Review article
https://doi.org/10.31823/d.25.2.5
Pastoral Work with the Divorced and Civilly Married According to the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia
Stanislav Šota
orcid.org/0000-0002-6979-4406
; Catholic Faculty of Theology, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Đakovo, Croatia
Abstract
Pope Frances has made a unique step in the Church by convening two consecutive Synods of Bishops on the family and thereby showed that family is his high priority and a pastoral challenge. The apostolic exhortation Amoris Laetitia has attracted great attention in the church and secular circles, especially the eighth chapter which discusses how to accompany, discern and integrate the weaknesses of the divorced and civilly married. The Pope begins with a concrete pastoral situation which he then theologically forms and interprets, making this kerygmatic approach key for understanding the exhortation. The Pope is especially concerned with the difficulties faced by the modern family, and he approaches families in »irregular« situations as a merciful father who listens to them, accepts them, and offers them ways of integration. Pre-mentalization is necessary, especially with leaders of parish communities, priests, and other pastoral workers. The priest’s accompaniment of the divorced and civilly married in foro interno should allow for the right judgement of the difficulties and obstacles for full participation in the life of the Church, and create positive steps that need to benefit, enable and improve pastoral work. The manifestation of difficulties in achieving sacramental grace in the sacrament of marriage necessarily demands discovering partial virtues which the divorced and civilly married can realize. The narrow-minded observation that doesn’t involve pastoral discernment, judgement and accompaniment requires an advancement of pastoral activities. The pastoral care should not be static but creative and enthusiastic, infused with advances that allow for the proclamation of divine pedagogy of grace to every man.
Keywords
Amoris Laetitia; accompany; discern; integrate; the divorced and civilly married; marriage; in foro interno
Hrčak ID:
183861
URI
Publication date:
5.7.2017.
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