Bishop Paprocki: Don’t be misled, Archbishop Chaput got it right on marriage

Last updated on: July 20, 2016 at 6:04 am by CNA Daily News

Bishop Paprocki: Don’t be misled, Archbishop Chaput got it right on marriage 2016-07-20T06:04:00+00:00 CNA Daily News

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Springfield, Ill., Jul 20, 2016 / 12:04 am (CNA/EWTN News).- Some news reports got it wrong: Philadelphia Archbishop Charles Chaput’s guidelines on Holy Communion and divorce-and-remarriage were “certainly correct” and in line with Pope Francis and Catholic teaching, an Illinois bishop has said.

“The Bible clearly teaches about the proper disposition to receive Holy Communion in the First Letter to the Corinthians,” Bishop Thomas Paprocki of Springfield in Illinois said July 15.

St. Paul says in that letter that those who receive unworthily will be “guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord.”

Canon law reflects this biblical teaching, the bishop said in the Illinois newspaper the State Journal-Register.

Bishop Paprocki criticized press coverage of Archbishop Chaput’s response to the Pope’s 2016 apostolic exhortation Amoris laetitia. He said an Associated Press report was misleading to say that Archbishop Chaput was “closing the door opened by Pope Francis to letting civilly remarried Catholics receive Communion.”

Reiterating his April 8 remarks, the bishop said that the apostolic exhortation made no changes to canon law or church doctrine.

Archbishop Chaput on July 1 issued pastoral guidelines for his archdiocese on the Pope’s exhortation. He said the document is best understood when read “within the tradition of the Church’s teaching and life.”

Bishop Paprocki agreed. He said the archbishop’s guidelines are right to say that all Catholics, not only those who have divorced-and-remarried, must confess all serious sins and have a firm purpose of amendment before receiving Holy Communion. Chaput’s guidelines said those who have civilly remarried must work to live “as brother and sister” in this relationship to receive reconciliation in the Sacrament of Penance, which would then allow for them to receive Communion.

The archbishop’s guidance drew widespread and sometimes critical reactions. Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney on Twitter snapped that Archbishop Chaput’s comments “are not Christian.”

But for the Bishop of Springfield, the guidance was useful.

“This applies not only in the Archdiocese of Philadelphia, but also here in the Diocese of Springfield in Illinois, as it does elsewhere in the Church,” Bishop Paprocki said.

According to Bishop Paprocki, Catholics in irregular relationships have a free choice.

“(I)f they persist in sexual activity outside of valid marriage, they must refrain from taking Holy Communion; if they wish to receive Holy Communion, they must refrain from sexual activity outside of valid marriage,” he said, citing the Gospel of Matthew.

“The latter may seem impossible to those steeped in our sex-saturated culture, but ‘with God, all things are possible’.”

Previous Post

July 20, 2016

In Malawi, Catholic leaders aim to help corporations be responsible

Next Post

July 20, 2016 Baptism at sea – refugee child born during boat rescue

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category Americas Asia - Pacific Europe Middle East - Africa Uncategorized US Vatican

Select a Month November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

What are the names of the two witnesses in Revelation who prophesy for 1,260 days?

Select your answer to see how you score.

Peter and Paul They are not named Enoch and Elijah Moses and Elijah