This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 18 June 2016 to 19 July 2016.
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This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 25 May 2016 to 10 July 2016.
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This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 10 June 2016 to 29 June 2016.
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This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 22 May 2016 to 22 June 2016.
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Pope Francis recently made some remarks regarding invalid marriages, and I’ve received a large number of requests for comment, so here goes . . .
1) When did Pope Francis make his remarks?
During a Q & A session on Thursday, June 16. He was answering questions at the opening ceremony for a diocesan congress dealing with his apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia (i.e., the document that he released after the two synods of bishops).
His remarks were, therefore, unscripted.
2) What did he say?
Unfortunately, the Vatican doesn’t yet seem to have a full transcript available in English. The Italian, however, is here.
Without an English transcript to quote, we switch over to news reporting, according to which:
A layman asked about the “crisis of marriage” and how Catholics can help educate youth in love, help them learn about sacramental marriage, and help them overcome “their resistance, delusions and fears.”
The Pope answered from his own experience.
“I heard a bishop say some months ago that he met a boy that had finished his university studies, and said ‘I want to become a priest, but only for 10 years.’ It’s the culture of the provisional. And this happens everywhere, also in priestly life, in religious life,” he said.
“It’s provisional, and because of this the great majority of our sacramental marriages are null. Because they say ‘yes, for the rest of my life!’ but they don’t know what they are saying. Because they have a different culture. They say it, they have good will, but they don’t know.”
3) Wait. “The great majority of our sacramental marriages are null”? He really said that?
Yes. He really said that. It’s on video (in Italian) on the Vatican’s YouTube channel here.
4) Is this Church teaching?
No. The Church does not have a teaching about what percentage of marriages (ostensibly sacramental or otherwise) are invalid.
Further, Q & A sessions are not the venue in which new magisterial teachings are promulgated.
At most, this would be an expression of pastoral opinion on the part of the pope.
5) Does anyone agree with this opinion?
Not that I am aware of.
I know of no competent expert in canon law, biblical studies, or theology that would hold the opinion that “the great majority of our sacramental marriages are null.”
In fact, I don’t know of anybody—expert or not—who would hold this view.
If Pope Francis holds it, he would be the only one I am aware of.
6) Why do you say “if Pope Francis holds it”?
Because I’m not certain that he does.
Experience has shown that Pope Francis is a man who makes dramatic and inexact statements, particularly when speaking off the cuff.
This is related to his “make a mess” philosophy, according to which it is better to get people’s attention and shake things up rather than let the Church slide into cultural irrelevance.
In a fashion, he seems to be trying to imitate Jesus, who frequently used hyperbole to make arresting statements that tweaked the pious sensibilities of his age. Thus Pope Francis sometimes compares those he critiques to Pharisees and doctors of the law—the same groups that opposed Jesus.
On occasion, everybody blurts things out without fully thinking them through, and I can’t rule out the possibility that this was simply a case of hyperbole gone wrong—particularly in light of the problems with the claim in question.
Perhaps the pope meant to say something like “a vast number” and ended up saying “the vast majority” instead.
Even a moment’s thought would reveal that the claim is seriously problematic, suggesting that this is not the pope’s settled opinion but something that he blurted out without giving it serious thought.
7) Why do you say that?
There are multiple problems with the claim. Some emerge from considering the statement from a canonical perspective (see here). However, I would point to two additional considerations, one from a theological perspective and one from a biblical perspective.
8) What’s the theological argument?
From a theological perspective, the claim is extraordinarily sweeping. It’s not just that many Catholic marriages are invalid or even that a majority are (which would already exceed credibility) but that “the vast majority” of such marriages are invalid.
That would mean that Christ and the Holy Spirit have allowed conditions to degenerate so far among the baptized that “the vast majority” of those committed enough to follow the Church’s teachings and practice on marriage nevertheless enter marriage invalidly.
That’s inconceivable.
9) What’s the biblical argument?
From a biblical perspective, we don’t see Jesus taking this line in his day.
It is easy for us today to imagine that attitudes toward divorce were stricter in the ancient world, and particularly among first century Jews, than they are today, but they were not.
Basically everybody in the ancient world—except Christians—held that marriage did not prevent the possibility of getting divorced and remarried.
This was true among the Romans, among the Greeks, and among the Jews. Indeed, a prominent school of Jewish thought held that a man could divorce his wife over nothing more than a burned meal.
Seriously.
And even among Jews who had a more restricted view of divorce—such as the rival school which held a man could divorce his wife if she committed adultery or did something else to bring shame on him—it was always understood that divorce carried with it the right of remarriage.
The culture that Jesus lived in was just as much a “culture of the provisional” with respect to marriage as ours.
