Paul M. Zulehner

“I dream of a church as a mother and shepherdess."

The new pastoral culture of Pope Francis

Content

PRELUDE 3

Pastoral Culture 3

Sources 4

God and the world 5

Procedure 8

Part 1: Father of compassion 9

Looking for God and finding Him 10

God seeks and finds 11

Images of God 13

„Threefold“ loving 14

Qualities of God 15

Activities of God 16

God is mercy 17

Jesus as the face of the Father’s mercy 19

Mercy surpasses justice 20

Mercy promotes justice 21

Church: Becoming like the father 24

Part 2: Becoming like the Father 25

From sin to wound 26

About sin 26

… to wounds 29

From moralising to healing 30

About moralising 31

…to healing 38

God’s healing power - healing Church 48

Healing, mercy and forgiveness do not know any limits 49

From the courtroom to the field hospital 49

From law to face 50

From law… 50

To face 55

From ideologue to shepherd 74

PRELUDE

If the Church becomes like him and becomes what he wants it to be, it will be an epochal change:
(Eugenio Scalfari)

He has been in the office since March 13th, 2013. This is the bishop of Rome, Pope Francis, brought from afar. It’s has only been few years. Nevertheless, in this short time he has changed the Roman Catholic worldwide Church profoundly. It is the pastoral culture which is now playing a new tune.

Pastoral Culture

Pastoral culture: It is, what is secularly regarded as organisational culture¹. This has several levels:

On the surface, it shows itself in people, what these do with others, how they handle them and how the organisation presents itself. Visions, rituals and stories are part of it.

One level deeper is the "feeling how things should be" and which feeling the people should have encountering the organisation. Such feelings about the organisation as this can arrive: honesty, kindness, flexibility, faithfulness to tradition.

An organisational culture finally has a depth level. This contains what is self-evident left unsaid. These are "basic assumptions" which are not questioned or discussed. Admittedly, they can have sunk so deep that they do not reach the two other levels.

Pope Francis is present on all three levels of the church organisational culture - therefore her pastoral culture. He personifies these in the way he talks, stays, how he encounters people, where he travels and whom he wants to meet there. He has noticeably changed the feelings of people at least towards his office and also towards the Church. Pope Francis belongs to the most popular and most esteemed personalities of mankind. Most regard him as honest and credible: something which has absolutely not been the case with the Church in many countries for long time. One takes him at his word, that he means what he does and says - even when everything is not at first liked.

However, within the few years of his pontificate the most lasting effect Pope Francis had had is on the depth structure of the pastoral culture. He likes to use the term “logic”, which he, however, uses differently than in secular discussions. For him there are more logics, such as the logics within culture and in contrast to these the logics within the pastoral field.

The logic of the present culture seems to Pope Francis to be rather perverse [LS 197]: it is a globalised logic [LS 111], the logic of the current economy [LS 181], of the market and the putatively helpful “invisible hand” [EG 201, LS 123], the logic of possibilities of the media [EG 138], the ironclad logic of technology [LS 108], of the financial system [LS 194], of instrumental reason [LS 210], the logic of power [AL 98], violence, exploitation, egoism [LS 230], the power over one's own body of and over creation [LS 155, AL 285]; it is a reprehensible “use and throw away” logic [LS 123];

Besides these wordly logics, the Pope formulates a logic of pastoral mercy [AL 306]. This has many facets: the logic of the Gospel [AL 297], incarnation, [AL 117; EG 262], welcoming [LS 159], compassion [AL 308], help and mercy in welcoming others [AL 297, AL 47}, Christian love [AL 98]; it is a logic not cast off and condemn forever like till now but reinstate and integrate [AL 296, AL 312], therefore a logic of integration [AL 299], a logic, which needs a lot of emotions and fantasies [AL 239].

With regard to the logic of pastoral compassion, the Pope is concerned with retrieving the long forGoden basic Jesuanic assumptions and to imbue these with new power into the feelings of the church staff and thus in the end into the visible surface of the church in its life and work. All this he is trying through a patient process, by listening, perceiving, praying and finally distinguishing the spirits, as he says.

Pope Francis irritates many with that. They are primarily those who have become estranged from the fundamental purpose of the Church, including some persons in high level positions in the Church and in academic Chairs. These are more worried about the church business. In the midst of an epochal change, they expect the sustainability of the Church by changing the structures of the church organisation. They are the ideologues to whom the canon law is more important than the Gospel which talks about the fundamental purposes in unspent images and parables. Some are probably secretly so restless, that they wish for a foreseeable end to the office of Pope Francis. Some Church members, also some ordained in all ranks, stay in their spiritual easy-chairs, watch his activities skeptically and wait and see. To them Pope Francis in his inaugural address “Evangelii gaudium” impatiently: “So what are we waiting for? " (EG 120).

The considerations of this book follow Francis in his attempt to invigorate the pastoral culture of the Church by uncovering the original purpose of the Church and its pastoral culture. He lets this flow into his everyday speech and action. His primary effort is to uncover the basic Jesuanic assumptions. They shall imbue the everyday pastoral work of the Church with new energy.

Sources

This book tries to outline roughly this matter of the Pope’s concern. For this I will analyse his so far most important documents. To these belong the following documents, in order of time of publication:

 interview given for the Jesuit magazines, first published online²August 19, 2013 in Stimmen der Zeit³; [IV Spadaro]⁴

 interview conducted by Eugenio Scalfari of the Milan newspaper La Repubblica and published at the beginning of October 2013 based on his notes⁵; [IV Scalfari]

 Apostolic Letter Evangelii Gaudium published November 24, 2014⁶; [EG]

The two speeches by the Pope Francis to the Council of Europe and the European Parliament, published November 25, 2014; [EU Council; EU Parliament]

Bull Misericordiae vultus for the opening of the Extraordinary Jubilee of Mercy, published April 11, 2015; [MV]

ncyclical Letter Laudato si', published May 24, 2015⁷; [LS]

Speech of Pope Francis after the Bishop’s Synod for the Family, published October 24, 2015; [SYN]

Apostolic Exhortation Amoris Laetitia, published March 19, 2016⁸; [AL]

nterview Die Zeit, March 9, 2017 [IV ZEIT]

All these texts were subjected to a computer-assisted content analysis, word frequencies were stated, the various texts were coded with keywords.

These analyses have shown what moves Francis. Many topics emerged. Not all of them carry the same weight for him. He urges not only for the proclamation of the Gospel the hierarchy of the truths within the cosmos of the Christian faith, outlined by the II Vatican Council⁹:

"If we concentrate on the convictions we share, and if we keep in mind the principle of the hierarchy of truths, we will be able to progress decidedly towards common expressions of proclamation, service and witness." (EG 246)

God and the world

We find this hierarchy of truths also in the cosmos of his religious thinking and acting. A computer generated dictionary using all texts makes this clearly visible - here shown as a wordcloud:

Figure 1: wordcloud of the most frequent words

In the center of all examined statements of the Pope is the relationship between the “realm of God" and that of the world. God and the world are like the two centers of an ellipse. To the divine realm belong the terms God (829) and Jesus Christ (265); to the realm of the world this earth/this planet (466), society (185), people (699), life (741), the poor (185), family (473) and children (170). For the Pope it is all about the world of today (164).

Both spheres of reality are related to each other. This relationship is determined by love (645) and compassion/mercy (87). In the center there is the creative and healing relationship between God and the world.

The Gospel is about this healing relationship (222), which is entrusted to the Church (542) and on which she has to orientate herself. It is her task to be a serving church in the world of today. Therefore, Francis’ positions are clearly based on the Second Vatican Council and its pastoral constitution "Gaudium et spes" (Church in the world of today). Pope Francis didn’t take part in this Council, but he determinedly pursues it. The letter ‘Evangelii Gaudium’ is devoted to a new departure of the Church in the spirit of the Council. For the Pope, the putting into action of the Council is progressing too slowly. In a sermon for a birthday of his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI he even complained¹⁰:

"The Holy Spirit is pressing for change, and we are easygoing... To state it clearly: The Holy Spirit is a nuisance for us. He moves us, he lets us be underway, he presses the Church to go further. But we are like Peter at the transfiguration, ‘Ah, how fine is it to be here together!’ However, this does not challenge us. We want that the Holy Spirit calms down, we want to control him. But this is not possible. Because he is God and is like the wind which blows where it wants. He is the power of God which gives us comfort and also the strength to go forward. It is this ‘go forward' which is so strenuous for us. We like the comfort much more."

Today, we are too satisfied with the supposed presence of the Holy Spirit, and this satisfaction is a temptation. This fits in for example in respect of the Council:

"The Council was an excellent opus of the Holy Spirit. Think of Pope John: He seemed to be a good parish priest, but he was obedient to the Holy Spirit and started this Council. But today 50 years after, we have to ask: Have we done all that which the Holy Spirit has told us in the Council? Has the Council been felt in the continuity and in the growth of the Church? No, on the contrary: We celebrate this anniversary and it seems that we build for the Council a monument but one which is not uncomfortable, which does not bother us. We do not want to change and there are even voices which do not want to go forwards at all, but back: This is pigheaded, this is the attempt to tame the Holy Spirit. In this way one gets foolish and lame hearts."

Within this wide (stretch) theological framework of the relation of God and the world, Pope Francis elaborates the pastoral culture of the Church which for today he wants to renew and to deepen.

Table 1: The most frequent used words in the analysed texts

GOD | 829
JESUS CHRIST | 265
Life | 741
GOSPEL | 222
PEOPLE | 699
Society | 185
Love | 645
POOR | 185
Church | 542
Children | 170
FAMILY | 473 473 473
Today | 164
WORLD, EARTH, PLANET | 466
MERCY, COMPASSION | 87

Words in uppercase signal that single positions have been added up, e.g. God and God’s.

