Son of man, I have appointed you a sentinel for the
house of Israel. When you hear a word from my mouth, you shall warn
them for me. If I say to the wicked, you shall surely die-and you do
not wan them or speak out to dissuade the wicked from their evil
conduct in order to save their lives- then they shall die for their
sin, but I will hold you responsible for their blood.
(Ezekiel 17-18)
These piercing words spoken by
Almighty God should cause every pastor entrusted with the care of souls
to pause for reflection. Given some very public offenses from
Catholics in recent days, some pastoral clarity is very much needed.
Church
ministers, moved by mercy, should adopt a sensitive pastoral approach
in all such situations - an approach both patient but also faithfully
confident in the saving truth of the Gospel and the transforming power
of God's grace, trusting in the words of Jesus Christ, who promises
that "you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free (Jn
8:32)." Pastors should strive to avoid both a subjectivism that ignores
the truth or a rigorism that lacks mercy.
The
archbishop challenges and reminds those responsible for the guidance
of God's people of their moral duty to engage in firm yet gentle
resolve those living in sinful and irregular situations. Echoing Pope
Francis' invitation, Archbishop Chaput calls the Church in Philadelphia
-- though his message has been heard beyond his archdiocese -- to
renew and intensify its missionary zeal in the proclamation of the
Gospel; not only to proclaim the mercy of God, but to persuasively
proclaim Church teaching concerning the nature of the family and the
Sacraments of Holy Matrimony and the Eucharist instituted by God.
Pastors and ministers are to strengthen families and reach out to those
whose marriages have failed, as well as reach out to those who are
alienated from the life of the Church or not living in full accord with
Catholic belief.
The
archbishop makes clear through his pastoral guidelines what the Church
authentically teaches concerning marriage and morality. While many
revolutionaries have sought to use Amoris Laetitia to proclaim
a "new" narrative on the subjects of marriage, reception of Holy
Communion, cohabitation, and objectively immoral lifestyles, the
archbishop affirms Church teaching, corrects the false narrative, and
offers pastoral guidelines to the pastors of the Church to lead souls to
Christ:
The Holy
Father's statements build on the classic Catholic understanding, key to
moral theology, of the relationship between objective truth about
right and wrong - for example, the truth about marriage revealed by
Jesus himself - and how the individual person grasps and applies that
truth to particular situations in his or her judgment of conscience.
Catholic teaching makes clear that the subjective conscience of the
individual can never be set against objective moral truth, as if
conscience and truth were two competing principles for moral
decision-making.
It is
true that the cardinal chosen by the Holy Father to introduce the
exhortation upon its publication has offered a different interpretation
on the relationship between objective truth and conscience. This is
one of the many sources of confusion -- where the document is
ambiguous, it has been claimed by many who have spoken to the Holy
Father that his intention was to let individual dioceses interpret the
practical considerations of Amoris Laetitia individually, even
if they contradict the adjacent diocese. They have not been corrected,
and the document appears as if written for this purpose, so that is the
prevailing interpretation.
Archbishop Chaput, bypassing the contentious debates over the exhortation, instead offers focused direction and counsel. Amoris Laetitia
does not absolve us from conforming our lives to Christ and the
Church's moral precepts, but rather a call to present the beauty of
Jesus' invitation -- repent and believe in the Gospel -- more
persuasively.
Instead of
compromising with a culture gradually becoming more secular, we must
present Church teaching as a remedy, a healing balm to be generously
poured upon the wounds of the suffering, confused, and lost, which
requires genuine counsel and patient resolve, never misleading or
offering partial truths.
The
necessity of the Archbishop's pastoral was confirmed recently when Vice
President Joe Biden, a self-professed Catholic from the Diocese of
Wilmington, Delaware, publicly officiated the civil union of two men in
his residence at the US Naval Observatory. He knowingly rejects Church
teaching concerning the sacred institution of matrimony and instead
endorses what is scandalously offensive to God and the faithful. Is it
any wonder that Catholics do not understand the nature of marriage when
such audacious and public scandal goes uncorrected in public?
We
should also consider the public statements and actions of Senator Tim
Kaine who also professes Catholicism; yet, he has a perfect record in
the US Senate supporting abortion rights and Planned Parenthood. He is
also the co-sponsor of the Women's Health Protection Act, a bill that
jeopardizes pro-life laws across the US. He recently received a
standing ovation at his parish of Saint Elizabeth in the Diocese of
Richmond, Virginia, and praise from Catholic priests over his nomination
as the Democratic Vice Presidential candidate.
One
can see why the model of pastoral direction that Archbishop Chaput
offers in his pastoral is so urgently needed. When many bishops and
Church leaders - US and international - are wondering why the
percentage of Catholics leaving the Church is growing, they need only
look at prominent examples of mockery and scandal, the lack of clarity
and correction from the Church, and wonder if the Church really believes
what she says she believes.
We
also hear the mantra, "follow your conscience" from many proponents
calling for a compromise in Church teaching on marriage, reception of
Holy Communion, contraception, abortion, divorce, co-habitation, and
same-sex unions without explaining what the Church teaches concerning
the nature of conscience. Instead, they treat conscience as if it were
independent of responsibility and obligation to adhere and be
continually guided by objective truth. They erroneously teach that
conscience is its own "master" instead of a "pupil" -- always seeking
and learning.
Conscience
is a judgment of reason whereby the human person recognizes the moral
quality of a concrete act that he is going to perform, is in the
process of performing, or has already completed. In all he says and
does, man is obliged to follow faithfully what he knows to be just and
right. (Catechism of the Catholic Church 1778)
A
well-formed conscience is upright and truthful. It formulates its
judgments according to reason, in conformity with the true good willed
by the wisdom of the Creator. Everyone must avail himself of the means
to form his conscience. (1798)
While
some within the Church attempt to rewrite God's plan for marriage and
family, portraying Jesus' teachings as too difficult or not pastoral
enough, it is encouraging and I dare say refreshing to see an
archbishop step beyond the confusion and invite those under his care to
an authentic life in Christ.
Knowing
that the task at hand will be difficult and filled with many
challenges, Archbishop Chaput offers this thought to pastors and those
assisting them:
The grace
of Jesus Christ is more than a pious cliché; it is a real and powerful
seed of change in the believing heart. The lives of many saints bear
witness that grace can take great sinners and, by its power of interior
renewal, remake them in holiness of life. Pastors and all who work in
the service of the Church should tirelessly promote hope in this saving
mystery.
Let us pray
that other leaders within the Church will heed these powerful words,
which not only convict the heart and mind but also offer hope to us
all.
