M
matutemats
Guest
I’m roughly translating an interview to Walter Kasper, theologician near to Pope Francis, to an argentine newspaper “La Nación”. Hope to see your comments!
*With the recent announcement that the priests have the power to forgive women who had abortions, Pope Francis has taken new wounded to the field hospital, the image he likes to define the reality of the Church.
That’s how Cardinal Walter Kasper understands it, renowned German theologian who is fully in tune with the Argentine pope. He warned of the “practical schism” that affects the Church when the uncompromising defense of principles and doctrines pushes many faithful away. “To many, the doctrine of the Church it is very far from reality. There is a kind of practical schism. It is a problem to think about, but which today do not talk,” he said in an interview with LA NACIÓN leading theologian, 82, and president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
With a month to go for the synod of bishops in Rome he analyzes key challenges on the family and marriage, as the situation of divorced and remarried. The tension arises between the weight of the doctrine, supported by the most conservative positions and the pastoral needs of the Church, promoted by most progressive sectors. “The road is pointed Cardinal German- mercy, reach out to the actual man who’s hurt everywhere.”
Kasper came to Buenos Aires for two days, to expose the challenges of the Church, 50 years after the Second Vatican Council, in an International Conference for the centenary of the Faculty of Theology at the Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA). He stayed in a single room Seminar Villa Devoto and lived with a local atmosphere, probably the Pope surprised. “One of the things that impressed me is that Bergoglio was always loved by their priests,” he slipped.
What does Francis’ decision to promote forgiveness repentant women who confess their abortion imply?
Francis is the pope of surprises. Forgiveness relates to the profound suffering of women who abort. Thus the Church goes to meet not only from sin, but a suffering that continues in women beyond that traumatic time.
Could it generate reactions among conservatives?
There you understand that it is not a cheap grace that is given lightly. Metanoia implies that there is a sincere conversion. Along the suffering it causes in women that have had an abortion, it requires a real desire to change lives. It is easy to recognize the fault. In my experience in Stuttgart, where I attended as bishop, I met extreme realities of prison life. People who had committed three murders with a deep repentance demanded sacramental forgiveness, and I gave it to them. People had to stay in prison, but their attitudes changed much in prison.
-¿Do you perceive and abyss in the doctrine of the Church on marriage and the family and the conviction with which many Christians live?
To many the doctrine appears far from reality. There is a kind of practical schism. Very committed Christian couples to the Church, for example, do not live the teachings of the encyclical Humanae Vitae about contraception. It is a problem to think about.
How does the Church face this reality?
Silently. There is no talk in general about this problem. Maybe because we do not want to lose many Catholics. The next synod will surely have to discuss these issues. In a recent paper, the International Theological Commission stressed the importance of listening to the voice of the faithful before starting to talk about a subject.
** Is there a tension between church doctrine and pastoral action?**
The Pastoral cannot go against the doctrine, but doctrine cannot be an abstract statement. The doctrine’s interpratation should be linked to real life. Jesus always spoke of the reality of the person, knowing that we are all sinners. There may be some tension between doctrine and pastoral. But that tension is normal, other than the practical schism, which causes division.
** Will the practical schism be addressed at the Synod on the family on October?**
I do not know, I hope so. In the last special synod on the family of last year, it hasn’t been addressed enough. I have no solutions; I can speak as an expert in dogmatic theology, which teaches what God does. But I’m not, thankfully, a specialist in moral theology, which teaches what men have to do (laughs).
** Can one expect developments, for example, in the situation of divorced and remarried?**
It’s a complex problem. Positions were discussed last year, in favor of openness. There are different situations, and not neccesarily there should be a single solution. A fundamental consensus that can diversify to local realities is necessary.
¿Mercy, which is central to Francis, was forgotten in the Church?
Not in the faithful and in popular piety. There it was always present. But perhaps theological reflection had relegated a little mercy as a central attribute of God. Mercy does not deny justice, it exceeds it.
-¿Is Francis a pope of transition? Or will he mark a turning point in the Church?
