-john-fisher-die-for-nothing/#.VicMHVUrKUn

Thanks for the link:thumbsup: Great article. God bless Archbishop Aquila. I guess I will be moving to
Denver

“It must be observed, however, that if the faith were endangered, a subject ought to rebuke his prelate even publicly.”
St. Thomas Aquinas, Summa Theologica II, II, q. 33, a. 4

+PAX

 

[Melancholic]

With all of the confusion lately, that was refreshing to read. Thomas More has always been one of my favorite saints. Thank you Archbishop Aquila, and may God bless you abundantly for your steadfastness!

 

[zz912]

Shouldn’t we wait to hear what the Synod decides before wringing our hands??

ICXC NIKA.

No, as the German prelates are not waiting.

“We are not just a subsidiary of Rome,” Cardinal Marx argued. “Each episcopal conference is responsible for the pastoral care in their culture and has to proclaim the Gospel in its own unique way. We cannot wait until a synod states something, as we have to carry out marriage and family ministry here.”

 

[Trad_Catholic27]

Thank God for Archbishop Aquila for defending the Church’s teaching on divorce and remarriage

St.Thomas Moore and St. John Fisher pray for the Synod on the Family and all those who suffer unjust divorce

 

[Maximilan_Kolbe]

Shouldn’t we wait to hear what the Synod decides before wringing our hands??

ICXC NIKA.

Those pushing for communion for D&R Catholics have been “wringing their hands” for decades. Do you mean them?

 

[SWolf]

Those pushing for communion for D&R Catholics have been “wringing their hands” for decades. Do you mean them?

On how many occasions has it been rejected now? Three, four?