And yet Jesus didn’t treat their marriages as invalid but as valid. He stated:
Whoever divorces his wife and marries another, commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery (Mark 10:11-12).
Jesus would not have spoken this way if he viewed “the vast majority” of marriages in his day as invalid. If you were only invalidly married to a woman, you divorced her, and you then attempted marriage with another woman, you wouldn’t be committing adultery against the first wife.
Without a valid first marriage, there would be no adultery.
Jesus thus indicated that one can enter a valid marriage without understanding it as precluding the possibility of divorce and remarriage.
And the Church has understood it likewise. Merely thinking you could, under some circumstances, divorce and remarry is not grounds for an annulment.
10) Have there been any developments since the pope made his remarks?
Yes. According to news reports:
When the Vatican released its official transcript of the encounter the following day, they had changed the comment to say that “a portion of our sacramental marriages are null.”
This is not unexpected. It is common practice, extending back multiple papacies, for the official version of a pope’s remarks to be amended to correct misstatements, sources of potential confusion, etc.
When the matter concerns something of substance, it is normal for the change to be personally approved by the pope, which is what happened in this case:
In the Vatican blog “Il sismografo,” Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi said that this change is a revision approved by the Pope himself.
“When they touch on subjects of a certain importance, the revised text is always submitted to the Pope himself,” Father Lombardi said. “This is what happened in this case, so the published text was expressly approved by the Pope.”
11) What should we make of all this?
The fact Pope Francis made the remark in the first place is a source for concern, and it should prompt him to reflect on and re-evaluate the way he answers questions in public, for this is far from the first time something like this has happened when he has answered questions off the cuff.
We may be thankful that there was sufficient presence of mind on the part of those around the pope to propose the change to the official version of the remarks, and we may be thankful that the pope approved the change.
Given the amount of confusion regarding the marriage issue, both in society and in Church circles, I suggest we keep the matter in prayer.
Looking for Something Good to Read?
May I suggest my commentary on the Gospel of Mark?
It goes through the whole text and provides fascinating information that you may have never heard before.
It also comes with a verse-by-verse study guide with questions that you or your study group can use.
And it comes with a lectionary-based study guide, so you can read along with Mark in the liturgy and ponder its meaning before or after Mass.
Right now, this commentary is available exclusively on Verbum Catholic software.
Verbum is an incredibly powerful study tool that I use every day, and I heartily recommend it to others.
I can also save you 10% when you get the commentary or one of the bundles of Verbum software. Just use the code JIMMY1 at checkout.
This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 9 May 2016 to 8 June 2016.
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This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 12 May 2016 to 1 June 2016.
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This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from From 3 May 2016 to 18 May 2016.
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Pope Francis has agreed to create a commission to study the possibility of women deacons.
Here are 12 things to know and share . . .
1) What has happened?
On Thursday, May 12, Pope Francis was meeting with a group of women religious who asked him about the possibility of creating a commission to study the possibility of women deacons, or deaconesses.
Edward Pentin reports:
Speaking to around 900 members of the International Union of Superiors General today, representing half a million religious sisters from 80 countries, the Pope was asked if he would establish “an official commission” to study the question of women deacons.
He replied: “I accept. It would be useful for the Church to clarify this question. I agree.”
2) Who would be on this commission, when would it meet, and when would we know its results?
At present, all of these are unknown.
The commission could be run under the auspices of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF).
The International Theological Commission, which is an advisory body run by the CDF, could be tasked with studying the issue.
Alternately, a new commission run by the CDF could be created to study the question.
Or a special, independent commission could be created, though its results would be vetted by the CDF.
Since the pope has only just agreed to the proposal, no timetable has been announced.
The commission could begin meeting within a year, but it likely would be several years before its work would be finished.
Once it is finished, the resulting report(s) would be submitted to the CDF and/or the pope.
They might or might not then be released publicly.
3) Why doesn’t the Church presently ordain women to the diaconate?
The Church holds that:
Only a baptized man (Latin, vir) validly receives sacred ordination (CCC 1577).
Although the matter has been debated historically, the Church’s present understanding is that the diaconate belongs to the sacrament of holy orders:
Catholic doctrine teaches that the degrees of priestly participation (episcopate and presbyterate) and the degree of service (diaconate) are all three conferred by a sacramental act called “ordination,” that is, by the sacrament of Holy Orders (CCC 1554).
If the sacrament of holy orders can be validly received only by a baptized man and if the diaconate is a grade of holy orders then only a baptized man can be validly ordained a deacon.
Thus women could not be ordained to the diaconate, understood in its sacramental sense.
4) Are there other senses in which the term “deacon” can be used?
The Greek term for deacon is diakonos. Its basic meaning is “servant” or “minister,” and it can be used in a wide variety of senses.
