Code:
It may seem exasperating but this thread is specifically on what is a "Catholic Declaration".
Well, yes an no. You are comparing apples and turnips. The JDDJ is not the kind of declaration you imagine. The definition you were given of a “declaration” is part of the Magesterial authority of the Church. It is from a list of levels of official aurthorative Catholic teaching.
EvangelCatholic;12300639:
I have used the definition of “declaration” provided by another poster and asked if that is correct per the Catholic Church. It appears it is so my next question is now important is a “Declaration” whether papal or council to Catholics?
It is correct within the context from which it was taken, which is one of the levels of authorative instruction.
A papal or conciliar declaration is binding upon all Catholics.
The Holy See website provides a wealth of documentation so, with the help of another poster, I examined the process of what goes into “declarations and public documents”.
I commend you for your careful research.
Code:
This section clearly states the process when dealing with "questions of faith". I believe we are talking about the Roman Curia; am I correct?
Yes. The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith is the modern version of the Inquisition. It’s job is to preserve the purity of doctrine, and to prevent Catholics from teaching and promulgating error.
The reason the CDF has to review ecumenical documents like the JDDJ before they are published is to ensure that there are no false or misleading contents so that they will accurately represent the faith.
The JDDJ, like all ecumenical works in progress, is a document for discussion and further development. These types of “declarations” are not the offcial teaching of the Church (you won’t find it published in the Catechism) but clarify points of difference and unity so that continued work can progress.
Code:
On another thread I raised the question how Catholic "Law" differs from Catholic "teaching"
Catholic "law’ (canon law) is different within various rites of the Church, and applies to how the business of the Church will be conducted on a day to day basis. It can be changed and adapted. Catholic “teaching” is the Doctrine of the Faith - the teaching of the Apostles preserved infallibly in the Church by the Holy Spirit. The Church cannot add or subtract from this once for all divine deposit of faith.
Code:
in light of the explanation of a Catholic "Declaration" because the definition of a Catholic declaration speaks of promulgation of Law and identifies 3 ways a Declaration is to be understood.
Papal and conciliar declarations, unlike the JDDJ, are jurisdictional applications of the Once for all Divine deposit of faith. An example of a papal declaration is contained in
ORDINATIO SACERDOTALIS/I]
" I declare that the Church has no authority whatsoever to confer priestly ordination on women and that this judgment is to be definitively held by all the Church’s faithful."
I have had this discussion before and invariably the feedback I get is opinion not reliable, direct citations or authoritative sources.
There is no source that can prove your assertion is without merit. The JDDJ is not a papal or conciliar declaration, and no amount of trying to squeeze it into the official definition of an authorative declaration will make it become one. The Document itself states it’s sources and purposes, contrary to a declaration binding on all the faithful. You just can’t seem to accept that declarations made as part of the ecumenical work toward unity are not part of the Magesterial teaching of the faithful.
That is when I suspect some posters of reacting to JDDJ rather than honestly examining the Declaration. It appears some undermine and even confute what this particular Declaration is proclaiming.
It is regrettable that some Catholics appear to be resistant to the work of the Church on unity, but your efforts to force the document into a category to which it does not belong will not solve the problem. On the contrary, it will only alienate those Catholics because you are losing your credibility.
Bottom line is one may not like ecumenical efforts to the point of feeling threatened by Vatican II and notice strongly worded opposition to what John XXIII introduced. But this Lutheran’s read of the Dialogue/ Declaration only reinforces the belief that unification with Catholics is likely and will start with eucharistic hospitality in our lifetimes.
May God grant that we quickly show the world the One unity of the One Faith so that the world may know Him.
So it seems strange that several Catholic posters continue to promote intense animosity toward Lutherans even to the point of disrespecting the Papal Office.
Yes, there are always those who have difficulty accepting change, and the ultra traditionalists and Sede Vacantists are good examples. These folks, fortunately, are not given by God the authority to shepherd the Church.
