Is "Amoris Laetitia" as dangerous to Church teaching as some claim?

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I asked my Bishop if the Pope had a moral obligation to answer the Dubia for this encyclical made by his emminece Cardinal Burke and a few other Cardinals, considering it was causing confusion and possible scandal that only the leader of the Church can heal.

He replied that he (Cardinal Burke) was misinterpreting the encyclical (something along the lines of that). The response confused me because Cardinal Burke is well educated and probably couldn’t misinterpret such a document of importance unless it was really confusing. But that’s just my opinion
 
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Whenever did I say that being a responsible couple was a sin? I am saying the opposite- that a couple that is not ready to support a child should not have intercourse, because, shocker intercourse can lead to children. so, if you dont want children, abstain from sex.
 
But see, that just it. “Mortal sin” is NEVER evident to an outsider. This is where the “internal forum” and accompaniment come in. Mortal sin involves the subjective culpability of an individual. Just because something is gravely wrong in the “black and white” sense does NOT mean it’s that simple in the individual, real life instance. Jesus wants to walk with people, not throw stones.
 
Eh, I’m of the opinion that he has not made any mess at all – only certain provokers in the traditionalist Catholic media (online) sphere, who want us to dislike Francis.
 
No. It is not. We live in a hysterical age. If all of the time and energy spent on gossiping, detraction and murmuring were directed toward prayer and evangelization, we would have a far better Church and world.
 
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Pope Francis should be the least of your worries.

If that is how you approach the faith, then I don’t think you’d be able to stand Catholicism during the reign of some Renaissance popes. But thankfully, our faith is not in leaders but Christ and his spirit, who guides the church.

I for one would like to think I am faithful to Catholic doctrine, as I have studied it intensely for 10 years or so. I do not take Catholicism lightly or simply seek to mold it into my own tastes. But I have to say that I am very much thankful for Pope Francis. I have to admit that his ways of leadership have brought me more in touch with my faith.

Plus, I am a young gay man who has struggled with my faith for a long time. I do not seek to change Catholic doctrine, and I am still trying to discern my place in the Church. But I do know that many in the church need to really listen to individual persons’ experiences. It’s not enough to have a rulebook. I think some Catholics get nervous when the Pope can say “gay” in any positive light at all. But for someone like me, where the subject touches near home, it makes all the difference.
 
pnewton said:
I think the question misses the point that it is Church teaching.
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It seems that the controversy revolves around the question of just what does the document teach. The teaching has been interpreted in contrary ways by different bishops and dioceses.
 
I would say yes. If you go back and look at history, schisms, etc. you would be amazed at what the disputes boiled down to. Things that seem so minor. Look at the heresies that the early councils discredited, etc. I do think only a small number of Catholics know or understand or care about this situation - see the real threat here (I refer to the fallout or abuse/pastoral liberty of applying AL). But it is a real threat, no question. The integrity of the Church is at stake.
 
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Oh yes thats where i get my Catholic knowledge from Sensus Fidelium and then research from there. I love that channel.
 
Joe1 said:
I asked my Bishop if the Pope had a moral obligation to answer the Dubia for this encyclical made by his emminece Cardinal Burke and a few other Cardinals, considering it was causing confusion and possible scandal that only the leader of the Church can heal.

He replied that he (Cardinal Burke) was misinterpreting the encyclical (something along the lines of that). The response confused me because Cardinal Burke is well educated and probably couldn’t misinterpret such a document of importance unless it was really confusing. But that’s just my opinion
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It was a post-synodal apostolic exhortation, not an encyclical.

And your bishop was exactly correct.

Dubia are a supplication to the Holy See. Just because someone supplicates does not mean that there is any obligation to look with favour upon the supplication or, indeed, even acknowledge it.
 
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Don_Ruggero said:
It was a post-synodal apostolic exhortation, not an encyclical.
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Oops my bad 😅
Don_Ruggero said:
Dubia are a supplication to the Holy See. Just because someone supplicates does not mean that there is any obligation to look with favour upon the supplication or, indeed, even acknowledge it.
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I see. What I asked the Bishop is if he feels the Pope had an obligation to calm the confusion of the faithful. Obviously he doesn’t have to correct what the Cardinal “misinterpreted”, but still it would provide relief to the Church if he did, don’t you think?
 
Perhaps you could clarify who told you that contraceptive is being responsible. Contraceptives have turned sex into a recreational sport. The. Attitude is that a pregnancy is a disease to be avoided. This attitude I believe has led to abortion. The same attitude that says to not refrain from sex is unrealistic. What is unrealistic is that God would require something that would be unrealistic. Responsible would be to treat God’s gift with respect.
 
Hm. Rahab was a prostitute in Jericho who found favor with God.

King David. Well he did the unspeakable but God still loved him.

Someone show me where it says being responsible and not getting a girl pregnant and then having to have the conversation of abortion is anyway a sin. It is responsible.
 
Joe1 said:
Obviously he doesn’t have to correct what the Cardinal “misinterpreted”, but still it would provide relief to the Church if he did, don’t you think?
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Actually, no. I do not think so…

I fully agree with the Pope’s decision to not respond to the dubia.

I also agreed with the decision of Pope Benedict when he responded to the same dubium, submitted multiple times, by responding to them with silence. Frankly I could have wished he would have resolved the matter – but he chose to leave it unresolved, which devolved responsibility back to the level of the diocese and conferences of bishops. That was his right and his privilege and all anyone could say in the face of the authority a Pope has is: “So be it.”

It is useful to the entire Church to be reminded that there are matters which the Pope alone decides…and he, as the Vicar of Christ and the visible head of the Church, owes no explanation to anyone…and all must submit themselves to that reality.
 
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The number of people with legitimate complaints on Amoris Laetitia who have
(a) actually read the entire document,
(b) actually studied its Catholic meaning by tracing the sources in the footnotes and relating it to previous teachings on the family
(c) actually understood what the footnote issue is (or is not)
(d) realized that some fundamentalist hotheads are raising a storm over nothing while ignoring the most significant document the Church has put out on the family in the last 50 years
can be counted on the fingers of one hand.

Some Cardinals have asked for clarification. They can. They are scholars. The Pope is accountable to no one and the Cardinal Prefect of the Congregation for the Faith alongside other scholars already clarified their doubts. The remaining issues pertain to pastoral practices that are for priests and bishops to worry about. The laity have no place in this discussion any longer.

The Evil One has been striking blow after blow on the family, the Church gathers an Extraordinary and an Ordinary Synod to discuss the pressing, modern problems affecting the family and how the Church can address them with firmness and mercy, the Holy Father sums everything up in a very long and fascinating Apostolic Exhortation, and everyone goes on and on about a footnote…then again, they say the devil is in the details, and that we usually do focus on the speck of dust and miss the log…
 
Don_Ruggero said:
And your bishop was exactly correct.
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It is most unfortunate that Bishops (incl Cardinals) reading the same document come to conflicting interpretations. Even more unfortunate that such becomes a public spectacle rather than a basis for brother bishops to seek (and succeed) to resolve the matter among themselves.
 
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