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Philadelphia, Pa., Nov 17, 2016 / 11:24 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has published the full text of Archbishop Charles Chaput's responses to questions posed to him by Catholic News Service earlier this week, which can be found below.The archbishop's responses were in relation to an interview with Cardinal-designate Kevin Farrell published Wednesday by CNS, in which the prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life was critical of the pastoral guidelines published by the Philadelphia archdiocese for the implementation of Amoris laetitia in that local Church.CNS later amended the interview with Cardinal-designate Farrell to include portions of responses given by Archbishop Chaput.Please find below the full text of the Archbishop of Philadelphia's responses to CNS. CNS: Is your ad hoc committee planning a consultation with the entire USCCB about implementing Amoris Laetitia?Archbishop Chaput: It's already done. The committee solici...
Philadelphia, Pa., Nov 17, 2016 / 11:24 am (CNA/EWTN News).- The Archdiocese of Philadelphia has published the full text of Archbishop Charles Chaput's responses to questions posed to him by Catholic News Service earlier this week, which can be found below.
The archbishop's responses were in relation to an interview with Cardinal-designate Kevin Farrell published Wednesday by CNS, in which the prefect of the Dicastery for the Laity, Family and Life was critical of the pastoral guidelines published by the Philadelphia archdiocese for the implementation of Amoris laetitia in that local Church.
CNS later amended the interview with Cardinal-designate Farrell to include portions of responses given by Archbishop Chaput.
Please find below the full text of the Archbishop of Philadelphia's responses to CNS.
CNS: Is your ad hoc committee planning a consultation with the entire USCCB about implementing Amoris Laetitia?
Archbishop Chaput: It's already done. The committee solicited thoughts and experiences from bishops around the country. That work was completed some weeks ago. The committee report was then presented to Archbishop Kurtz as USCCB president. Cardinal DiNardo, as the new conference president, will presumably act on it as he and conference leadership find appropriate.
CNS: Why did you feel it was important to issue pastoral guidelines in your archdiocese that went into effect July 1?
Archbishop Chaput: Because both the final synod document and Pope Francis in Amoris Laetitia encouraged local bishops to do so. Actually you ask a a rather odd question. It's more sensible to ask: Why would a bishop delay interpreting and applying Amoris Laetitia for the benefit of his people? On a matter as vital as sacramental marriage, hesitation and ambiguity are neither wise nor charitable.
You'll recall, I'm sure, that I was a delegate to the 2015 synod and then elected and appointed to the synod's permanent council. So I'm familiar with the material and its context in a way that Cardinal-designate Farrell may not be.
Amoris Laetitia was issued on April 8. Our guidelines were actually ready by June 1, after consulting our Priests' Council, Archdiocesan Pastoral Council, auxiliary bishops, seminary faculty, and a variety of liturgical, canonical and theological experts, both lay and clergy – all of whom made excellent suggestions. We waited until July 1 to complete a final review. Other bishops have issued their own guidelines and responses consistent with the circumstances of their dioceses, which only they, as local bishops, know with real intimacy.
CNS: Cardinal-designate Farrell has told CNS that he believes that under Chapter 8's guidance, a pastor cannot say to all divorced and civilly remarried: Yes, receive communion. But neither can they say to all: No, it's not possible unless you live as brother and sister. How would you respond to this observation?
Archbishop Chaput: I wonder if Cardinal-designate Farrell actually read and understood the Philadelphia guidelines he seems to be questioning. The guidelines have a clear emphasis on mercy and compassion. This makes sense because individual circumstances are often complex. Life is messy. But mercy and compassion cannot be separated from truth and remain legitimate virtues. The Church cannot contradict or circumvent Scripture and her own magisterium without invalidating her mission. This should be obvious. The words of Jesus himself are very direct and radical on the matter of divorce.
CNS: Do you have any other comments you would like to make?
Archbishop Chaput: I think every bishop in the United States feels a special fidelity to Pope Francis as Holy Father. We live that fidelity by doing the work we were ordained to do as bishops. Under canon law – not to mention common sense – governance of a diocese belongs to the local bishop as a successor of the apostles, not to a conference, though bishops' conferences can often provide a valuable forum for discussion. As a former resident bishop, the cardinal-designate surely knows this, which makes his comments all the more puzzling in the light of our commitment to fraternal collegiality.
