Bp. Paprocki speaks up about Pope Francis’ remarks on marriage

Here’s something for your ongoing interest in Pope’s Francis recent off-the-cuff remarks.

Pope Francis, after a firestorm of criticism, amends his official remarks from Diocese of Springfield in IL on Vimeo.

About Fr. John Zuhlsdorf

Fr. Z is the guy who runs this blog. o{]:¬)
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12 Comments

  1. farrellapparel says:

    This is a needed step in the right direction. How about telling us a bit about lawful separation. Conspicuously absent was the un-PC (authority) part of canon 1152 §3. If the innocent spouse has severed conjugal living voluntarily, the spouse is to introduce a cause for separation within six months to – the competent ecclesiastical authority which, after having investigated all the circumstances..

    This means you must get the bishop’s permission (not simply guidance). Q. What if I know this and do not do so? Is it sinful? Please tell us in the next video! How about some explanation on canon 1153 and 1692 for good measure.. : )

  2. TheDude05 says:

    Not only is he eloquent, reasonable, intelligent, educated, orthodox, and loving, he’s also a ice hockey goalie. May God bless you Bishop Paprocki.

  3. Deo Credo says:

    As a member of Bishop Paprocki’s flock I can say that I have the greatest confidence that he will hear, “Well done good and faithful servant.” As I travel around either in person or just on the Internet I realize how lucky I am to have a courageous shepherd.

  4. thomas tucker says:

    Well done!

  5. Ivan Tomas says:

    Besides a fact that we have the same forename (both), bishop Thomas John wear a very nice and very big Holy Cross. Much bigger then some others who are even hiding it when they think that one of other nonbeliever will be offend with IT.
    God bless Bishop Thomas John Paprocki!

  6. TomG says:

    Why do we have to be “lucky” to have a great bishop?

  7. iamlucky13 says:

    Very solid, clearly spoken catechesis.

    Unfortunately, very few of the people who need to hear, pay attention to, understand, and recognize the accuracy of this discourse will do so.

    Some will hear it, sort of pay attention to and pretend to understand it, but dismiss it as an attempt by the Church to use rules to bind Christ’s mercy, when in reality it is the Church reacting to Christ’s own teachings with careful and merciful protection of the indissolubility of marriage and an equally careful and merciful process for giving those who question their marriage a means of examining its validity that is not tainted by the conflict of interest of doing so oneself. The Church neither leaves those who face the question trapped in a presumed marriage with no way to re-examine its validity, nor in the dangerous situation of having to figure it out for themselves despite not being impartial to the question.

    I suppose there’s not much to do about those who dismiss it but continue to consistently reiterate the teaching and pray for all Catholics to embrace these teachings.

  8. Gerard Plourde says:

    A truly great teaching moment and one fully consistent with the meaning of Pope Francis’ remarks. The world’s temptations towards impermanence and novelty are nothing new (even Our Lord had to admonish the scribes and Pharasees against this when they mentioned that Mosaic Law allowed for divorce). Solid preparation is essential (although there is no guarantee that it will be absorbed, human nature being what it is).

  9. Grumpy Beggar says:

    [5:16-5:35] “Even in such cases of separation of the spouses due to adultery, the bond of marriage remains. If however a spouse enters marriage thinking that adultery on the part of his or her spouse is a reason to end the marriage , then that spouse is not intended to enter a permanent marriage and the marriage would be invalid . . . ”

    As the norm or ideal, this speaks volumes about the indissolubility of marriage. However, it is also true that the husband and wife administer the sacrament of Marriage/Holy Matrimony to each other. The CCC therefore confirms that

    2397
    The covenant which spouses have freely entered into entails faithful love. It imposes on them the obligation to keep their marriage indissoluble.

    and,

    2381
    Adultery is an injustice. He who commits adultery fails in his commitment. He does injury to the sign of the covenant which the marriage bond is, transgresses the rights of the other spouse, and undermines the institution of marriage by breaking the contract on which it is based. He compromises the good of human generation and the welfare of children who need their parents’ stable union.

    Furthermore, with my limited knowledge, I would suspect it isn’t always that cut and dry since adultery has very many different faces. Neither are all cases of adultery transient ones.

    I wonder if Dr. Peters might be free to offer a paragraph or two of enlightenment specifically on this. . . (*nudge nudge, wink wink, hint hint, beg beg, grump grump*)?

  10. bethv says:

    I am so grateful for the Good Bishop in Springfield, IL. I follow him on Twitter and always want to know and read or hear his opinion about Catholic issues because I trust him to do so within the framework of God’s Truth and Wisdom. So much better than the lost, misleading shepherd we have in Chicago – the one who will have so much influence over the appointment of future bishops. The fact that Pope Francis appointed Archbishop Cupich, who in turn appointed the new rector at Holy Name Cathedral, who in turn thinks the pulpit is his stage to tell jokes so laughter fills the Cathedral, leads me to believe we will, unfortunately, have more misguided priests in the hierarchy appointed to positions they do not deserve because they do not follow “the way and the truth and the life”, Jesus Christ.

  11. wmeyer says:

    In a particular way, we are all in Bp. Paprocki’s flock. Not all aspects of the Internet are bad.

  12. Daniel W says:

    B. Paprocki is clear, but so is P. Francis. The “portion” in the new version does not contradict the Pope’s assertion of a great majority, which stands as his assertion until he retracts it.

    There are lots of explanations as to why 60% of annulments granted worldwide are in the US, but various experts identify one that is enlightening: immaturity in the form of life-long adolescence.

    I think Bishop Olmsted has a clearer grasp of the situation of marriage nullity in the US:

    “I think that the US situation has been unique in that there have not been the same kinds of challenges internally in the United States that have galvanized other European and non-European nations. Put another way, as the conflicts and tragedies within a culture can tend to strengthen marital relationships as families struggle for survival and friendship, other societies like the United States have enjoyed much more freedom and much less unrest internally, which has led to some extent to a kind of laziness about marriage commitments and a kind of boredom with traditional marriage, prompting Americans to lose sight of the crucial impact and importance of committed and loving marriages.”

    Hollywood does such a good job of profiting from this aspect of our culture by promoting their antiGospel message worldwide that its no wonder that Pope Francis has noticed the rest of the world has caught!

    People criticize the Pope for potentially disheartening couples in difficult marriages. What rubbish! If you have a doubt about the validity of your marriage, go talk to a priest and get some advice from an expert – simple as that! If they say it is clearly valid, suck it up and soldier on. If it isn’t valid, do something about it. If you doubt consent was valid (though immaturity, fear etc, but can’t prove it, then renew it and soldier on (this is age old advice – see canon 1159.1-3)

    I am grateful to Pope Francis, as his realism helps me advise young men and women to be careful to start relationships with immature Catholics in the hope that they might grow up. I am also grateful to Bishop Olmsted for being so clear on the immaturity so widespread in our culture for the same reason. His reasoning provides the clue: be careful messing with people with a background that doesn’t take marriage seriously.

    Clearly tell young people: The great majority of young Catholics today who don’t practice there faith seriously are too immature to get romantically involved with. It’s not that they are not incapable of marriage by nature, its just that they have been lied to too convincingly about what marriage is.

    http://www.catholicworldreport.com/Item/470/annulment_nation.aspx

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