Are the recent public campaigns in Rome more effective at reaching Pope Francis than the many official complaints from Cardinals, Bishops, priests, and faithful?
Follow me here for a moment. We have the clear desire and actions of many bishops to reject the formal teaching of Jesus and the Church on restricting those in the mortal sin of adultery from receiving the Eucharist. The teaching is straight forward but the argument of personal conscience and accompaniment is being used to trump this doctrine, canon law, and past papal documents. Now the pope rejects answering straight forward questions on this matter calling those in support of doctrine rigid. So he is keeping quiet, letting the movement grow, and not exercising his teaching authority.
Germany declared formally last week to reject this doctrine and Cardinal Marx publically supported this move sighting the pope as his support. Now we have the cardinals who include Marc declaring allegiance to him without the pope correcting the German Conference or Marx and so by inaction supporting them with the other cardinals in silent agreement of whatever silent reforms the pope is implementing.
Now, can a pope hold the spiritual chair of Peter if he by action or conscious inaction doesn’t engage in his teaching or corrective authority on a grave matter of Church doctrine? I know he’s elected but are the faithful obligated to follow in these conditions?
Don’t be supprised if this issue never ever gets resolved. The pope is reforming our seminaries, the Curia offices, staff, and calling for strict obedience. These are the conditions that will allow a silent reform to spread like a virus.
Source: Council of Cardinals pledges allegiance to Pope Francis
Catholic Torch 