Procedure

Already these first results of the text analysis open up a viable way on which that pastoral culture is disclosed in this book. Pope Francis has this in mind and trains the Church in it himself.

Firstly, according to the text analyses we introduce Francis’ ‘Image of God’. Who, or more precisely, how is God for him, how does he see God’s practice in the world? To put it pictorially, Francis dives into the divine mystery.

From there, he rises to the surface in the world, on the side of the people, in their lives and societies. He does not look on the world only with the perspicacious eyes of well-informed science but primarily with the eyes of God. This lets him see a world which is most wonderful and at the same time deeply wounded, in which at the same time the praise of God and the cry of the poor sound.

He places the Church and her practice in the context of this historical drama between God and his world, which he understands as history of salvation. The kind of churchly practice is formed on the one hand by the joys and the mourning of the people, first of all those made poor, as well as the sufferings of nature. On the other hand, by the healing compassion of God. According to a striking sentence, the Church should act like the father (God): Her vocation is to be "a living sign of the Father’s love in the world" [MV 4], therefore to be "merciful like the Father" [MV 13].

God himself therefore becomes the benchmark for the churchly pastoral culture for today. According to this the Church must measure and renew herself. The first and most important question about the texts is therefore: Who, and how is, God for Pope Francis?

PART 1: FATHER OF COMPASSION

It is not necessary to be perfect,
but to be connected.
Richard Rohr

Looking for God and finding Him

In the conversation with Eugenio Scalfari from the Milanese La Repubblica, Pope Francis makes clear that he fixes his whole being unshakably on God. He is the linchpin not only of his life but also of his pontificate:

"And I believe in God, not in a Catholic God, there is no Catholic God, there is God and I believe in Jesus Christ, his incarnation. Jesus is my teacher and my pastor, but God, the Father, Abba, is the light and the Creator. This is my Being. Do you think we are very far apart?"

For the Jesuit Jorge Mario Bergoglio this firm fixing on God is the fruit of a long journey of faith which also took some detours. It was not only his highly venerated grandmother Rosa, but also his religious parents, who led him on this journey. In the school of the founder of his order Ignatius he learned "to look for and to find God in all things". This conviction sounds in many of his statements: “…he shows himself in the here and now", "God is in everyone’s life”, “God is in every person’s life.” [IV Spadaro]. God lets himself be found even in failures:

“Because we do not always see these seeds growing, we need an interior certainty, a conviction that God is able to act in every situation, even amid apparent setbacks: “We have this treasure in earthen vessels” (2 Cor 4:7). This certainty is often called “a sense of mystery” [EG 279]

God is not a possession for the Pope. Primarily it is not about what we know about him but whether we are connected to him. He is with us in our life’s journey - sometimes unrecognised - and supports our life:

"God is encountered walking, along the path. At this juncture, someone might say that this is relativism. Is it relativism? Yes, if it is misunderstood as a kind of indistinct pantheism. It is not relativism if it is understood in the biblical sense, that God is always a surprise, so you never know where and how you will find him. You are not setting the time and place of the encounter with him. You must, therefore, discern the encounter. Discernment is essential.” [IV Spadaro]

However, this looking for and finding God is not always a simple process. It is more a feeling one’s way and coming closer, sometimes more a not-knowing¹¹ [10] than a knowledge. There remain doubts and uncertainties.[¹²11] Many questions are not answered and remain open. To believe in God is more to be connected than to know. Primarily it is an existential decision, a kind of "jumping into the fountain" [¹³12], without knowing, whether there is solid ground below, but strongly hoping to be caught:

„Yes, in this quest to seek and find God in all things there is still an area of uncertainty. There must be. If a person says that he met God with total certainty and is not touched by a margin of uncertainty, then this is not good. For me, this is an important key. If one has the answers to all the questions—that is the proof that God is not with him. It means that he is a false prophet using religion for himself. The great leaders of the people of God, like Moses, have always left room for doubt. You must leave room for the Lord, not for our certainties; we must be humble. Uncertainty is in every true discernment that is open to finding confirmation in spiritual consolation.“ [IV Spadaro]

The Pope warns all fundamentalist know-it-alls and wiseacres of theological arrogance and false certainty:

“The risk in seeking and finding God in all things, then, is the willingness to explain too much, to say with human certainty and arrogance: ‘God is here.’ We will find only a god that fits our measure. The correct attitude is that of St. Augustine: seek God to find him, and find God to keep searching for God forever. Often we seek as if we were blind, as one often reads in the Bible. And this is the experience of the great fathers of the faith, who are our models. We have to re-read the Letter to the Hebrews, Chapter 11. Abraham leaves his home without knowing where he was going, by faith. All of our ancestors in the faith died seeing the good that was promised, but from a distance.... Our life is not given to us like an opera libretto, in which all is written down; but it means going, walking, doing, searching, seeing.... We must enter into the adventure of the quest for meeting God; we must let God search and encounter us” [IV Spadaro]

This vital God who supports the world and all of us, can be forGoden in the so-called West [EU parliament]. This can seduce man, when dealing with the world, to play God and to forget that this world is entrusted to him for cherishing and caring. "We are not God. The earth was here before us and it has been given to us.” [LS 67], Pope Francis calls into this God-forgetfulness, a term he has taken from his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI.¹⁴

Pope Francis is concerned that some talk about a false God - or to put it more pointedly - that they model an unsuitable God into one who is suitable for us:

"With the holy intent of communicating the truth about God and humanity, we sometimes give them a false god or a human ideal which is not really Christian." [EG 41]

God seeks and finds

In respect to God, Pope Francis doesn’t make it easy for himself or for us. Whoever is looking for safety does not find God. However, in searching, the deep certainty to be found from God can arise.

With this, he turns the request that we should "seek and find God in all things" upside down. In the end, it is not us who seek God. Pope Francis is convinced that it is rather God who seeks us continually and rely on Him to find us.

The initiative always lies with God. He creates the world and the people in it. His aim is to unify Himself with the world and within this with every person¹⁵. For this is made a covenant between God and the people [IV Spadaro]. "Mercy renders God’s history with Israel a history of salvation” [MV 7], and this with whole of mankind [AL 318]. He started the unification with the incarnation. At the end He will be "all in all" (1 Cor 15:28). In this Pope Francis shows himself near to the seeking mystics (such as Hildegard von Bingen or Meister Eckhart, but also his Jesuit brother Teilhard de Chardin). According to them the whole creation ripens into the "Cosmic Christ":

“The New Testament does not only tell us of the earthly Jesus and his tangible and loving relationship with the world. It also shows him risen and glorious, present throughout creation by his universal Lordship: “For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross” (Col 1:19-20). This leads us to direct our gaze to the end of time, when the Son will deliver all things to the Father, so that “God may be everything to everyone” (1 Cor 15:28)”[LS 100]

Regardless of all God longing and searching for God by the people, Pope Francis is convinced: "God precedes our actions¹⁶with his grace". Through this courtesy God does not give only gifts of "grace", but He Himself is the “uncreated grace”. In His love, God draws every person onto Him, looks for them like a shepherd.

With few words, Pope Francis bundles his theology of revelation as well as grace. God speaks to us¹⁷, reveals Himself and his immense love in the crucified and risen Christ [EG 11] ¹⁸, precedes us, offers us graces¹⁹, God attracts us to Him:

"The salvation which God offers us is the work of his mercy. No human efforts, however good they may be, can enable us to merit so great a gift. God, by his sheer grace, draws us to himself and makes us one with him. He sends his Spirit into our hearts to make us his children, transforming us and enabling us to respond to his love by our lives. The Church is sent by Jesus Christ as the sacrament of the salvation offered by God. Through her evangelizing activity, she cooperates as an instrument of that divine grace which works unceasingly and inscrutably. Benedict XVI put it nicely at the beginning of the Synod’s reflections: “It is important always to know that the first word, the true initiative, the true activity comes from God and only by inserting ourselves into the divine initiative, only begging for this divine initiative, shall we too be able to become – with him and in him – evangelizers”. This principle of the primacy of grace must be a beacon which constantly illuminates our reflections on evangelization." [EG 112]

God therefore gets absolute priority in the religious lives of people and in the practice of the Church:

"In every activity of evangelization, the primacy always belongs to God, who has called us to cooperate with him and who leads us on by the power of his Spirit. The real newness is the newness which God himself mysteriously brings about and inspires, provokes, guides and accompanies in a thousand ways. The life of the Church should always reveal clearly that God takes the initiative, that “he has loved us first” (1 Jn 4:19) and that he alone “gives the growth” (1 Cor 3:7)” [EG 12]

Images of God

Francis warns us starkly to get a grip on God in concepts and so he approaches the incomprehensible mystery in images. The Pope is certain that God has spoken to us and has revealed himself:

"We do not blindly seek God, or wait for him to speak to us first, for “God has already spoken, and there is nothing further that we need to know, which has not been revealed to us”. Let us receive the sublime treasure of the revealed word." [EG 175]

"The heart of its message will always be the same: the God who revealed his immense love in the crucified and risen Christ." [EG 11]

„Threefold“ loving

Pope Francis praised God as "trifold". Threefold means that God within himself is communion and relationship. The mystic Richard Rohr speaks about an inner-divine "circle dance".

"God is also communion: the three Persons of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit live eternally in perfect unity." [AL 121]

Wonder and praise characterise the basic relationship of man to God. Adoration, not pleading, has priority. Francis admires God’s beauty, which is mirrored in the beauty of the world.

