QUOTE TO NOTE: On Church Gatekeepers
Bondings 2.0 has reported on the Vatican-level debate between four cardinals, led by Cardinal Raymond Burke, and Pope Francis about the doctrinal validity of Amoris Laetitia, the pope’s apostolic exhortation on the family. Last week, Father Pio Vito Pinto, the head judge of the Roman Rota, the Vatican’s highest court, weighed in on this debate, strongly criticizing the cardinals for causing what he called a “very grave scandal.”
Vito Pinto, who was appointed in 2012 by Pope Benedict XVI, made his comments in a talk he gave at the University of San Damaso, Madrid, at a conference on marriage annulment reforms. Crux reported on his comments, noting that he said the four cardinals were criticizing “two synods of bishops on marriage and family. Not one but two! An ordinary and an extraordinary one. The action of the Holy Spirit is beyond doubt!”
Additionally, he challenged pastors who see their role as gatekeepers for the Church:
“[T]he priest said that in countries such as Italy, Spain or Poland, religious marriage is still highly valued, but ‘the truth is that many baptized celebrate civil marriages or live together out of wedlock.’
“Faced with what the Church calls ‘irregular situations’- which he didn’t specify, but which could run from divorced and civilly remarried Catholics to gay Catholics in a civil marriage – Vito Pinto asked: ‘What do we do? Turn the Church into a prison? Stand at the door of the parish and say: “You yes [can go in], you no?” ‘ “
–Francis DeBernardo, New Ways Ministry, December 6, 2016
…a voice in the wilderness.
The time is right for an ecumenical Wisdom here. We are close to listening not only to our Roman Catholic Tradition but to the Secular world and the other Christian Traditions. We need not see this as a compromise or a loss or a watering down of our Tradition or our Faith. If we see Wisdom wherever it can be found, we see the Holy Spirit and are guided by Her. Pope Francis’ approach to this vision is one of humble looking and listening. To me, he is filled with the Holy Spirit. In the meantime, we are Not holding our breath but being inspired.
Cardinal Burke used to be bishop of my diocese. The presiding judge for our dioceses’ matrimonial tribunal is a long-time fan of Cardinal Burke and was quite familiar to me before he prejudiciously denied the validity of my marriage on the basis of my “lifestyle”, of which he showed clear ignorance, in spite of my voluminous notes to the tribunal. I appealed the case to the Roman Rota, hearing that I would have a better chance there. (My wife divorced me and later sued for annulment.) My desire is to maintain the integrity of the marriage and family and work, by God’s grace, on a imperfect marriage. After 30 plus years of marriage and five children, that’s my side of the story. Hearing about the Rota scolding Burke cheers my heart, only in that I see more hope for the Church at large and my marriage and family. I wish Burke well and our diocesan tribunal judge well. Please pray for us. God bless and guide you all.