Polish Bishops' Conference President: communion for "remarried" divorcees attacks indissolubility of marriage

The issue of giving Holy Communion to people who are divorced and living in new relationships cannot be resolved on theological grounds – explained Abp. Stanisław Gądecki during today's meeting with journalists at the secretariat of the [Polish] Episcopate. The president of the Polish Episcopal Conference (PEC) informed journalists that Polish bishops, who will gather for a reateat at Jasna Góra at the end of November, will take a number of initiatives following the message of the III Extraordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops devoted to the family, which took place in Rome in October.

Speaking of the competence of the institution of the Synod of Bishops he explained that the Synod is only an advisory body of the pope, but the decisions are made by the Holy Father himself, after listening to Synod's opinions. However, these opinions do not have a binding character for the pope. The Synod formulates certain tentative thoughts for the Holy Father, yet the final Synod's text is not binding for him. Moreover, the votes taken at the Synod are not decisions of a doctrinal importance, but are taken only in order to help bishops to reach a fuller, common vision – explained the Archbishop of Poznań.

Regarding the proposition which was put forward during the Synod, of admitting to Holy Communion, under certain conditions, of people who are divorced and living in new relationships, Abp. Gądecki answered that, according to his opinion, it was an attempt to “attack the indisssolubility of marriage”, what would lead to changes in understanding of the Sacrament of Penance and the Eucharist.  (more...)

Polish Bishops' Conference President: communion for "remarried" divorcees attacks indissolubility of marriage