“When we contemplate with wonder the universe in all its grandeur and beauty, we must praise the whole Trinity”.[LS 238]

Francis frequently uses the word ‘love’ when he speaks about God. He invokes Him in the prayer put at the end of the encyclical Laudato si' as a "God of love" [LS 246 line 344]. The fundamental motive of the complete creation is this love, “for you love all things that exist" [LS 77]. Everything is, as it were, a caress²⁰ of God. " [LS 82] In other texts Pope Francis uses the word caress three times for marital love, twice together with embrace [AL 157, 191, 321]. The relationship with God for him has much to do with intimacy and eroticism - f which has a long biblical tradition.

The Pope paints God’s love as many-facetted. It is saving [EG 4, 36, 44, 121; IV Spadaro], infinite [EG 7], the love of God consoles [MV 3]. It is a love, that inspires [EG 74] and unites us to God [AL 123]. And more: "God’s way of loving becomes the measure of human love” [AL 70]. God’s love shows itself, according to his letter about the ‘Joy of the Love’, (also) in conjugal love:

"God’s love is proclaimed through the living and concrete word whereby a man and the woman express their conjugal love” [AL 321]

All proclamation of the church shall revolve around this love and bear witness to the love of God [AL 63.] However, this is only possible if those who proclaim have themselves experienced love too:

"What is essential is that the preacher be certain that God loves him, that Jesus Christ has saved him and that his love always has the last word." [EG 151]

In his texts Francis presents even more images which should characterise our God-relationship. He speaks about the divine light²¹, about God’s immensity²², God’s transcendence within which the world develops [LS 79], inexhaustible riches of God [LS 86] which he has given to the world and his church [LS line 344].

Together with Jesus, Francis often calls God ‘Father’: “Jesus took up the biblical faith in God the Creator, emphasizing a fundamental truth: God is Father (cf. Mt 11:25)." [LS 96] Into his paternal hand every situation can be placed: "In this way they will have an experience of being listened to and understood; they will know that their particular situation has been placed before God, and that God’s word really speaks to their lives." [EG 128] ²³ All this is possible, because God is ‘a father is with a tender heart’, which is moved by our prayer, - yet more exactly it is the other way round: "We can say that God’s heart is touched by our intercession, yet in reality he is always there first. What our intercession achieves is that his power, his love and his faithfulness are shown ever more clearly in the midst of the people." [EG 283]

Traditionally God’s (almighty) power was also often acted out, sometimes in a dangerous way. However, the Pope knows that in catechesis such concepts were often used for justification of violence by the church and politically by the powerful:

"…we should always consider ‘inadequate any theological conception which in the end puts in doubt the omnipotence of God and, especially, his mercy’." [AL 311]

The term ‘God’s power’ which he gives us, is nearer to him than the phrase ‘omnipotence of God’. This power is found for example by those peoples who make a pilgrimage to Guadalupe in Mexico. The following text also contains the core of Pope Francis’ view on Mary, who brings people nearer to God:

" There, in these many shrines, we can see how Mary brings together her children who with great effort come as pilgrims to see her and to be seen by her. Here they find strength from God to bear the weariness and the suffering in their lives. As she did with Juan Diego, Mary offers them maternal comfort and love, and whispers in their ear: “Let your heart not be troubled… Am I not here, who am your Mother?” [EG 286]

Also, at the end of his encyclical Laudato si’, Francis shows himself convinced that God gives the people that strength and that light which the world today needs.²⁴ His conviction has its last basis in this– as Karl Rahner, following the Church Fathers, expressed in a famous Easter sermon - that in the heart of the world no longer death and futility but life and God dwell.

"God, who calls us to generous commitment and to give him our all, offers us the light and the strength needed to continue on our way. In the heart of this world, the Lord of life, who loves us so much, is always present. He does not abandon us, he does not leave us alone, for he has united himself definitively to our earth, and his love constantly impels us to find new ways forward. Praise be to him!” [LS 245].

Qualities of God

What till now became visible as Pope Francis’ "image of God " in outlines, is strengthened by adjectives which in the texts are connected with God.

God is vital (2 Cor 3:2), patient²⁵, just, kind and longanimous ("… leaving open the possibility of repentance, yet insists on his power, as revealed in his acts of mercy. God’s “patience”, shown in his mercy towards sinners, is a sign of his real power.” [AL 91]), not tired (“Let me say this once more: God never tires of forgiving us; we are the ones who tire of seeking his mercy” [EG 3]), God is faithful, "unwaveringly faithful" (Dtn 32:4)

"Let us live them [the instructions of the Gospel] 'sine glossa’, without commentaries. By so doing we will know the missionary joy of sharing life with God’s faithful people as we strive to light a fire in the heart of the world." [EG 271]

It sounds like an interim result: For Francis, God is good and is good for us. To convey this, he quotes Paul VI who concluded the Second Vatican council in 1965:

"Blessed Paul VI expressed this eloquently: “’We can imagine, then, that each of our sins, our attempts to turn our back on God, kindles in him a more intense flame of love, a desire to bring us back to himself and to his saving plan… God, in Christ, shows himself to be infinitely good… God is good. Not only in himself; God is – let us say it with tears – good for us. He loves us, he seeks us out, he thinks of us, he knows us, he touches our hearts us and he waits for us. He will be – so to say – delighted on the day when we return and say: ‘Lord, in your goodness, forgive me. Thus our repentance becomes God’s joy”²⁶ [SYN]

Activities of God

The image which Francis shows us in his texts becomes even more concrete and at the same time more accentuated by terms of activity. They are rarely ‘dark’ terms.

God is presented as the creative one who fosters growth, helping a person to shape his or her own identity [AL 221], reaffirming the indissoluble union of men and women in their marriage [AL 62], who creates the world and gives this to people as a gift – “a gift which must be defended from various forms of debasement” [LS 5]. God has entrusted the world to human beings: "A fragile world, entrusted by God to human care, challenges us to devise intelligent ways of directing, developing and limiting our power." [LS 78]

When Francis, based on the Holy Scripture, says that God threatens [LS 70] then he shows also that God regrets his anger [LS 71]. But the God of the Pope is not a harmless God. He opposes the proud [AL 98]. God hears "the cry of the poor" (the phrase "cry" is used 39 times, three times the exact expression "cry of the poor": EG 187, 191, 193).

"In the story of Cain and Abel, we see how envy led Cain to commit the ultimate injustice against his brother, which in turn ruptured the relationship between Cain and God, and between Cain and the earth from which he was banished. This is seen clearly in the dramatic exchange between God and Cain. God asks: “Where is Abel your brother?” Cain answers that he does not know, and God persists: “What have you done?

The voice of your brother’s blood is crying to me from the ground. And now you are cursed from the ground” (Gen 4:9-11). Disregard for the duty to cultivate and maintain a proper relationship with my neighbour, for whose care and custody I am responsible, ruins my relationship with my own self, with others, with God and with the earth. When all these relationships are neglected, when justice no longer dwells in the land, the Bible tells us that life itself is endangered. We see this in the story of Noah, where God threatens to do away with humanity because of its constant failure to fulfil the requirements of justice and peace: “I have determined to make an end of all flesh; for the earth is filled with violence through them” (Gen 6:13). These ancient stories, full of symbolism, bear witness to a conviction which we today share, that everything is interconnected, and that genuine care for our own lives and our relationships with nature is inseparable from fraternity, justice and faithfulness to others. " [LS 70]

God not only turns his glance towards Mary [AL 171] but also to Francis as a sinner - as well as to the publican Zacchaeus [IV Spadaro]. He does not disappoint hopes [IV Spadaro], wipes away every tear [AL 22]. He dwells within us [AL 73].

These are approaches towards the innermost part of God. All these single images, qualities and activities culminate in the statement: God is mercy.

God is mercy

"There is an aspect of mercy that goes beyond the confines of the Church. It relates us to Judaism and Islam, both of which consider mercy to be one of God’s most important attributes.” [MV 23]

Mercy is indeed the basic melody of all great religions. The Dalai Lama is described as a Bodhisattva of the Buddha of compassion. Every Sura of the Qur’an starts (with one exception) with the appeal to Allah of the Gracious, the Merciful. Pope Francis appreciates this in times of spreading hostility Against Islam²⁷:

"We must never forget that they [the Muslims] profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, who will judge humanity on the last day” [EG 252]

The core of God, his womb – “rechem” – is his mercy: The Hebrew term for mercy has the same lingual root, namely "rachamim". In the parable about the father’s mercy towards his two prodigal sons Jesus reminds his people of this image of God - according to Luke it is quasi the “Gospel within the Gospel” (Lk 15:11-32)

It is not at all easy today to talk about the mercy of God. For some contemporaries, mercy has a condescending, feudal aftertaste. The suspicion that to speak about mercy seems foreign to today's people, Francis shares with John Paul II, whom he quotes regarding this: “The present-day mentality, more perhaps than that of people in the past, seems opposed to a God of mercy, and in fact tends to exclude from life and to remove from the human heart the very idea of mercy. The word and the concept of ‘mercy’ seem to cause uneasiness…” (Dives in Misericordia [30 November 1980] [SYN footnote 6]

Particularly, it displeases Pope Francis that parts of the Church do not assess mercy highly enough:

"Perhaps we have long since forgotten how to show and live the way of mercy. The temptation, on the one hand, to focus exclusively on justice made us forget that this is only the first, albeit necessary and indispensable step. But the Church needs to go beyond and strive for a higher and more important goal. On the other hand, sad to say, we must admit that the practice of mercy is waning in the wider culture. In some cases the word seems to have dropped out of use." [MV 10]

The parish priest’s son Friedrich Nietzsche lets God die because in his great compassion he has seen the misery of human beings. ²⁸ At the end of the nineties, a Roman Catholic dogmatist from Germany in a lecture made a note respecting Nietzsche's rejection of compassion: “A God who may always only forgive and love, loses every male personality-structure.²⁹

However, such statements do not discourage Pope Francis to let this basic melody of mercy resound anew in the Roman Catholic Church. In doing this, he knows himself to be united with his predecessors. John Paul II wrote the rousing encyclical "Dives in Misericordia". He admired the mystic of mercy Sister Faustina Kowalska. Pope Francis honoured her as a great apostle of mercy [MV 24]. John Paul II renamed the "Whit Sunday" into the "Sunday of the divine Mercy".

