A family pastoral ministry to accompany, discern and integrate
of the card. Ennio Antonelli
A training itinerary
«Accompanying, discerning and integrating fragility»: this is the title of chapter VIII of Amoris Laetitia. For so-called irregular couples, an itinerary of Christian life and ecclesial participation is proposed with the guidance of the priest and the involvement of the community, to help people "find possible ways of responding to God and growing through limits" (AL , 305; see AL, 294; 297; It is precisely this formative itinerary, and not the possible admission to the Eucharist, the fundamental proposal put forward by Amoris Laetitia for those living together outside of marriage.
We must realize that the social and cultural context profoundly influences people's subjective conscience and that Western society and culture are now largely de-Christianized and need a new, courageous and patient evangelization. The hierarchy of values internalized in hearts does not very often correspond to the objective truth of good and evil, not even among practicing Christians. Therefore the pastoral priority, according to Amoris Laetitia, is to cure, heal, rebuild the mentality, affectivity, criteria of judgment and action so that they are increasingly in accord with reason and faith.
It is a path of maturation that requires a tiring and difficult commitment. Accompanying is a complex pastoral action. It includes a multiplicity of attitudes and proposals: seeing people in situations of wounded love with a merciful gaze; go and look for them and seize the meeting opportunities that arise; welcome them with great kindness and build a relationship of friendship, trust and confidence with them; initiate periodic discussions; listen a lot to understand different situations and be able to offer adequate help (see AL, 297); illuminate consciences with the light of truth and discern any mitigating circumstances; heal wounds "restoring trust and hope" in God, always faithful and merciful (AL, 291); promote significant relationships with the parish community, so that we can have a beautiful and concrete experience of the Church as mother (see AL, 299; 308); above all, to urge and encourage the maturation of a living and personal relationship with the Lord Jesus, a relationship of supreme importance in itself and also necessary to support the arduous commitment of ordering one's life according to the Gospel.
In the mission of the Church
As regards integration into the activities, services and organizations of the Church, Amoris Laetitia recommends greater openness «in the various possible ways, avoiding any occasion of scandal, regarding civilly remarried divorcees. The logic of integration is the key to their pastoral accompaniment, so that not only do they know that they belong to the body of Christ which is the Church, but they can have a joyful and fruitful experience of it. They are baptized, they are brothers and sisters; the Holy Spirit pours gifts and charisms into them for the good of all. Their participation can be expressed in various ecclesial services: it is therefore necessary to discern which of the different forms of exclusion currently practiced in the liturgical, pastoral, educational and institutional fields can be overcome" (AL, 299).
These indications from Pope Francis open up new possibilities regarding ecclesial services and at the same time are in continuity with those of his predecessors regarding the form of Christian life. Here, in this regard, is a quote from Benedict XVI: «The divorced and remarried, despite their situation, continue to belong to the Church which follows them with special attention, in the desire that they cultivate, as far as possible, a Christian style of life, through participation in the Holy Mass, even without receiving communion, listening to the word of God, Eucharistic adoration, prayer, participation in the life of communion, confident dialogue with a priest or a master of spiritual life, dedication to lived charity, works of penance, educational commitment towards children" (Sacramentum Caritatis, 29). Even before that, Saint John Paul II had expressed himself in almost the same terms (see Familiaris Consortio, 84).
Reconciliation
and Eucharist
A separate discussion must be made regarding sacramental reconciliation and Eucharistic communion. Cohabitations free from a previous marital bond "must be approached in a constructive manner, trying to transform them into opportunities for the journey towards the fullness of marriage and family in the light of the Gospel. It is a matter of welcoming them and accompanying them with patience and delicacy" (AL, 294).
Second unions of divorcees, following the procedural facilitations introduced by Pope Francis in the two Motu Proprio of 15 August 2015 to verify the possibility of nullity of the previous marriage, can become a true Christian marriage both with the liturgical celebration of the sacrament and with the healing at the root of civil marriage. If, however, it is not possible to obtain the sentence of nullity of the previous marriage, the pastoral accompaniment must guide the couple to interrupt cohabitation if there are no impediments (due, for example, to the care of children or health needs) or encourage her to practice sexual continence (see Saint John Paul II, Familiaris Consortio, 84).
Up to this point the discussion follows the pastoral position of previous popes; but towards divorcees in second unions Amoris Laetitia seems to want to open up some further opportunities. «Due to conditioning or mitigating factors it is possible that, within an objective situation of sin - which is not subjectively guilty or which is not fully so - one can live in the grace of God, and one can also grow in the life of grace and charity, receiving the help of the Church for this purpose" (AL, 305). This help "in certain cases could also be the help of the sacraments" (AL, note 351), that is, of sacramental reconciliation and Eucharistic communion. The language used is cautious and appears to suggest prudent implementation. In some cases it is possible that in an objective situation of serious moral disorder, such as an adulterous union, full subjective responsibility and therefore mortal sin is lacking. Then we could even go so far as to grant sacramental absolution and admission to the Eucharist.
It seems to me that this very sober and nuanced indication needs some further clarification and motivation. First of all, it must be considered that only God sees people's hearts and that their spiritual interiority is not directly observable in itself. The Church first of all evaluates their external way of life and its compatibility with the Eucharist. Admission to the sacrament requires not only the subjective awareness of being in God's grace and without mortal sin, but also ecclesial communion, visible and complete in its essential elements: authentic profession of faith, valid sacraments, adherence to the Catholic hierarchical order ( pope and bishops), substantial observance of God's commandments. For this reason it does not admit non-Catholic Christians to the Eucharistic table and, even more so, non-Christians and non-believers, not even when they are extraordinarily good people.