Santa Fe archbishop: No Communion for cohabitating couples

[The_Old_Medic]

People that are cohabiting know who they are and what they are doing. This Bishop makes it clear that such couples are NOT to receive the Eucharist. if they do, they are committing a grave sin.

Of course, they likely don’t care if they do, but he is letting them know.

And no one would suspect a person of cohabiting with their sister, unless they refused to tell people that it IS their sister…

 

[He_Man]

I think the BISHOP has his head in the sand, there are more important issues in the church than people co-habitating. How about the problem of priest raping children. The church being run by OLD GUYS, don’t konw whats going on in the world. The Catholic church in America has lost a third of it catholics since 1988. these are issues that must be addressed.

Reynaldo Careaga

You say you’re Catholic, so surely you agree Priests should be tackling all sins, both the ones you have an issue with and ones like cohabitation.

Or should the Church simply call you to find out which sins they should focus on at a given time?

It would also appear that you have had your head in the sand, and maybe you should try pulling it out - the Church, at both local, national, and Vatican level, has addressed the scandal, and will continue to do so.

Just because you don’t mind people fornicating doesn’t mean squat as far as the Priest’s job is concerned.

 

[Bearsong49]

This reminds me of some other kinds of pronouncements made by various bishops. I agree with one of the writers, he’s just stating the churches position on the matter. He is obligated to do so; it’s his job as the chief shepherd of his particular flock. But, rascalking makes a good point, in that people, and that would be most of us I think, wouldn’t think twice about ‘ratting’ someone out, either in their zealousness or spite or just plain meanness. Biblically, shouldn’t we also refer to the way the bible teaches us to treat others in our community who we know, not suspect of sin. It’s also how we can avoid the damage of rumors and help fellow christians come to grips with their short comings (and we have plenty). I can think of an instance where a couple, because they were not married in the church were told that they would have to live in separate residents until the matter was resolved. Complicating this problem they also had children. So, in the eyes of the church they were cohabitating, living in adultery and had been in a committed relationship for many years. Yes, there is a moral way to return to the church, but sometimes I believe we make it incredibly difficult for people to be reconciled with the church putting more hurdles and stones to block their return, perhaps even chasing them away permanently. To me the greater sin here is the loss of the souls of these people and their children and the much larger impact on those they knew in the church and outside of church. Jesus was correct in summing up the law in saying, Love one another as I have loved you, because the laws of the church had become God. It is a fearful thing to see how we seem to be making the same mistake. My apologies to everyone, if this seems to long.

 

[reyrey82t]

I think the Bishop is living in a dreamworld.

 

[ANNE_2]

I think the BISHOP has his head in the sand, there are more important issues in the church than people co-habitating. How about the problem of priest raping children. The church being run by OLD GUYS, don’t konw whats going on in the world. The Catholic church in America has lost a third of it catholics since 1988. these are issues that must be addressed.
Reynaldo Careaga

Teaching to SAVE the SOULS of all who are within his Diocese is each Bishop’s first and most important task.

Adultary, fornication, homosexual acts, are all Mortal Sins.

CCC - “1035 The teaching of the Church affirms the existence of hell and its eternity.
Immediately after death the souls of those who die in a state of mortal sin descend into hell, where they suffer the punishments of hell, “eternal fire.”
The chief punishment of hell is eternal separation from God, in whom alone man can possess the life and happiness for which he was created and for which he longs.”
Also see - Mt 13:41-42 Mt 5:29 Mt 12:28 Mt 25-41 Mk 9:43-48

These days it is always good to hear a Bishop teaching clearly and 100% in conformance with “CCC 2nd Ed”.
No Catholic in his Diocese has the excuse in not living according to the Faith.
Anyone in the state of Mortal Sin may never receive the Eucharist, or they commit the additional Mortal Sin of Sacrilege.

The reason this good Bishop’s statement is even newsworthy, is because most Bishops in the USA do not require their Diocese Priest’s to preach these truths from the Pulpit anymore.
And very few encourage the reading of the “Catechism of the Catholic Church, Second Edition”.

In general, there has been very poor catechesis across the USA since the 1960s - that is the real reason that people have been leaving the Church.

 

[estesbob]

I think the Bishop is living in a dreamworld.

In what way?

