- Feb 5, 2002
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Taking his cue from Cardinal McElroy—and ignoring the strong cautions from Archbishop Aquila and Archbishop Naumann, among others—Chicago’s Cardinal Blase Cupich has written a column in his archdiocesan newspaper calling for full inclusion of active homosexuals in the life of the Church.
Actually the cardinal does not mention homosexuality in his column. But anyone conversant with current debates within the Church will know what he means when he laments: “There are voices that insist the church must exclude sinners from fuller participation in the life of the church until they have reformed, out of respect for God’s justice.” Cardinal Cupich stops short of saying that active homosexuals should be admitted to Communion, but his argument clearly leads toward that conclusion. And of course the same logic would suggest welcoming to the Eucharist all those Catholics who are divorced and remarried, or who support legal abortion, or who flout Church teachings on other moral issues.
By now, sadly, we are accustomed to hearing from prominent Catholic leaders who question fundamental Church teachings, and refuse to uphold clear-cut moral norms. Still this column by Cardinal Cupich is astonishing because he so blatantly misrepresents the thoughts of those who do support the perennial Catholic tradition—in particular, the late Pope Benedict XVI.
The cardinal opens his column with the observation that a firm belief in the infinite power of God’s grace is one of “the many points of convergence between the late Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.” True, but since that belief is a foundational aspect of Christian faith, it is not surprising that two Roman Pontiffs would share it. Why then does Cardinal Cupich make a point of invoking Pope Benedict? That becomes clear a few paragraphs later.
After citing the warnings of Pope Francis against “cold and hard gnostic logic,” the cardinal writes:
So a pastoral approach that preemptively excludes someone from the life of the church and her ministry is a serious matter and must be challenged.
Can you name anyone—anyone—who would preemptively exclude someone from the life of the Church? I cannot. The Catholic Church welcomes us all, and since we are all sinners, instructs us on how to grow in the life of grace. At the same time, the Church—following the admonition of St. Paul—warns us that we forfeit that grace, and imperil our souls, if we receive the Eucharist while in a state serious sin. Cardinal Cupich fails to make the elementary distinction between inviting someone to join the Church in prayer, and inviting that person to share the Eucharist, possibly to his own damnation.
Continued below.
www.catholicculture.org
Actually the cardinal does not mention homosexuality in his column. But anyone conversant with current debates within the Church will know what he means when he laments: “There are voices that insist the church must exclude sinners from fuller participation in the life of the church until they have reformed, out of respect for God’s justice.” Cardinal Cupich stops short of saying that active homosexuals should be admitted to Communion, but his argument clearly leads toward that conclusion. And of course the same logic would suggest welcoming to the Eucharist all those Catholics who are divorced and remarried, or who support legal abortion, or who flout Church teachings on other moral issues.
By now, sadly, we are accustomed to hearing from prominent Catholic leaders who question fundamental Church teachings, and refuse to uphold clear-cut moral norms. Still this column by Cardinal Cupich is astonishing because he so blatantly misrepresents the thoughts of those who do support the perennial Catholic tradition—in particular, the late Pope Benedict XVI.
The cardinal opens his column with the observation that a firm belief in the infinite power of God’s grace is one of “the many points of convergence between the late Pope Benedict XVI and Pope Francis.” True, but since that belief is a foundational aspect of Christian faith, it is not surprising that two Roman Pontiffs would share it. Why then does Cardinal Cupich make a point of invoking Pope Benedict? That becomes clear a few paragraphs later.
After citing the warnings of Pope Francis against “cold and hard gnostic logic,” the cardinal writes:
So a pastoral approach that preemptively excludes someone from the life of the church and her ministry is a serious matter and must be challenged.
Can you name anyone—anyone—who would preemptively exclude someone from the life of the Church? I cannot. The Catholic Church welcomes us all, and since we are all sinners, instructs us on how to grow in the life of grace. At the same time, the Church—following the admonition of St. Paul—warns us that we forfeit that grace, and imperil our souls, if we receive the Eucharist while in a state serious sin. Cardinal Cupich fails to make the elementary distinction between inviting someone to join the Church in prayer, and inviting that person to share the Eucharist, possibly to his own damnation.
Continued below.
Cardinal Cupich’s shocking misrepresentation of Pope Benedict
A more honest portrayal of Pope Benedict’s thought would leave no doubt that he rejects the reasoning that Cardinal Cupich advances.
www.catholicculture.org
