…judges Francis’ idea on the Church’s rules on matrimony being ‘overly rigid’
-
Adultery and divorce are offenses against the dignity of marriage
What are the offenses against the dignity of marriage?
These are: adultery, divorce, polygamy, incest, free unions (cohabitation, concubinage), and sexual acts before or outside of marriage. (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 502)
…judges Francis’ idea on the Church having defects
-
The Spirit sanctifies the Church
What does the Spirit do in the Church?
The Spirit builds, animates and sanctifies the Church (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 145)
-
The Holy Spirit resides in the Church
Why is the Church called the temple of the Holy Spirit?
She is so called because the Holy Spirit resides in the body which is the Church, in her Head and in her members. He also builds up the Church in charity by the Word of God, the sacraments, the virtues, and charisms. ‘What the soul is to the human body, the Holy Spirit is to the members of Christ, that is, the body of Christ, which is the Church’ (Saint Augustine). (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 159)
-
The holiness of the Church is the fountain of sanctification for her sinful children
In what way is the Church holy?
The Church is holy insofar as the Most Holy God is her author. Christ has given himself for her to sanctify her and make her a source of sanctification. The Holy Spirit gives her life with charity. In the Church one finds the fullness of the means of salvation. Holiness is the vocation of each of her members and the purpose of all her activities. The Church counts among her members the Virgin Mary and numerous Saints who are her models and intercessors. The holiness of the Church is the fountain of sanctification for her children who here on earth recognize themselves as sinners ever in need of conversion and purification. (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 165)
…judges Francis’ idea on God judging us by loving us
-
What does hell consist of?
Hell consists in the eternal damnation of those who die in mortal sin through their own free choice. The principal suffering of hell is eternal separation from God in whom alone we can have the life and happiness for which we were created and for which we long. (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 212)
…judges Francis’ idea that Jesus is only mercy
- The acceptance of God’s mercy requires that we admit our faults and repent of our sins
What does the acceptance of God’s mercy require from us?
It requires that we admit our faults and repent of our sins. God himself by his Word and his Spirit lays bare our sins and gives us the truth of conscience and the hope of forgiveness. (Compendium of the Catholic Church, no. 391)
…judges Francis’ idea that Christians and Muslims share the same faith
-
God would not permit evil if he did not cause a good to come from that very evil
Faith gives us the certainty that God would not permit evil if he did not cause a good to come from that very evil. This was realized in a wondrous way by God in the death and resurrection of Christ. In fact, from the greatest of all moral evils (the murder of his Son) he has brought forth the greatest of all goods (the glorification of Christ and our redemption). (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 58)
…judges Francis’ idea on family
-
Unions outside of matrimony are an offense to its dignity
What are the offenses against the dignity of marriage? These are: adultery, divorce, polygamy, incest, free unions (cohabitation, concubinage), and sexual acts before or outside of marriage. (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 502)
…judges Francis’ idea on sects forming part of the Church
-
Why is the Church one?
The Church is one because she has as her source and exemplar the unity of the Trinity of Persons in one God. As her Founder and Head, Jesus Christ re-established the unity of all people in one body. As her soul, the Holy Spirit unites all the faithful in communion with Christ. The Church has but one faith, one sacramental life, one apostolic succession, one common hope, and one and the same charity. (Compendium of the Catholic Church, no. 161)
…judges Francis’ idea on human suffering
-
Original sin subjected all human nature to suffering
In consequence of original sin human nature, without being totally corrupted, is wounded in its natural powers. It is subject to ignorance, to suffering, and to the dominion of death and is inclined toward sin. This inclination is called concupiscence. (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 77)
-
Sufferings: a means of cooperating with God
How do we collaborate with divine Providence?
While respecting our freedom, God asks us to cooperate with him and gives us the ability to do so through actions, prayers and sufferings, thus awakening in us the desire ‘to will and to work for his good pleasure’ (Phil 2:13). (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 56)
-
Means of purification and of salvation
By his own passion and death he gave new meaning to our suffering which, when united with his own, can become a means of purification and of salvation for us and for others. (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 314)
-
From the greatest of all moral evils, God has brought forth the greatest of all goods
To this question, as painful and mysterious as it is, only the whole of Christian faith can constitute a response. God is not in any way – directly or indirectly – the cause of evil. He illuminates the mystery of evil in his Son Jesus Christ who died and rose in order to vanquish that great moral evil, human sin, which is at the root of all other evils. […] Faith gives us the certainty that God would not permit evil if he did not cause a good to come from that very evil. This was realized in a wondrous way by God in the death and resurrection of Christ. In fact, from the greatest of all moral evils (the murder of his Son) he has brought forth the greatest of all goods (the glorification of Christ and our redemption). (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 57-58)
…judges Francis’ criteria for the nomination of Bishops
-
A bishop governs with the authority of his own sacred power exercised in the name of Christ
A bishop to whom a particular Church has been entrusted governs that Church with the authority of his own sacred power which is ordinary and immediate and exercised in the name of Christ, the Good Shepherd, in communion with the entire Church and under the guidance of the Successor of Peter. (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 187)
…judges Francis’ idea on the formation of consciences
-
The Church transforms the moral life of Christians into an act of spiritual worship
How does the Church nourish the moral life of a Christian?
The Church is the community in which the Christian receives the Word of God, the teachings of the ‘Law of Christ’ (Gal 6:2), and the grace of the sacraments. Christians are united to the Eucharistic sacrifice of Christ in such a way that their moral life is an act of spiritual worship; and they learn the example of holiness from the Virgin Mary and the lives of the Saints.
Why does the Magisterium of the Church act in the field of morality?
It is the duty of the Magisterium of the Church to preach the faith that is to be believed and put into practice in life. This duty extends even to the specific precepts of the natural law because their observance is necessary for salvation. (Compendium of the Catholic Church. no. 429-430)
-
One must work to correct the errors of moral conscience
How is a moral conscience formed to be upright and truthful?
An upright and true moral conscience is formed by education and by assimilating the Word of God and the teaching of the Church. It is supported by the gifts of the Holy Spirit and helped by the advice of wise people. Prayer and an examination of conscience can also greatly assist one’s moral formation.
Can a moral conscience make erroneous judgments?
A person must always obey the certain judgment of his own conscience but he could make erroneous judgments for reasons that may not always exempt him from personal guilt. However, an evil act committed through involuntary ignorance is not imputable to the person, even though the act remains objectively evil. One must therefore work to correct the errors of moral conscience. (Compendium of the Catholic Church. nos. 374 and 376)
…judges Francis’ idea on eternal condemnation
-
In what does hell consist?
Hell consists in the eternal damnation of those who die in mortal sin through their own free choice. The principal suffering of hell is eternal separation from God in whom alone we can have the life and happiness for which we were created and for which we long. Christ proclaimed this reality with the words, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire’ (Mt 25:41). (Compendium of the Catholic Church, 212)
…judges Francis’ idea on First Holy Communion
-
The true sign of unity, bond of charity, and paschal banquet
The Eucharist is the very sacrifice of the Body and Blood of the Lord Jesus which he instituted to perpetuate the sacrifice of the cross throughout the ages until his return in glory. Thus he entrusted to his Church this memorial of his death and Resurrection. It is a sign of unity, a bond of charity, a paschal banquet, in which Christ is consumed, the mind is filled with grace, and a pledge of future glory is given to us. (Compendium of the Catechism of the Catholic Church, no. 271)