Indeed, Jesus himself says the he came not to be served but to serve (diakonesai) in Matthew 20:28.
Similarly, Paul says he and Apollos are “servants” (diakonoi) in 1 Corinthians 3:5.
And all Christians are called to play this role, for “he who is greatest among you shall be your servant (diakonos)” (Matt. 23:11).
The term thus has a wide variety of meanings besides the one the Church understands as a grade of ordained ministry.
5) Were there female deacons—or deaconesses—in the early Church?
Yes. For example, St. Paul’s letter to the Romans was carried from Cenchreae (the port of Corinth, where Paul wrote it) to Rome by a deaconess named Phoebe. St. Paul writes:
I commend to you our sister Phoebe, a deaconess of the church at Cenchreae, that you may receive her in the Lord as befits the saints, and help her in whatever she may require from you, for she has been a helper of many and of myself as well (Rom. 16:1-2).
In later centuries, deaconesses performed a variety of roles, primarily in ministry to women.
6) How could there be female deacons if only a male can be validly ordained?
This would be possible if the term “deaconess” was being used in a different way than to refer to the diaconal grade of ordained ministry.
Thus the canons of the First Council of Nicaea (A.D. 325) refer to deaconesses that have not been ordained:
And we mean by deaconesses such as have assumed the habit, but who, since they have no imposition of hands, are to be numbered only among the laity (canon 19).
In other words, these deaconesses were servants or ministers in the Church but did not exercise ordained ministry.
7) Does the Church teach infallibly that only men can be ordained?
At present, the Church teaches infallibly that:
[T]he 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 (John Paul II, Ordinatio Sacerdotalis)
This teaching is not regarded as being infallible due to a papal statement but because of the ordinary and universal exercise of the Magisterium (see here).
The Church thus infallibly teaches that that priestly ordination (i.e., ordination to the rank of priest or bishop) cannot be conferred on women, but this teaching has not been extended to diaconal ordination.
As we saw under (3), above, one can deduce that women cannot receive diaconal ordination from the fact that the Church teaches only a baptized man can be ordained and that the diaconate is a grade of holy orders, but the Church has not yet confirmed this inference as an infallible teaching.
8) Does that mean that the Church could one day revise this part of its teaching and allow women to be ordained to the diaconate?
That is, presumably, one of the questions the commission would be tasked with clarifying.
9) What might the commission recommend?
Assuming it issued a single report (as opposed to a set of reports reflecting the different positions of commission members), it might recommend a number of things, including:
10) Would the commission’s recommendations change anything?
Commissions are advisory bodies. The Magisterium may take or not take their recommendations.
Any change to the Church’s present teaching and practice in this area would, at a minimum, require the pope’s authorization, and it might well involve a broader consultation of the Magisterium, such as by a synod of bishops.
11) What is the best guide to current, orthodox Catholic thought on the subject on women and the diaconate?
In 2002 the International Theological Commission, one of the advisory bodies operated by the CDF, issued a report titled From the Diakonia of Christ to the Diakonia of the Apostles.
Although not a document of the Magisterium, it was approved for release by Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger and represents orthodox and learned Catholic opinion on the topic.
This document will likely serve as the starting point for the forthcoming commission on the question.
You can read it here.
12) What does the document say?
It has an extended section (IV. The Ministry of Deaconesses) dealing with the way deaconesses functioned in the early Church.
On the question of ordination, the document concludes by saying:
With regard to the ordination of women to the diaconate, it should be noted that two important indications emerge from what has been said up to this point:
In the light of these elements which have been set out in the present historico-theological research document, it pertains to the ministry of discernment which the Lord established in his Church to pronounce authoritatively on this question.
The two points that it makes—that the ancient deaconesses “were not purely and simply equivalent to the deacons” and the support that tradition and the magisterium have given to the diaconal ministry as an element of holy orders—suggest that women could not be ordained to the diaconate. However, the matter was left to the future discernment of the Magisterium.
Looking for Something Good to Read?
May I suggest my commentary on the Gospel of Mark?
It goes through the whole text and provides fascinating information that you may have never heard before.
It also comes with a verse-by-verse study guide with questions that you or your study group can use.
And it comes with a lectionary-based study guide, so you can read along with Mark in the liturgy and ponder its meaning before or after Mass.
Right now, this commentary is available exclusively on Verbum Catholic software.
Verbum is an incredibly powerful study tool that I use every day, and I heartily recommend it to others.
I can also save you 10% when you get the commentary or one of the bundles of Verbum software. Just use the code JIMMY1 at checkout.
This version of The Weekly Francis covers material released in the last week from 29 April 2016 to 11 May 2016.
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