Cardinal Müller criticises national episcopal conferences on Amoris Laetitia

Müller: Do not sit out dispute over Amoris Laetitia

Gerhard Ludwig Müller promotes a dialogue between supporters and critics of "Amoris laetitia". At the same time he sees a red line in the interpretation of the letter, which should not be crossed.

Cardinal Gerhard Ludwig Müller has again promoted a dialogue in the dispute over the interpretation of the Papal letter, "Amoris laetitia" on marriage and family. "A gap has been opened between the most critical critics and the most biting advocates," the former prefect of the Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith analysed in an interview with the Catholic newspaper "Die Tagespost" (Saturday) in Würzburg. "The dispute can neither be extinguished nor solved by any knock-out hits being attempted."

Müller: Pastoral care must help with marriages

Mueller says that "with an advance of trust, the theological and pastoral problems should be solved objectively and the affected persons would be best be helped on their way to God." The indissolubility of the marriage cannot be shaken. In view of the many marriage crises, however, one should not remain inactive in pastoral care. "Somehow, both concerns are right. Some set a stop sign before a dangerous ditch, the others are trying to build bridges over it." "Both are necessary" on the path of salvation.

The Cardinal also criticised the interpretations of several national and regional bishops' conferences, including Malta and the Philippines, which derive from the Papal letter that re-married divorced persons could be admitted to communion in certain circumstances. Some of these episcopal declarations were of the opinion that they could forgo the basic principles of interpretation of the Catholic Church, Müller complained. The applause of the published opinion, however, is "not a theological criterion."

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Protestants could be admitted to Catholic Communion next year according to Protestant leader

In the opinion of the Council President of the Protestant Church in Germany, Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, Protestants could be admitted to the Catholic communion.

 

"You have to talk about it," said Bedford-Strohm on Friday in Munich. The Catholic German Bishops' Conference was discussing this and wrestling with the issue a bit. "We may be anxious; I am very optimistic that there will be a result next year. "The Reformation Jubilee has strengthened ecumenism, said the Bavarian regional bishop.

There was much friendship and confidence between the two great Christian churches in comparison to the past few years: "What two or three years ago there was distrust with regard to the celebration of this year, where the Catholics thought the Protestants now want to promote themselves. "

On October 31, 500 years ago, the reformer Martin Luther (1483-1546) had succeeded in nailing his 95 theses against the indulgences on the door of the Castle Church in Wittenberg. This led to the division of the church. In Bavaria, there were more than 4000 events for the anniversary.

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Bishop resigns after clashing with his diocese over Latin Mass

Pope accepts premature retirement from the French bishop

French radio station reports about clashes between members of the rural diocese of Lucon and their local bishop

Pope Francis accepted the premature retirement of the Bishop of Lucon, Alain Castet. This was announced by the Vatican and the French Bishops' Conference on Thursday. The 67-year-old headed the Loire diocese in western France since 2008. Reasons for the resignation were not officially named.

The French radio station "Franceinfo" reports of numerous clashes between members of the rural diocese and the bishop who worked 33 years in Paris. One reason was his participation in a meeting of the traditionalist of the Priestly Fraternity of St. Peter in Wigratzbad. In addition, the broadcaster reports that the bishop celebrates the Mass, especially according to the pre-conciliar rite and basically without women at the altar. His communication behaviour is described as difficult.

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Archdiocese organises "Miss Catholic Youth" Competition

Archbishopric seeks the most beautiful Catholic

Do beauty and Christian faith go together? A Mexican archbishopric has no problem with this - and therefore something special can arise for the pastoral work with youth.

The Mexican Archdiocese of Durango has come up with something special for the diocesan "Year of Youth": a competition should select the most beautiful youthful Catholic. With the motto "For the most beautiful thing a woman has is the love of Christ", the diocesan department for pastoral care of youth advertises a Facebook post for the selection of the beauty queen. The "Señorita Juventud Católica" (Miss Catholic Youth) should be an "image of the mercy and love of God, but with the joy of youth".

The applicants must be between 15 and 20 years old according to the Facebook promotion, possess beauty and sympathy and "above all love of Christ". Further prerequisites are basic knowledge of the Catholic faith and membership in a church youth group, which must support their candidate.

