Amoris Laetitia
The Pope’s exhortation brings together the results of two Synods on the Family. “Reaching out to everyone” is the guiding theme. It instructs to speak to families “just as they are”. No more distinctions between “regular” and “irregular” situations. “Accompanying, discerning, integrating”, is the invitation to bishops and pastors, called to evaluate on a case-to-case basis. “It can no longer simply be said that all those in any “irregular” situation are living in a state of mortal sin.” In the year of the Jubilee it is necessary to “keep firmly grounded in reality”, with a “positive attitude” towards the family. The “divorced and civilly remarried need to be more fully integrated into Christian communities in the variety of ways possible, while avoiding any occasion of scandal.” The Pope never explicitly mentions the theme of access to communion for the divorced and remarried, however, in a footnote to paragraph eight, as regards the “help of the Church”, he mentions that “in certain cases, this can include the help of the sacraments.”
Three verbs – “accompanying, discerning, integrating” – and an imperative: “reaching out to everyone”, namely, “to help each person find his or her proper way of participating in the ecclesial community and thus to experience being touched by an “unmerited, unconditional and gratuitous” mercy. It’s Pope Francis’ Apostolic Exhortation Amoris laetitia, signed on March 19 and published April 18. It is addressed to bishops, priests and deacons, consecrated persons, Christian married couples and all the lay faithful on love in the family.” “Not all discussions of doctrinal, moral or pastoral issues need to be settled by interventions of the magisterium”, Francis writes in the opening sentences of the document – 260 pages, 325 paragraphs divided into nine chapters – where he describes as a “multifaceted gem” the various contributions of the Synod Fathers in the two years process of the Synod of the family, the first of his pontificate. Precisely the two “Relatio Synodi” of 2014 and 2015, along with 28 Wednesday catechesis in the inter-synodical period (mentioned 50 times), are Francis’ most frequently mentioned texts, along with the statements of his predecessors – Saint John Paul II, Paul VI and Benedict XVI – in fundamental documents for the pastoral care of the family such as the Familaris Consortio and Humanae vitae. Speaking of families “just as they are” is the Pope’s instructions grounded in sound Christian realism and in the Jesuit tradition of education and personal responsibility: hence the need for “a healthy dose of self-criticism” on the way in which we have spoken of marriage, at times proposing it as a “far too abstract ideal.” Hence no distinction should be made between “regular” and “irregular” unions. “It can no longer simply be said that all those in any “irregular” situation are living in a state of mortal sin.” Arms open to the Year of the Jubilee, to a “positive attitude” towards the family, adopting the same mercy adopted by Jesus with the Samaritan woman.
“If we consider the immense variety of concrete situations – is the guiding theme of the document, highlighted by the Pope – it is understandable that neither the Synod nor this Exhortation could be expected to provide a new set of general rules, canonical in nature and applicable to all cases.”
As for difficult, complex and “irregular” situations of families, to be followed is “gradualness”, as enshrined in the John Paul II’ Apostolic Exhortation Familiaris consortio.
“The divorced who have entered a new union can find themselves in a variety of situations”, the Pope writes, calling upon bishops and pastors to bring together “personal and pastoral discernment.” The divorced and civilly remarried in particular “need to be more fully integrated into Christian communities in the variety of ways possible, while avoiding any occasion of scandal.”
It’s the “logic of integration.” “They are baptized; they are brothers and sisters”, “they should not feel excommunicated” and their participation “can be expressed in different ecclesial services”, which necessarily requires “discerning which of the various forms of exclusion currently practised in the liturgical, pastoral, educational and institutional framework, can be surmounted.”
“By thinking that everything is black and white, we sometimes close off the way of grace and of growth, and discourage paths of sanctification which give glory to God.”
In Amoris laetitia, there is never explicit mention of the theme regarding access to communion for the divorced and remarried, however, a footnote to paragraph eight, on the “help of the Church”, states that “in certain cases, this can include the help of the sacraments..”
The invitation to pastors is “practical discernment” on a case-to-case basis. “A small step, in the midst of great human limitations, can be more pleasing to God than a life which appears outwardly in order, but moves through the day without confronting great difficulties.”
“Today, more important than the pastoral care of failures is the pastoral effort to strengthen marriages and thus to prevent their breakdown”, the Pope states in the last section of the eighth chapter, thereby explaning in these terms the “logic of pastoral mercy.”
The Pope “keeps firmly grounded in reality, in the second chapter, dedicated to an analysis of the situation of families. “The sexual abuse of children is all the more scandalous when it occurs in Christian institutions”, Francis denounces and brands “gender” ideology, “surrogate motherhood”, violence against women. In terms of migrations the Pope exhorts to distinguish between “human mobility” and “forced migration.” The sixth chapter devotes ample space to marriage preparation. Proposals include “information, counselling and mediation services associated with the family apostolate.” The fourth and fifth chapters, described as “central” by Francis should be dealt with separately. In fact, they constitute a tribute to human “love” in all of its aspects, including its fruitfulness and the act of generating.
“Divorce is an evil” and the increasing number of divorces is very troubling”, the Pope reiterates. In the sixth chapter of Amoris laetitia, Francis includes in the “complex situations” marriages between Catholics and other baptized persons, mixed marriages and those involving disparity of cult.
“Obsession is not education.” It is one of the Pope’s advices to parents, contained in the seventh chapter that focuses on this theme.
“Positive and prudent sexual education” is underlined in a paragraph in which the Pope proposes a conscience examination: “We may well ask our- selves if our educational institutions have taken up this challenge.”