Upgrading mercy in the life and work of the Church, Pope Francis can also refer to the theological work of his predecessor emeritus Pope Benedict XVI³⁰: "Mercy is indeed the central nucleus of the Gospel message; it is the very name of God… May all that the Church says and does manifest the mercy God feels for mankind. When the Church has to recall an unrecognized truth, or a betrayed good, she always does so impelled by merciful love, so that men may have life and have it abundantly (cf. Jn 10:10)”" [SYN]

For Pope Francis it is the Holy Scripture which attests that God in his innermost nature is pure mercy: "in Sacred Scripture, mercy is a key word that indicates God’s action towards us. He does not limit himself merely to affirming his love, but makes it visible and tangible." [MV 9] Mercy is “…the beating heart of the Gospel” [MV 12, AL 309]: "The Father, ‘rich in mercy’ (Eph 2:4), after having revealed his name to Moses as “a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness” (Ex 34:6), has never ceased to show, in various ways throughout history, his divine nature. I" [MV 1]

For the Pope, the medieval theologian Thomas Aquinas is an important witness for the high importance of mercy. For God is all-powerful, therefore he is merciful. Mercy and omnipotence are two sides of the same coin:

“"It is proper to God to exercise mercy, and he manifests his omnipotence particularly in this way” Saint Thomas Aquinas’ words show that God’s mercy, rather than a sign of weakness, is the mark of his omnipotence. For this reason the liturgy, in one of its most ancient collects, has us pray: “O God, who reveal your power above all in your mercy and forgiveness…”[6] Throughout the history of humanity, God will always be the One who is present, close, provident, holy, and merciful.

“Patient and merciful.” These words often go together in the Old Testament to describe God’s nature. His being merciful is concretely demonstrated in his many actions throughout the history of salvation where his goodness prevails over punishment and destruction. In a special way the Psalms bring to the fore the grandeur of his merciful action: “He forgives all your iniquity, he heals all your diseases, he redeems your life from the pit, he crowns you with steadfast love and mercy” (Ps 103:3-4)." [MV 6; also EG 37]

“How many pages of Sacred Scripture are appropriate for meditation during the weeks of Lent to help us rediscover the merciful face of the Father! We can repeat the words of the prophet Micah and make them our own: You, O Lord, are a God who takes away iniquity and pardons sin, who does not hold your anger forever, but are pleased to show mercy. You, Lord, will return to us and have pity on your people. You will trample down our sins and toss them into the depths of the sea (cf. 7:18-19).” [MV 17]

"The salvation which God offers us is the work of his mercy. … God, by his sheer grace, draws us to himself and makes us one with him." [EG 112]

Jesus as the face of the Father’s mercy

We human beings cannot understand God by ourselves, with our restricted cognitive capacity. But God has revealed his core to us. It is his mercy, which becomes for us visible in Jesus. For Pope Francis, "Jesus Christ is the face of the Father’s mercy." [MV 1, 4; 24]. Therefore, the Bull for the Saint Year of Mercy, which Pope Francis proclaimed on December 8, 2015 for the year 2015/16, starts with these Latin words "Misericordiae vultus": "Mercy has become living and visible in Jesus of Nazareth, reaching its culmination in him." [MV 1]. It is he, "Jesus Christ who, by his death and resurrection, reveals and communicates to us the Father’s infinite mercy." [EG 164]. And this in numerous ways:

"In the parables³¹ devoted to mercy, Jesus reveals the nature of God as that of a Father who never gives up until he has forgiven the wrong and overcome rejection with compassion and mercy." [MV 9]

"The signs he works, especially in favour of sinners, the poor, the marginalized, the sick, and the suffering, are all meant to teach mercy. Everything in him speaks of mercy. Nothing in him is devoid of compassion." [MV 8]

"He sympathized with grieving parents and restored their children to life (cf. Mk 5:41; Lk 7:14-15). In this way he demonstrated the true meaning of mercy [AL 64]

"What moved Jesus in all of these situations was nothing other than mercy, with which he read the hearts of those he encountered and responded to their deepest need." [MV 8]

"They [those who come together at the family synod] began with the gaze of Jesus³² and they spoke of how he “looked upon the women and men whom he met with love and tenderness, accompanying their steps in truth, patience and mercy as he proclaimed the demands of the Kingdom of God." [AL 60]

In the life of Pope Francis this merciful gaze of Jesus plays an important role. It is that gaze, which Jesus not only gave to the tax collector Zacchaeus (Lk 19,5-10; AL 21) and whom he has vocated afterwards. He repeatedly tells, that he himself felt that merciful and vocating gaze when he was elected as Pope. From this experience arose his motto "Miserando atque Eligendo":

"Yes, but the best summary, the one that comes more from the inside and I feel most true is this: I am a sinner whom the Lord has looked upon.” And he repeats: “I am one who is looked upon by the Lord. I always felt my motto, Miserando atque Eligendo [By Having Mercy and by Choosing Him], was very true for me.” [IV Spadaro]

"The calling of Matthew is also presented within the context of mercy. Passing by the tax collector’s booth, Jesus looked intently at Matthew. It was a look full of mercy that forgave the sins of that man, a sinner and a tax collector, whom Jesus chose – against the hesitation of the disciples – to become one of the Twelve. Saint Bede the Venerable, commenting on this Gospel passage, wrote that Jesus looked upon Matthew with merciful love and chose him: miserando atque eligendo. This expression impressed me so much that I chose it for my episcopal motto." [MV 8]

Mercy surpasses justice

In the discussions around a pastoral of mercy, which Pope Francis unpacks not least in the context of divorce and re-marriage, some insisted on an irreconcilable contrast between God’s mercy and God’s justice. It is justice which sets a clear limit on mercy. Referring to God’s mercy, the Pope was accused of covering up the fact that God judges the world. The mercy of the Roman Catholic Church regarding divorcees who have got remarried against the declared will of the Church would undermine the teaching of the Church on the indissolubility of marriage. Therefore, they demand respect for teaching and law and defend themselves – also publicly - against the putatively too soft, acquiescent, overmaternal attitude of the Pope, which becomes visible in his plea for mercy. They fear a betrayal of the ideals of the Gospel, a dangerous adaptation to the spirit of the times.

The Pope takes these objections very seriously, although they irritate him. Along with Jesus, he criticises such contemporary teachers of law: "In an attempt to remain faithful to the law, they merely placed burdens on the shoulders of others and undermined the Father’s mercy.“ [MV 20] He confronts his critics full on:

"The Synod experience also made us better realize that the true defenders of doctrine are not those who uphold its letter, but its spirit; not ideas but people; not formulae but the gratuitousness of God’s love and forgiveness. This is in no way to detract from the importance of formulae – they are necessary – or from the importance of laws and divine commandments, but rather to exalt the greatness of the true God, who does not treat us according to our merits or even according to our works but solely according to the boundless generosity of his Mercy (cf. Rom 3:21-30; Ps 129; Lk 11:47-54). It does have to do with overcoming the recurring temptations of the elder brother (cf. Lk 15:25-32) and the jealous labourers (cf. Mt 20:1-16). Indeed, it means upholding all the more the laws and commandments which were made for man and not vice versa (cf. Mk 2:27)." [SYN]

Regarding such objections, it is understandable that Pope Francis reflects the sensitive relationship between mercy and justice in detail. His aim: One must ”realize the depth of his mercy" [MV 20, 24]:

"It would not be out of place at this point to recall the relationship between justice and mercy. These are not two contradictory realities, but two dimensions of a single reality that unfolds progressively until it culminates in the fullness of love. Justice is a fundamental concept for civil society, which is meant to be governed by the rule of law. Justice is also understood as that which is rightly due to each individual. In the Bible, there are many references to divine justice and to God as “judge”. In these passages, justice is understood as the full observance of the Law and the behaviour of every good Israelite in conformity with God’s commandments. Such a vision, however, has not infrequently led to legalism by distorting the original meaning of justice and obscuring its profound value. To overcome this legalistic perspective, we need to recall that in Sacred Scripture, justice is conceived essentially as the faithful abandonment of oneself to God’s will.." [MV 20]

Pope Francis does not let any doubts arise that [MV 20] mercy is a priority³³. Moreover, God’s justice does not equate with our worldly ideas of justice.