IMAGE: CNS/Paul HaringBy Cindy WoodenROME(CNS) -- Being created a cardinal in the Year of Mercy brings with it anobligation to continue to proclaim and share God's mercy with others, saidCardinal-designate Joseph W. Tobin.Thecurrent archbishop of Indianapolis, who will be installed as archbishop ofNewark, New Jersey, in January, was to receive his red hat Nov. 19 and join Pope Francis for the closing of the Year of Mercy the next day.TheYear of Mercy, he said, "was such a wonderful gift" to the church andthe world. "First, because it's such an unmerciful world we live in andthat lack of mercy is manifest in terrible ways each day. And, second, rightlyor wrongly, the church in many areas was not seen as a sign of mercy, asacrament of mercy."Peopleacross the Archdiocese of Indianapolis understood and celebrated the year, hesaid, but probably no group did so as intensely as the people in the dozencorrectional facilities operating within the archdiocesan boundaries. Theprisoners, he sa...
IMAGE: CNS/Paul Haring
By Cindy Wooden
ROME (CNS) -- Being created a cardinal in the Year of Mercy brings with it an obligation to continue to proclaim and share God's mercy with others, said Cardinal-designate Joseph W. Tobin.
The current archbishop of Indianapolis, who will be installed as archbishop of Newark, New Jersey, in January, was to receive his red hat Nov. 19 and join Pope Francis for the closing of the Year of Mercy the next day.
The Year of Mercy, he said, "was such a wonderful gift" to the church and the world. "First, because it's such an unmerciful world we live in and that lack of mercy is manifest in terrible ways each day. And, second, rightly or wrongly, the church in many areas was not seen as a sign of mercy, a sacrament of mercy."
People across the Archdiocese of Indianapolis understood and celebrated the year, he said, but probably no group did so as intensely as the people in the dozen correctional facilities operating within the archdiocesan boundaries.
The prisoners, he said, "get it, probably because they know better than most that they have no claim on God's mercy; they can only receive it."
Cardinal-designate Tobin expects Pope Francis to close the Holy Door of St. Peter's Basilica with a call to open oneself even more to God's mercy and to sharing it with others.
"I think he will give us in chapter and verse our mission of continuing this mercy, because if we don't, we cease to be the church," he said.
In addition to receiving their mercy marching orders, the new cardinals will be named as members of a variety of Vatican congregations and councils. But traditionally their greatest responsibility is to participate in a conclave to elect a new pope.
"That's something I hope to worry about much later," he said. "I am so grateful to Pope Francis for a lot of reasons, and I think one of the principal reasons is he shows me how to be a bishop. I watch him. It's like an apprentice who wants to be a great artist and you watch the person's brush strokes and the colors they use."
If the time comes for a conclave, "and I'm still on this earth and haven't reached 80 years old" -- the age at which cardinals are no longer eligible to enter a conclave -- he said he would join the other cardinals in prayer to "understand the signs of the times in the light of faith and then ask, 'Well, who would be the best one to lead the church?'"
Cardinal-designate Tobin personally knew St. John Paul II, retired Pope Benedict XVI and, now, Pope Francis.
"Each one of them brought a particular gift for that moment in history," he said. "I am confident that if the conclave is open to the work of the Holy Spirit, then we'll have the person."
The "roller coaster" Cardinal-designate Tobin said he's been on since the pope announced he was making him a cardinal made a brief stop at the Rome headquarters of the Redemptorists, the order he served as superior general for 12 years.
With his 93-year-old mother settled in Nov. 17 and 11 of his 12 siblings having just arrived or expected to arrive shortly, he spoke with Catholic News Service about being named a cardinal and, less than three weeks later, being named the new archbishop of Newark.
"It's been more than a little bit disruptive," he said. Being named a cardinal was "a shock," he said, and being asked to leave Indianapolis "breaks my heart."
"Neither one was on the radar screen at all," the cardinal-designate said.
He entered the Redemptorists to be a missionary and go where he was sent. But, he said, that does not make it easy to leave people.
"Sometimes we religious say that on the day of our first profession we promise everything, but we really have nothing to give. It is only after a few years that you really have stuff to give," he said. "I suppose it's like marriage: the 'I do' the couple shares on their wedding day is important," but it may not be as important as the "I do" they renew each day as the years go on.
Cardinal-designate Tobin tried on his red robe for the first time Nov. 16 and laughed with relief that while the tailors needed to hem it, "they didn't have to let it out, which is always a good sign."
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Follow Wooden on Twitter: @Cindy_Wooden.
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