 

[ETEXAS]

My wife and I were in his Cathedral on Ash Wed, in lovely SF, he is a good man, and as someone wisely noted, he is not calling for a witch hunt , he is restating Official Doctrine…bravo

 

[rmartensjr]

… To me the greater sin here is the loss of the souls of these people and their children and the much larger impact on those they knew in the church and outside of church. … My apologies to everyone, if this seems to long.

So you would condone their mortal sin of co-habitation and look the other way when they compound that sin by committing the mortal sin of sacriligeous reception of the Eucharist?
You don’t know that their souls are lost by leaving the Church… they may repent and return. But by giving a wink and a nod to their mortal sins we KNOW their souls are lost.
No, your post is not too long… just wrong.

I think the Bishop is living in a dreamworld.

No, the Bishop is trying to help his people to “live in a dream world” called Heaven for all eternity.

Teaching to SAVE the SOULS of all who are within his Diocese is each Bishop’s first and most important task.

You tell 'em, Anne!

 

[Bearsong49]

So you would condone their mortal sin of co-habitation and look the other way when they compound that sin by committing the mortal sin of sacriligeous reception of the Eucharist?
You don’t know that their souls are lost by leaving the Church… they may repent and return. But by giving a wink and a nod to their mortal sins we KNOW their souls are lost.

I’m not condoning the action, as I do not sit in judgment on them one way or the other. (Yes, I know that sounds prideful, but read on.) What I meant in commenting, by leaving the ‘Church’, was in leaving Christ behind all together. I sense perhaps you might think that the Roman Catholic Church is the only Christian church views that count. How do ‘you’ determine the intention of the person receiving the Eucharist? I prefer hearing how much God loves me and wants me to love Him, and how precious I am to Him rather than hearing pronouncements that don’t invite me into relationship with Him, but tell me in no uncertain terms that I am a sinner and because of that am unwelcome at the table of the Lord. Jesus was notorious about spending time with those very same sinners, not pointing out their bad behavior but convincing them that His love and care and concern for them was real. That realness is what turns people to trust in Christ and place their faith in Him and to turn their face to Him in adoration and love.

And Anne, here is some food for thought for you. One of the reasons so many have left the church is the arrogance of our leaders in responding to serious crises in the church. I don’t think I need to mention them here. Our response was not even remotely serious until it was brought into the public. How many people do you know really, truly trust their clergy to the same extent as they used too and by extension the very institution of the church itself. Another reason for loss of membership is that in many of the Christian churches that I have attended outside the bounds of the regular Sunday mass at my church, are by far and above more welcoming and hospitable than pretty much every Roman Catholic church I’ve ever attended. Here’s another one for you, the church has never done much catechesis (teaching if you prefer). The protestants have been ahead of us for many years in engaging their communities in deepening their faith in Christ beyond junior high school. Oh, and here’s another one, once the “magic sacrament” is done, it doesn’t matter which, we really don’t care to come to church anymore, let alone listen to a Bishop tell us we are unwelcome through the impersonal convenience of a pastoral letter. Sante Fe Archdiocese is not so big that perhaps he could have addressed each of the congregations personally, but then, that’s another reason people leave, many of our church leaders are not very accessible on the local level unless you happen to be a part of the inner circle. Or maybe, it’s the lack of recognition of the worthiness of women to be ordained as priests and deacons; lame and theologically weak arguments not withstanding. Oh we could go on here for days. Yet, amazingly enough, I still come to church because I love Jesus Christ, and God and the Holy Spirit and refuse to let the human weaknesses of the church completely eliminate me from going, as my relationship with Christ is personal.

Now, really, this is too long huh?

 

[mary_bobo]

I think the BISHOP has his head in the sand, there are more important issues in the church than people co-habitating. How about the problem of priest raping children. The church being run by OLD GUYS, don’t konw whats going on in the world. The Catholic church in America has lost a third of it catholics since 1988. these are issues that must be addressed.

Reynaldo Careaga

These are two different issues. I think you are suffering from lack of knowledge as to what the Church teachs. The Bishop, as is his duty, is to inform members of his congregations as to the requirements for Catholics. With lack of proper education, many young people are growning up knowing very little about the Catholic faith. And calling the magisterium OLD GUYS is really over the top.

 

[ETEXAS]

Explain…if you will, “his head in the sand” (other than it being tasteless and lacking taste in that he is doing WHAT a Bishop is called to do?) Rather like saying a police officer should not stop a bank robbery???