"If God limited himself to only justice, he would cease to be God, and would instead be like human beings who ask merely that the law be respected. But mere justice is not enough. Experience shows that an appeal to justice alone will result in its destruction. This is why God goes beyond justice with his mercy and forgiveness. Yet this does not mean that justice should be devalued or rendered superfluous. On the contrary: anyone who makes a mistake must pay the price. However, this is just the beginning of conversion, not its end, because one begins to feel the tenderness and mercy of God. God does not deny justice. He rather envelopes it and surpasses it with an even greater event in which we experience love as the foundation of true justice. We must pay close attention to what Saint Paul says if we want to avoid making the same mistake for which he reproaches the Jews of his time: “For, being ignorant of the righteousness that comes from God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness. For Christ is the end of the law, that every one who has faith may be justified” (Rom 10:3-4). God’s justice is his mercy given to everyone as a grace that flows from the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Thus the Cross of Christ is God’s judgement on all of us and on the whole world, because through it he offers us the certitude of love and new life." [MV 21]

From his basic reflections on the relationship between justice and mercy the Pope draws the conclusion:

"Mercy is not opposed to justice but rather expresses God’s way of reaching out to the sinner, offering him a new chance to look at himself, convert, and believe. The experience of the prophet Hosea can help us see the way in which mercy surpasses justice. " [MV 21]

"Saint Augustine, almost as if he were commenting on these words of the prophet, says: “It is easier for God to hold back anger than mercy”.[13] And so it is. God’s anger lasts but a moment, his mercy forever." [MV 21]

Mercy promotes justice

However, for Francis the relationship between mercy and justice still has a completely other dimension. Other than some fear, mercy not only abolishes justice but also sets it free. So at the same time, he can request that people show "justice and mercy towards the poor.” [EG 194]

But in this context, the Pope does not speak about God’s justice, but about justice in the lives of individuals and the living together of people as one humankind in the one “world house”.

It is an aspect of God’s mercy that he is primarily concerned with the poor. He heeds the cry of the poor, who the Pope sometimes calls the ”made-poor”: "…the poor have a special experience of God’s mercy" [MV 15]. In Evangelii Gaudium, his inaugural speech, the Latin American Pope presents a compact "theology of liberation".³⁴

"God’s heart has a special place for the poor, so much so that he himself “became poor” (2 Cor 8:9). The entire history of our redemption is marked by the presence of the poor. Salvation came to us from the “yes” uttered by a lowly maiden from a small town on the fringes of a great empire. The Saviour was born in a manger, in the midst of animals, like children of poor families; he was presented at the Temple along with two turtledoves, the offering made by those who could not afford a lamb (cf. Lk 2:24; Lev 5:7); he was raised in a home of ordinary workers and worked with his own hands to earn his bread. When he began to preach the Kingdom, crowds of the dispossessed followed him, illustrating his words: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor” (Lk 4:18). He assured those burdened by sorrow and crushed by poverty that God has a special place for them in his heart: “Blessed are you poor, yours is the kingdom of God” (Lk 6:20); he made himself one of them: “I was hungry and you gave me food to eat”, and he taught them that mercy towards all of these is the key to heaven (cf. Mt 25:5ff.) [EG 198]. For the Church, the option for the poor is primarily a theological category rather than a cultural, sociological, political or philosophical one. God shows the poor “his first mercy”. This divine preference has consequences for the faith life of all Christians, since we are called to have “this mind… which was in Jesus Christ” (Phil 2:5). Inspired by this, the Church has made an option for the poor which is understood as a “special form of primacy in the exercise of Christian charity, to which the whole tradition of the Church bears witness”. This option – as Benedict XVI has taught – “is implicit in our Christian faith in a God who became poor for us, so as to enrich us with his poverty”. This is why I want a Church which is poor and for the poor. They have much to teach us. Not only do they share in the sensus fidei, but in their difficulties they know the suffering Christ. We need to let ourselves be evangelized by them. The new evangelization is an invitation to acknowledge the saving power at work in their lives and to put them at the centre of the Church’s pilgrim way. We are called to find Christ in them, to lend our voice to their causes, but also to be their friends, to listen to them, to speak for them and to embrace the mysterious wisdom which God wishes to share with us through them" [EG 197]

This option for the “kept-poor” has a political dimension. The structures of injustice should be healed by circumspect political-economic activity.

“Our commitment does not consist exclusively in activities or programs of promotion and assistance; what the Holy Spirit mobilizes is not an unruly activism, but above all an attentiveness which considers the other “in a certain sense as one with ourselves”. This loving attentiveness is the beginning of a true concern for their person which inspires me effectively to seek their good. This entails appreciating the poor in their goodness, in their experience of life, in their culture, and in their ways of living the faith. True love is always contemplative, and permits us to serve the other not out of necessity or vanity, but rather because he or she is beautiful above and beyond mere appearances: “The love by which we find the other pleasing leads us to offer him something freely”. The poor person, when loved, “is esteemed as of great value”, and this is what makes the authentic option for the poor differ from any other ideology, from any attempt to exploit the poor for one’s own personal or political interest. Only on the basis of this real and sincere closeness can we properly accompany the poor on their path of liberation. Only this will ensure that “in every Christian community the poor feel at home.![EG 199]

According to Francis, the option for the poor also becomes concrete in various works of mercy. Francis does not hold back from asking people concretely for “justice and mercy towards the poor." [EG 194].

Works of mercy

But not only the Church should open people to God’s mercy in its pastoral activity. Such activity presupposes admittedly, that one previously observes and heeds (see Ex 3:7-10) in the same way as God, for our hearts are touched, even shaken.

"In all places and circumstances, Christians, with the help of their pastors, are called to hear the cry of the poor.” [EG 191]

"…the duty of hearing the cry of the poor when we are deeply moved by the suffering of others." [EG 193]

"This is the opportune moment to change our lives! This is the time to allow our hearts to be touched! When faced with evil deeds, even in the face of serious crimes, it is the time to listen to the cry of innocent people who are deprived of their property, their dignity, their feelings, and even their very lives." [MV 19]

Following an old tradition, those, who’s hearts are shaken will undertake the "corporal and spiritual works of mercy" [AL 290]. To do such works, Pope Francis encourages families. He then widens his urgent wish to everyone who follows Jesus. He insistently asks us to use the celebration of the Year of Mercy to train ourselves in merciful feeling, thinking and action. Based on the Holy Scripture (Hos 6:6; Mt 9:13; 12:7) he reminds us that God prefers actions of mercy more than all other sacrifices: “Mercy, which overcomes the defects of our devotion and sacrifice, is the sacrifice which is most pleasing, because it is mercy which above all seeks the good of one’s neighbor." [EG 39]

The Pope offers us a mirror to examine this activity of mercy. Whoever sees themselves reflected in this mirror, can recognize how far they personally meet the unavoidable challenge that they encounter the risen Christ in every person in need and if they love them, are saved. To the Christian faith belongs, according to the Pope in the encyclical Laudato si, “the awareness that each creature reflects something of God and has a message to convey to us, and the security that Christ has taken unto himself this material world and now, risen, is intimately present to each being, surrounding it with his affection and penetrating it with his light.” [LS 221]

Here follows the longer passage about the works of mercy to examine our consciences in the mirror:

"It is my burning desire that, during this Jubilee, the Christian people may reflect on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. It will be a way to reawaken our conscience, too often grown dull in the face of poverty. And let us enter more deeply into the heart of the Gospel where the poor have a special experience of God’s mercy. Jesus introduces us to these works of mercy in his preaching so that we can know whether or not we are living as his disciples. Let us rediscover these corporal works of mercy: to feed the hungry, give drink to the thirsty, clothe the naked, welcome the stranger, heal the sick, visit the imprisoned, and bury the dead. And let us not forget the spiritual works of mercy: to counsel the doubtful, instruct the ignorant, admonish sinners, comfort the afflicted, forgive offences, bear patiently those who do us ill, and pray for the living and the dead.

We cannot escape the Lord’s words to us, and they will serve as the criteria upon which we will be judged: whether we have fed the hungry and given drink to the thirsty, welcomed the stranger and clothed the naked, or spent time with the sick and those in prison (cf. Mt 25:31-45). Moreover, we will be asked if we have helped others to escape the doubt that causes them to fall into despair and which is often a source of loneliness; if we have helped to overcome the ignorance in which millions of people live, especially children deprived of the necessary means to free them from the bonds of poverty; if we have been close to the lonely and afflicted; if we have forgiven those who have offended us and have rejected all forms of anger and hate that lead to violence; if we have had the kind of patience God shows, who is so patient with us; and if we have commended our brothers and sisters to the Lord in prayer. In each of these “little ones,” Christ himself is present. His flesh becomes visible in the flesh of the tortured, the crushed, the scourged, the malnourished, and the exiled… to be acknowledged, touched, and cared for by us. Let us not forget the words of Saint John of the Cross: “as we prepare to leave this life, we will be judged on the basis of love" [MV 15]

Church: Becoming like the father

"Jesus affirms that mercy is not only an action of the Father, it becomes a criterion for ascertaining who his true children are." [MV 9] This inspires Pope Francis, to resound the basic melody of God’s mercy - louder than before - within the church. An instrument for Pope Francis was the Jubilee Year of Mercy with its rich meditative explanations in the opening bull Misericordiae vultus ("the face of mercy"). In this he advices the Church to behave in a way, which measures itself against God’s mercy. This applies primarily to Church’s officials:

"The church’s ministers must be merciful, take responsibility for the people and accompany them like the good Samaritan, who washes, cleans and raises up his neighbor." [IV Spadaro]

However, it is the whole Church, which should become "like the Father” – as the contemporary mystic Henri Nouwen³⁵ has already formulated. Therefore, also the motto of the Year of Mercy was:

"Merciful like the Father, therefore, is the “motto” of this Holy Year. In mercy, we find proof of how God loves us. He gives his entire self, always, freely, asking nothing in return. He comes to our aid whenever we call upon him." [MV 14]

A gate of Saint Peter’s Cathedral was declared the Holy Door of Mercy:

"…by crossing the threshold of the Holy Door, we will find the strength to embrace God’s mercy and dedicate ourselves to being merciful with others as the Father has been with us." [MV 14]

The Church finds such a merciful pastoral practice if it puts the mercy of God at its centre. Therefore, he encourages:

"We need constantly to contemplate the mystery of mercy. It is a wellspring of joy, serenity, and peace. Our salvation depends on it. Mercy: the word reveals the very mystery of the Most Holy Trinity. Mercy: the ultimate and supreme act by which God comes to meet us. Mercy: the fundamental law that dwells in the heart of every person who looks sincerely into the eyes of his brothers and sisters on the path of life. Mercy: the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness." [MV 2]

PART 2: BECOMING LIKE THE FATHER

If one reads the available texts of the Pope, then one finds in them as a common thread the concept of a pastoral of mercy. In this Pope Francis shifts the accents within the complete pastoral culture. Such shifts of accent are elaborated on in this second part, based on the analysed texts. They make the new and revolutionary aspects of the pastoral of mercy visible - although this newness in fact represents a once lost but now rediscovered original aspect

From sin to wound

The first shift of accent we ponder here is from sin to wound.

