It simply means to go out and invite them into the Church fully and not to block their return. living together is not a death sentence. He is saying to be open and invite them home! Praise God!!! He in no way is saying cohabitation is okay or that the Church will endorse the life style.
Unfortunately they’ll see it as an invitation to the Eucharist.
Not if they are invited with truth and love. Pope Francis stated that the “truth must be told”. This is not rocket science, just meet them where they are as Jesus did with the woman at the well, then as He did, lift them out of the situation. Love can change hearts, truth will save souls!
Yep, sadly those were very easily misunderstood comments.
First of all, it isn’t necessary to receive Holy Communion when one attends Mass.
But it’s a great blessing when you do.
Probably not committing adultery. Especially a couple who have been married for over thirty years. Either way, not for us to decide.
So you’re saying that all couples who divorced and then remarried without an annulment, are committing fornication ?
It’s both, unless of course the spouse has died. But you are right to say that Francis is telling priests to focus on how to heal the situation rather than harp on the faults.
They wont see it as that, they’ll see it as condoning what they’re doing. If they’re cohabitating then they’re already not educated in the faith, so they’ll go up and receive communion even though they’re in sin.
I’m one of those ministers whom Pope Francis is speaking, I handle marriage prep and many other parish ministry issues, if a couple in this situation does not know the full truth after we meet then shame on me and I truly will bare the fault for leading them to sin by receiving when they should not.
The Pope is not progressive, please don’t pollute his statements with simple politics. The Church is not right nor left; She is center.Just another example of great progressive ideals this Pope, and the Church, espouses!
Didn’t Jesus tell sinners to stop sinning? (John 8:11)
Where does repentence come in?
I’m not saying don’t go after them. You obviously have to go after them to tell them to repent. When Jesus went after the lost sheep, He didn’t mince words about what the sinner needs to do.
A priest does not “tell them to repent” at least in the manner such a short four word directive indicates. The Pope said do not push them away. He is the boss. He is also wiser than your average street corner preacher. He is said that holiness is stronger. Teach holiness. Teach reconciliation. Teach Church doctrine. Jesus never first said to repent. Even the most poignant example of the woman caught in adultery, he first helped her in her trouble. Then he showed mercy. Third, he told her to go an sin no more. All this was done* after* establishing himself as a friend to sinners, a feeder of the hungry, a healer of the sick and a teacher of truth.
In the parable, Jesus did not say what should be said or how it should be said. I do not know what you mean “mince words”, but Jesus did not always speak directly. He was not a street corner preacher yelling at passer-bys to repent. I can see that the Holy Father has found a good topic that needs to be taught to the “elder son.”nytimes.com/2013/09/20/world/europe/pope-bluntly-faults-churchs-focus-on-gays-and-abortion.html?_r=1&