*With the recent announcement that the priests have the power to forgive women who had abortions, Pope Francis has taken new wounded to the field hospital, the image he likes to define the reality of the Church.
That’s how Cardinal Walter Kasper understands it, renowned German theologian who is fully in tune with the Argentine pope. He warned of the “practical schism” that affects the Church when the uncompromising defense of principles and doctrines pushes many faithful away. “To many, the doctrine of the Church it is very far from reality. There is a kind of practical schism. It is a problem to think about, but which today do not talk,” he said in an interview with LA NACIÓN leading theologian, 82, and president emeritus of the Pontifical Council for Promoting Christian Unity.
With a month to go for the synod of bishops in Rome he analyzes key challenges on the family and marriage, as the situation of divorced and remarried. The tension arises between the weight of the doctrine, supported by the most conservative positions and the pastoral needs of the Church, promoted by most progressive sectors. “The road is pointed Cardinal German- mercy, reach out to the actual man who’s hurt everywhere.”
Kasper came to Buenos Aires for two days, to expose the challenges of the Church, 50 years after the Second Vatican Council, in an International Conference for the centenary of the Faculty of Theology at the Universidad Católica Argentina (UCA). He stayed in a single room Seminar Villa Devoto and lived with a local atmosphere, probably the Pope surprised. “One of the things that impressed me is that Bergoglio was always loved by their priests,” he slipped.
What does Francis’ decision to promote forgiveness repentant women who confess their abortion imply?
Francis is the pope of surprises. Forgiveness relates to the profound suffering of women who abort. Thus the Church goes to meet not only from sin, but a suffering that continues in women beyond that traumatic time.
Could it generate reactions among conservatives?
There you understand that it is not a cheap grace that is given lightly. Metanoia implies that there is a sincere conversion. Along the suffering it causes in women that have had an abortion, it requires a real desire to change lives. It is easy to recognize the fault. In my experience in Stuttgart, where I attended as bishop, I met extreme realities of prison life. People who had committed three murders with a deep repentance demanded sacramental forgiveness, and I gave it to them. People had to stay in prison, but their attitudes changed much in prison.
-¿Do you perceive and abyss in the doctrine of the Church on marriage and the family and the conviction with which many Christians live?
To many the doctrine appears far from reality. There is a kind of practical schism. Very committed Christian couples to the Church, for example, do not live the teachings of the encyclical Humanae Vitae about contraception. It is a problem to think about.
How does the Church face this reality?
Silently. There is no talk in general about this problem. Maybe because we do not want to lose many Catholics. The next synod will surely have to discuss these issues. In a recent paper, the International Theological Commission stressed the importance of listening to the voice of the faithful before starting to talk about a subject.
** Is there a tension between church doctrine and pastoral action?**
The Pastoral cannot go against the doctrine, but doctrine cannot be an abstract statement. The doctrine’s interpratation should be linked to real life. Jesus always spoke of the reality of the person, knowing that we are all sinners. There may be some tension between doctrine and pastoral. But that tension is normal, other than the practical schism, which causes division.
** Will the practical schism be addressed at the Synod on the family on October?**
I do not know, I hope so. In the last special synod on the family of last year, it hasn’t been addressed enough. I have no solutions; I can speak as an expert in dogmatic theology, which teaches what God does. But I’m not, thankfully, a specialist in moral theology, which teaches what men have to do (laughs).
** Can one expect developments, for example, in the situation of divorced and remarried?**
It’s a complex problem. Positions were discussed last year, in favor of openness. There are different situations, and not neccesarily there should be a single solution. A fundamental consensus that can diversify to local realities is necessary.
¿Mercy, which is central to Francis, was forgotten in the Church?
Not in the faithful and in popular piety. There it was always present. But perhaps theological reflection had relegated a little mercy as a central attribute of God. Mercy does not deny justice, it exceeds it.
-¿Is Francis a pope of transition? Or will he mark a turning point in the Church?
- Francis sees himself as the initiator of a process that goes beyond his pontificate. I hope it is an irreversible process.*