About sin

I am a sinner

One cannot accuse Pope Francis of an estrangement either consciousness of sin or of Confession. He publicly confesses: "I am a sinner." [IV Spadaro 3x; IV ZEIT]. He even complains, he is not allowed "to be a fallible sinner" [IV ZEIT]. He calls to such people:

"I am sinner and am fallible and we mustn't forget that the idealisation of a man is always a subliminal type of aggression, too. If I am idealised, I feel attacked." [IV TIME]

With this public confession to his being a sinner he does not devalue himself. With that he rather expresses his astonishment at God’s merciful readiness to forgive. A person as a sinner never loses God’s reputation, according to his insistent message. He refers to his own experience of life: That God has elected him – a sinner - as pope, happened for God has "looked" at him and has given him with that "favour". Saint Beda Venerabilis has made it easier for him to formulate this deep inner experience, reflecting in a sermon about the vocation of the tax collector Mathew: “…he looked at him with feelings of love and chose him, he said to him, ‘Follow me.’” [IV Spadaro; MV 8, 20; AL 21³⁶] [35]]. Repeatedly, the Pope applies this biblical event to himself in the analysed texts: "Here, this is me, a sinner on whom the Lord has turned his gaze.” [IV Spadaro]

A short theology of sin

If Pope Francis speaks about sin, it is always in the context of mercy. In the perspective of faith "we can see the light which the Holy Spirit always radiates in the midst of darkness, never forgetting that “where sin increased, grace has abounded all the more” (Rom 5:20).” [EG 84] Sin and mercy are two sides of one and the same reality. Therefore, for example Pope Francis can formulate in the ZEIT-interview: "All parents are sinners within the mercy of God." [IV ZEIT] However, mercy is the favour that God has for human beings: [36]³⁷ “He has looked with favor on the lowliness of his servant.” (Luke 1:48) – so sang Mary, the woman who is for us a role model of faith.

From this the Pope draws the conclusion: When “…we feel the transforming power of grace, we also feel the effects of sin typical of our fallen state. Despite being forgiven, the conflicting consequences of our sins remain” [MV 22]. “The consciousness of sin is awakened by an encounter with Jesus’ gratuitous love.” [AL 64].

It is a concern of the Pope, in the ambit of the forgiving mercy of God, to increase the healing sensibility for sin and with that a salutary, because undisguised self-knowledge. First and foremost, this concerns his own Church. He does not overlook the sins within the Church. These have led to people’s loss of confidence. He wants to regain this confidence:

Guadagnare - win: “Gaining and humbly rebuilding trust in the Church, which has been gravely weakened as a result of the conduct and sins of her children – sadly, the counter-witness of scandals committed in the Church by some clerics have damaged her credibility and obscured the brightness of her saving message" [SYN]

Part of Francis’ short theology of sin is what he writes about the relationship of God to sinners. "My Lord is a Lord of sinners and not of righteous ones - of the righteous one too - but the sinners he loves more." [IV ZEIT]

Francis believes in a God who heals. This “tramples down our sins and tosses them into the depths of the sea”. [MV 17]. "God is greater than sin." [IV Spadaro] He saves "at the cost of his innocent blood, while we were still sinners (cf. Rom 5:6)” [SYN] and although the Son of God has fought against sin, he has "never rejected the sinner.” [MV 19] He eats and drinks with sinners (cf. Mk 2:16) [EG 269, AL 298]. His gaze is “beyond their weaknesses and failings”. [EG 141] On the cross, "Jesus endured in his own flesh the dramatic encounter of the sin of the world and God’s mercy". [EG 285]

In this way Christ “sets us free … from sin, sorrow, inner emptiness and loneliness” [AL 200, EN 1] Jesus Christ has triumphed over sin and death [EG 275]. “Jesus… reconciled all things in himself and redeemed us from sin" [AL 71]

Then Pope Francis quotes the Pope who has concluded the Council: "Blessed Paul VI expressed this eloquently: ‘We can imagine, then, that each of our sins, our attempts to turn our back on God, kindles in him a more intense flame of love, a desire to bring us back to himself and to his saving plan… God, in Christ, shows himself to be infinitely good…’" [SYN]

Personal sins

Pope Francis knows two basic kinds of sin: personal and social ones. About personal sins the Pope speaks only briefely in his letter about the Joy of Love. He reminds married couple: "Be angry but do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger (Eph 4,26).” [AL 104] Sensitively, he draws their attention to the fact that "…through sin, the relationship of love and purity between man and woman turns into domination". [AL 19]. Such dark power can destroy a relationship so much that staying together is no longer possible:

“One must admit, ‘that there are cases in which separation becomes inevitable. At times it even becomes morally necessary, precisely when it is a matter of removing the more vulnerable spouse or young children from serious injury due to abuse and violence, from humiliation and exploitation, and from disregard and indifference’. Even so, separation must be considered as a last resort, after all other reasonable attempts at reconciliation have proved vain.” [AL 241]

Social sins

More than on personal sins the Pope reflects on social sins. Critically he analyses social and economic conditions. He rejects corruption, defamation is for him “a grave offense”.³⁸ Especially in his encyclical on his concern for nature [ecology] the accent obviously shifts from personal to social sins. This is not only due to the "political topic" of the environmental encyclical but also due to the basic option of Pope Francis coming from the theology of liberation. In the social area he sees – since the sin of Cain - the spirit of evil at work:

"The first evil deed was done by his [i.e. Adam’s] son Cain. Cain does not act out of weakness but jealousy, envy and imperiousness. This is the evil of war, which we meet with those who kill, murder or produce weapons. The spirit of evil is at work here." [IV ZEIT]

Cain’s fratricide belongs to the "outrageous sins". The Pope's fellow Jesuit Petrus Canisius³⁹ had arranged these in his famous catechism of 1560 in a couplet:

"Clamitat ad coelum vox sanquinis et Sodomorum, vox oppressorum et merces detenta laborum."

To heaven shouts the blood of Abel murdered by Cain (Gen 4:10), the cry of complaint about the violation of the right to hospitality by the residents of Sodom and Gomorrah (Gen 18:20); the cry of complaint of the oppressed and exploited people in Egypt (Ex 3:7-10); the injustice against widows and orphans (Ex 22:20-23) and the cry of the workers, to whom the daily salary is withheld (Dtn 24:14f.; Sir 35; Jac 5:4).

This teaching about the outrageous sins has been forgotten in the wealthy regions of the world. Into the catechism of the World Church it was inserted only in the final edit. It is different in the Churches of the South⁴⁰, this is where Pope Francis comes from.

Pope Francis prophetically laments the standpoint of many in the wealthy countries in respect to the suppressed and those who are made poor. Repeatedly he scourges "indifference" [LS 14, 25 MV 15⁴¹, EG 61, 92, 203, towards the elderly (AL 191), consumerism: (LS 232), married couples: AL 228]. “We see persistent injustice, evil, indifference and cruelty." [EG 276] Speaking to the politicians of Europe, he opposes the “globalization of indifference”⁴² and prays for forgiveness for the “sin of the indifference" [LS 246].

"If we, who are God’s means of hearing the poor, turn deaf ears to this plea, we oppose the Father’s will and his plan; that poor person ‘might cry to the Lord against you, and you would incur guilt’ (Dt 15:9).” [EG 187]

A deeper reason for this widespread indifference, the Pope finds, that man falls into the sin of trying to replace the Creator. We do this in our common life [AL 56] and in relation to nature. In an "illusion of almightiness" (Horst E. Richter⁴³) people have become boastful, they have denied their finiteness. In this, Francis sees the deepest root of sin:

" The creation accounts in the book of Genesis contain, in their own symbolic and narrative language, profound teachings about human existence and its historical reality. They suggest that human life is grounded in three fundamental and closely intertwined relationships: with God, with our neighbour and with the earth itself. According to the Bible, these three vital relationships have been broken, both outwardly and within us. This rupture is sin. The harmony between the Creator, humanity and creation as a whole was disrupted by our presuming to take the place of God and refusing to acknowledge our creaturely limitations” (LS 66)

To explain how much human beings sin against creation, the Pope quotes the "green" Greek-Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomaios:

"For human beings… to destroy the biological diversity of God’s creation; for human beings to degrade the integrity of the earth by causing changes in its climate, by stripping the earth of its natural forests or destroying its wetlands; for human beings to contaminate the earth’s waters, its land, its air, and its life – these are sins”. For “to commit a crime against the natural world is a sin against ourselves and a sin against God.'" [LS 8]

At the end, this sin arises from the wounded human heart:

"The violence present in our hearts, wounded by sin, is also reflected in the symptoms of sickness evident in the soil, in the water, in the air and in all forms of life. This is why the earth herself, burdened and laid waste, is among the most abandoned and maltreated of our poor; she “groans in travail” (Rom 8:22)." (LS 2)

This quotation shows that Pope Francis comprehends sin as a violation and an injury. If they commit sin, human beings inflict wounds on nature, on their neighbours and on themselves. Sinning is always wounding. From here we start to see, that the answer to sin is healing. But before we do that, here are some pieces of evidence from the papal texts about the many violations in today’s world.