The dress for the performance before the jury of the competition, however, should not be "vulgar", which is why the breast of the participants should be covered. The elected beauty queen will be elected before the beginning of the "Year of Youth" on October 22nd, and will preside until 2018. In Mexico, beauty contests are very popular and individual church communities offer these crowning of beauty queens. (Rome)

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Prisoners use lunch with Pope to do a runner

Again and again, Pope Francis proclaims his belief in the dignity of prisoners. Now two of them have apparently shamelessly taken advantage of Papal mercy.

Two Italian prisoners have been missing from the Castelfranco Emilia prison in the province of Modena, according to the Italian newspaper Il Mattino on Wednesday in their online edition.

The men, who had reportedly attempted outbreaks, were part of a group of 20 prisoners, who were scheduled for lunch together with Francis. Whether they disappeared before or after the meal with the Pope in the Basilica of San Petronio was still unclear. The two Italians had already served their sentence according to Adnkrono's news agency, but they were still under special supervision because they were classified as "socially dangerous". It was unclear why they had been convicted. The search for the escapees and the further investigations continued.

Pope Francis devotes his time and attention regularly to the prisoners. During his pontificate, he has already washed the feet of prisoners several times on Maundy Thursday. He has invited others to exclusive visits to the Vatican Museums or to visit them in prison. He called on the believers to do the same. Christians must "do everything to restore their dignity" in the face of the often unsafe conditions in prisons, according to Francis. For the Holy Year of Mercy, he decreed that every prison had the function of a "Holy Door".

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Coldplay Mass- the ultimate liturgical nightmare

Today at the Jesuit University of Universidad Iberoamericana Puebla in San Andrés Cholula, called Ibero for short, a Coldplay Mass took place. Invitations were sent in the framework of the Ignatian university program was used.

This is a Holy Mass, celebrated by the Jesuit Lonja Xavier Cacho and the songs of the British pop-rock band Coldplay. The commercial music group, founded in London in 1996, has not yet been noticed for religious songs or a religious message.

Offence was caused by the announcement that a Holy Mass was to be called the "Misa Colplay" (Coldplay Mass) and that the music of a rock group should be the focus.

In an interview with the Irish daily The Irish Independent, Chris Martin had said about God:

"I always try to decipher what 'he' or 'she' is. I'm not sure what's right. I do not know if it is Allah or Jesus or Mohammed or Zeus, but I guess Zeus. "

The Jesuit university wrote in advance that this Mass would try to "adhere to every symbol of the liturgy and link it with current stimuli that connect with our everyday life". The songs of the group should be heard and tried to "reflect" and "deepen" these melodies at different moments of the Eucharistic celebration.

Father Font!

There have been heated discussions in the social networks, both inside and outside the university, over the past few days. Rector Fernando Fernández Font SJ was accused of promoting liturgical abuse with the "Misa Coldplay".

Likewise, the Jesuit leadership was encouraged to analyze the music of the British band if it was already part of a symposium or another event, but not as part of a Holy Mass.

Yesterday the Archbishopric of Puebla dissociated itself from the Jesuit University. Through Twitter, it announced that it did not organise or support the "Misa Coldplay". In a detailed statement, the Archbishop's liturgical commission warned of a "loss of meaning for the Eucharistic Sacrament," which could lead to seeing only "a gathering of goodwill" in the Holy Mass.

The chairman of the Liturgy Commission, Don Jacinto Gerardo Cruz Rojas, recalled that "the Eucharist is the greatest treasure of the Church which it has had since its origin." The Archbishopric demanded that the rules for liturgical music be complied with.

With almost 5,000 students, the Universidad Iberoamericana Puebla belongs to the Sistema Universitario Jesuita, the network of the seven Jesuit Universities in Mexico and the unification of the 31 Jesuit Universities of Latin America.

Already last June, the rector of the Jesuit University of Mexico City (Ibero Ciudad), the Jesuit David Fernandez Davalos was noticed when he defended the pro-homosexual agenda of the Mexican left-wing government. P. Fernandez Davalos took part in the General Congregation in October 2016, who elected the Jesuit, Arturo Sosa Abascal, as the 31st General of the Order.

The Spanish columnist, Franciso Fernandez de la Cigoña, commented on the incident in San Andrés Cholula: "Another proof that a considerable part of the Jesuit order lives in general confusion."