… to wounds

Social wounds

The Pope diagnoses wounds in the social area. He quotes from the catechism of the Roman Catholic Church and names gunrunning as one of "the greatest curses on the human race and the harm it inflicts on the poor is more than can be endured”" [Council of Europe]

In several places he criticizes corruption [LS 55; EG 54, 60, 75, 97; LS 172, 177, 179, 182, 187] which inflicts deep wounds on the human family:

"The same invitation is extended to those who either perpetrate or participate in corruption. This festering wound is a grave sin that cries out to heaven for vengeance, because it threatens the very foundations of personal and social life. Corruption prevents us from looking to the future with hope, because its tyrannical greed shatters the plans of the weak and tramples upon the poorest of the poor. It is an evil that embeds itself into the actions of everyday life and spreads, causing great public scandal. Corruption is a sinful hardening of the heart that replaces God with the illusion that money is a form of power. It is a work of darkness, fed by suspicion and intrigue. Corruptio optimi pessima, saint Gregory the Great said with good reason, affirming that no one can think himself immune from this temptation. If we want to drive it out from personal and social life, we need prudence, vigilance, loyalty, transparency, together with the courage to denounce any wrongdoing. If it is not combated openly, sooner or later everyone will become an accomplice to it, and it will end up destroying our very existence." [MV 19]

Wounds on nature

Pope Francis perceives that people have inflicted wounds on nature. Here he could invoke his predecessor - which makes visible the fact that the Roman Catholic Church has been concerned about the environment for a long time⁴⁴:

"Pope Benedict asked us to recognize that the natural environment has been gravely damaged by our irresponsible behaviour. The social environment has also suffered damage. Both are ultimately due to the same evil: the notion that there are no indisputable truths to guide our lives, and hence human freedom is limitless." [LS 6]

Wounded people

Not only nature and society carry wounds. Also individuals are wounded. Thanks to the document Amoris Laetitia about marriage and family, primarily wounded couples and families are the main focus. Francis here includes, for example, Christians, “who live in situations that from the point of view of the church are irregular or somewhat complex, Christians that, in one way or another, live with open wounds.” [IV Spadaro] It is required "to bind the wounds of the outcast." [AL 183] It moves the Pope that a child feels “that he or she is a mistake, or worthless or abandoned to the four winds and the arrogance of man” [AL 166].

If parents are quarrelling, “it is irresponsible to disparage the other parent as a means of winning a child’s affection, or out of revenge or self-justification. Doing so will affect the child’s interior tranquility and cause wounds hard to heal”. [AL 245] The Pope ask himself: "Do we feel the immense psychological burden borne by children in families where the members mistreat and hurt one another, to the point of breaking the bonds of marital fidelity?” [AL 246] For the child's sake, one should therefore help the parents to "…strengthen their love, helping to heal wounds". [AL 246].

Often people carry old wounds within themselves which are then the breeding ground for further personal crises: “Childhood or adolescence can breed personal crises that affect one’s marriage.” [AL 239]

"Why shouldn’t we tell God our troubles and ask him to grant us the healing and help we need to remain faithful?” [AL 227]

From moralising to healing

… Christian morality is not a form of stoicism, or self-denial, or merely a practical philosophy or a catalogue of sins and faults. [EG 39]

A second shift of accent in the pastoral culture after the shift from sin to wound is that from moralising to healing. One cannot separate these shifts of accent from one another. They are woven together.

In the process of this shift of accent Pope Francis tries to also heal the image of the Church particularly in modern cultures.

This may be illustrated firstly with the example of the development of Christianity in Austria. The Enlightenment had expelled mysticism from the religious field. So the proponent of the Enlightenment Joseph II in Austria ordered the closure of all pastorally non active institutions of the Roman Catholic Church. He transferred their property into a “religious fund”. from which he financed that pastoral practice, which was in the favor of the absolutist state. It was a pastoral practice that served the State. Through this commissioning by the state, the priests of the Church became the State’s "religion servants". For their education, the mother of Joseph II, Empress Maria Theresia, had already established in 1774 the Chair for Pastoral Theology at the University of Vienna. The concern for the poor, the recruitment of soldiers, the vaccination of cows, the holding of the liturgy, the administration of the sacraments and the indoctrination of morality became the main priestly tasks. The state religion servants also had to safeguard obedience towards the Sovereign and the payment of taxes.

After the end of Absolutism, the image of the Church - built up during that time - remained unchanged in the culture. Above all, the caring for the virtues of decency and obedience was assigned to the Church. It should accompany people through the rites-of-passage and provide a moral framework.

Primarily, the Church was at first solely responsible for marriage and its moral formation. Due to tolerance for Protestants and Jews Joseph II decreed a special “Ehepatent” (1783, a marriage patent). Gender roles were religiously legitimised, the marital fidelity of the vast majority of the Roman Catholics was protected by a religious contract. In this traditional "Christian-like culture" people were used to cultivate the relationship of the sexes according to the moral teachings of the Church. Correspondingly, one measured Christianity of individuals primarily in terms of the success of their marriage and the marital fidelity, while the Church’s yardstick was not applied so strictly to men as to women. From earliest childhood, many people learned to connect the churchly-defined moral "failure" in the realm of sexuality with hell and eternal damnation. In this way, culturally the image of the Church was limited to the "bedroom". The Church itself for long time, in catechesis, homilies and “missionary events for parish-members” had taken on this intended role. Over time this role expanded to adjacent areas like abortion and protection of life. This development proceeded very similarly in many other regions of the uniformly organized international Roman Catholic Church.

Pope’s Francis shift of accent from "moralising" to healing has to be seen against this moral-historical background. He raises to the level of papal teaching what already for a long time before him church reform groups, moral theologians, primarily feminist moral theologians had demanded. The Pope directs his interest less towards the popular topics of life and sexual morals (without weakening the positions regarding this). However, in the focus of his interest there are not morality and therefore sin, but wounds and therefore healing.

Now I will explain this shift from moralising to healing. Keywords in the following analysis of the texts of Pope Francis are phrases with "moral" (morally, moralise) as well as "heal" (healing, Savior). First we deal with the semantic field “moral”.

Anticipating the result, the analyses show that within the Church the Pope protects people from moralizing, but in society through moral principles he protects above all people endangered by poverty as well as nature under threat.

About moralising

The Pope, according to the analysis of the semantic field “moral*”, is certainly not on a hostile footing with "morality". He uses positively phrases with “moral” in many contexts. In a touching way, he tells of his grandmother Rose, that she was a saint and who ”suffered so much, also spiritually" [IV Spadaro]. Mothers stand for "tenderness, dedication and moral strength” [AL 174] Turned into principle: "Authentic human development has a moral character. It presumes full respect for the human person." [LS 5]

If one looks over the various statements about morality, one discovers a type of papal "dual policy"⁴⁵. The Pope talks differently to the outside (to the world) than to the inside (to the church):

When the Pope - as in the environmental encyclical - intervenes in questions of the (international) society, he criticises the lack of morality and calls for such in favour of the poor and nature.

is talk about morality in the pastoral area is different. Foregrounded is the criticism of a lack of a pastoral culture, according to which, by moralising, the Gospel of mercy falls by the wayside. This contradicts God’s intentions as well as at the same time harming the people affected. In pastoral practice, this discussion within the Church is for example fought in the realm of marriage and family, particularly concerning divorce and remarriage.

Moral encouragement of the "world"

To begin with, let us look together with Pope Francis at the moral situation of the world. He is full of worry "in view of the moral and human failings" AL [35]. With the U.S. bishops he observes an " increase in relativism". An example of this is, that some consider basic human rights as incompatible with “objective moral norms” [EG 64]. Also in dealing with nature the Pope laments a lack of morality: "We have had enough of immorality and the mockery of ethics, goodness, faith and honesty. It is time to acknowledge that light-hearted superficiality has done us no good." [LS 229] The work of the Family Synod - convened by him - is undertaken "in times marked by discouragement, social, economic and moral crisis, and growing pessimism." [SYN]. Although the Pope admires “the most extraordinary scientific advances, the most amazing technical abilities, the most astonishing economic growth”. However, ”unless they are accompanied by authentic social and moral progress, will definitively turn against man”. [LS 4]

The Pope identifies some "moral challenges" of our times very concretely: "…those who work in healthcare facilities are reminded of the moral duty of conscientious objection. Similarly, the Church not only feels the urgency to assert the right to a natural death, without aggressive treatment and euthanasia”, but likewise “firmly rejects the death penalty" [AL 83]. It is necessary “to respect the dignity of the person in morally assessing methods of regulating birth…” [AL 82]; “…man too is God’s gift to man. He must therefore respect the natural and moral structure with which he has been endowed”[LS 115] Together with the moral theologian John Paul II, Pope Francis appreciates the idea of a “human ecology” which contains a fundamental aspect, namely "the relationship between human life and the moral law, which is inscribed in our nature and is necessary for the creation of a more dignified environment” [LS 155]

However, the Pope does not dwell on sexual morals. He is far more interested in social morality. Here he becomes very pragmatic: “Purchasing is always a moral – and not simply economic – act”. Today, in a word, “the issue of environmental degradation challenges us to examine our lifestyle.” [LS 206] Their ability helps them to come out of themselves and to approach others. "These attitudes also attune us to the moral imperative of assessing the impact of our every action and personal decision on the world around us." [LS 208]

Regarding the moral dimension of today's social life, the Pope is not a pessimist. As much he sees and laments the decline in society, he at the same time does not overlook its positive strengths: "The Christian substratum of certain peoples – most of all in the West – is a living reality. Here we find, especially among the most needy, a moral resource which preserves the values of an authentic Christian humanism. [EG 68] “The strong person is the person who can cut off the chain of hate, the chain of evil… Somebody must have religion enough and morality enough to cut it off and inject within the very structure of the universe that strong and powerful element of love" [AL 118]

It is the task of the Church "to view and interpret realities, today’s realities, through God’s eyes", to "kindle the flame of faith and enlighten people’s hearts” [SYN] in the midst of discouragement. She sees "an urgent moral need for a renewed sense of intragenerational solidarity”. [LS 162]

The families are asked for such solidarity, who proves themselves in this way as subjects of Church’s practice. They can give a manifold testimonial for the Gospel: "…solidarity with the poor, openness to a diversity of people, the protection of creation, moral and material solidarity with other families, including those most in need, commitment to the promotion of the common good and the transformation of unjust social structures, beginning in the territory in which the family lives, through the practice of the corporal and spiritual works of mercy." [AL 290]

In accord with Paul VI, who described politics as the most effective form of charity, Pope Francis say that "participation in political life is a moral obligation". [EG 220]

Moral Upbringing

How much the Pope is worried about the moral ethical dimension of cultures - within the self-uniting and at the same time lacerated world - shows his interest in the upbringing of the next generation. In Amoris laetitia, a whole chapter is dedicated to this issue [AL 263-270]. He provides parents with concrete tips. He assumes that in the upbringing of children “parents always influence the moral development of their children, for better or for worse". [AL 259] However, parents share this task with schools, but keep the main responsibility for their children: "Parents rely on schools to ensure the basic instruction of their children, [they] can never completely delegate the moral formation of their children to others." [AL 263]

In his concern about the moral formation of the next generation, Pope Francis goes into the moral educational lowlands of the everyday upbringing. He suggests to the parents a number of educational aims: "Moral education has to do with cultivating freedom through ideas, incentives, practical applications, stimuli, rewards, examples, models, symbols, reflections, encouragement, dialogue and a constant rethinking of our way of doing things; all these can help develop those stable interior principles that lead us spontaneously to do good." [AL 267] He warns not to put too much strain on the children in moral education: "Moral education entails asking of a child or a young person only those things that do not involve a disproportionate sacrifice, and demanding only a degree of effort that will not lead to resentment or coercion.” [AL 271] It rather requires patient advice on the practice of morally good attitudes and action models in connection with the training of the will: "The strengthening of the will and the repetition of specific actions are the building blocks of moral conduct; without the conscious, free and valued repetition of certain patterns of good behaviour, moral education does not take place” [AL 266]. “Moral formation should always take place with active methods and a dialogue that teaches through sensitivity and by using a language children can understand” [AL 264]

In ethical education it is important for the Pope not to put the dark, failure or sacrifice in the foreground but to bring the good into the middle:

"Doing what is right means more than ‘judging what seems best’ or knowing clearly what needs to be done, as important as this is. Often we prove inconsistent in our own convictions, however firm they may be; even when our conscience dictates a clear moral decision, other factors sometimes prove more attractive and powerful. We have to arrive at the point where the good that the intellect grasps can take root in us as a profound affective inclination, as a thirst for the good that outweighs other attractions and helps us to realize that what we consider objectively good is also good “for us” here and now. A good ethical education includes showing a person that it is in his own interest to do what is right. Today, it is less and less effective to demand something that calls for effort and sacrifice, without clearly pointing to the benefits which it can bring.” [AL 265]

Against moralising in pastoral practice

While Pope Francis goes on the offensive in regard to the moral dimension of cultures as well as of politics and fights against a moral decline, he seems rather protective in the pastoral discussion around marriage and family. He expects more morality from the world. Within the Church he protects the members from "too much morality ", more exactly against a "moralising without pity”, which harms not only the respective individual but also obscures the central message of the Gospel: God’s unearnable mercy. Not morality, but mercy has priority.

Criticism of giving equal weight

To decrease the temptation for “moralising without pity” in the daily pastoral practice of the Church, he relativises the weight of morality [morals].

Hierarchy in moral statements

He makes use of an insight of the Second Vatican Council from the ecumenical movement. For certain truths from all beliefs of our own Church not to hinder the ecumenical approach to sister-Churches, the Council has pointed to the tradition of the “hierarchy of truths". The Pope adopts this idea to the realm of moral teaching in the Church. He says:

"Hierarchy: … This holds true as much for the dogmas of faith as for the whole corpus of the Church’s teaching, including her moral teaching." [EG 36]

He refers to the great Doctor of the Church from the Middle Ages: "Saint Thomas Aquinas taught that the Church’s moral teaching has its own “hierarchy”, in the virtues and in the acts which proceed from them. [EG 37] The Pope can therefore draw the conclusion, that there are central positions in the teaching of morals and positions of lesser importance on the periphery. Recent theologians (such as Karl Rahner) have suggested - in the face of an extremely elaborate casuistic teaching about sin - to speak about an existential decision, which has a lifelong narrative of maturation, and about single morally relevant actions, with which the existential decision forms itself and in which it appears.

Such a hierarchy of moral truths also has effects on the missionary task of winning people for the Gospel. The Pope explains his position in the conversation with his fellow brother Antonio Spadaro calling for a new balance between the indispensable teachings and those of lesser importance:

"The dogmatic and moral teachings of the church are not all equivalent. The church’s pastoral ministry cannot be obsessed with the transmission of a disjointed multitude of doctrines to be imposed insistently. Proclamation in a missionary style focuses on the essentials, on the necessary things: this is also what fascinates and attracts more, what makes the heart burn, as it did for the disciples at Emmaus. We have to find a new balance; otherwise even the moral edifice of the church is likely to fall like a house of cards, losing the freshness and fragrance of the Gospel. The proposal of the Gospel must be more simple, profound, radiant. It is from this proposition that the moral consequences then flow." [IV Spadaro]

According to the Pope, the same is necessary for preachers whom he reminds to concentrate on the proclamation of the central message (on the Kerygma of death and resurrection of the firstborn of the Creation) and not to lose themselves too quickly in moral applications. In addition, this could lead too easily to the consequence that the casuistic application of moral principles are taken out of their context and in this way lose their meaning⁴⁶:

"…a genuine sermon must begin with the first proclamation, with the proclamation of salvation. There is nothing more solid, deep and sure than this proclamation. Then you have to do catechesis. Then you can draw even a moral consequence. But the proclamation of the saving love of God comes before moral and religious imperatives. Today sometimes it seems that the opposite order is prevailing. The homily is the touchstone to measure the pastor’s proximity and ability to meet his people, because those who preach must recognize the heart of their community and must be able to see where the desire for God is lively and ardent. The message of the Gospel, therefore, is not to be reduced to some aspects that, although relevant, on their own do not show the heart of the message of Jesus Christ.”[IV Spadaro]

The Roman Magisterium (and analogous to this the common magisterium of the believers with their bishops diffusing into the local churches as well) also shall hold itself back on moral questions. In this way, he dampens the expectation of some with an eye to the Family Synod, that there will be new dogmatic or moral instructions from the (Roman) Magisterium: "not all discussions of doctrinal, moral or pastoral issues need to be settled by interventions of the magisterium". [AL 3] The synod can examine such questions and help achieve greater clarity [AL 2]. Therefore, some aspects should not be decided by the central magisterium because they allow for various ways of interpreting [AL 3]. Within the Church, there is a need for discussion on some open questions of morality. He asks moral theology to pay attention to the unabbreviated completeness of the moral teaching. At the same time "special care should always be shown to emphasize and encourage the highest and most central values of the Gospel, particularly the primacy of charity as a response to the completely gratuitous offer of God’s love.” [AL 311]

Bounds of morality

However, regarding to the preponderance of morality in the proclamation and pastoral work in general, the Pope does not only emphasise responsibilities which he wants to see broadly strewn in the world Church because different results can always arise when you implement the inherited principles into the cultures and the lives of the individuals.

With the aim of damming up moralising in the pastoral work he also makes statements about the content of the moral proclamation of the church.

It is a central concern to him that the proclamation goes "to the hearts" of the recipients and leads to an exchange between hearts. Therefore, he warns the preachers: "A preaching which would be purely moralistic or doctrinaire, or one which turns into a lecture on biblical exegesis, detracts from this heart-to-heart communication." [EG 142]

Moreover, he wants that the moral proclamation of the church puts the accent to a lesser extent on sins but on the worthwhile good:

"As for the moral component of catechesis, which promotes growth in fidelity to the Gospel way of life, it is helpful to stress again and again the attractiveness and the ideal of a life of wisdom, self-fulfilment and enrichment. In the light of that positive message, our rejection of the evils which endanger that life can be better understood. Rather than experts in dire predictions, dour judges bent on rooting out every threat and deviation, we should appear as joyful messengers of challenging proposals, guardians of the goodness and beauty which shine forth in a life of fidelity to the Gospel." [EG 168]

In his theology of mercy, the Pope takes a further step, and again, he can refer to the great teacher of the Middle Ages, Thomas Aquinas: For him it is possible that somebody, who does not fulfil moral virtues and is not able to fulfil them, lives in God’s grace: "Saint Thomas Aquinas himself recognized that someone may possess grace and charity, yet not be able to exercise any one of the virtues well; in other words, although someone may possess all the infused moral virtues, he does not clearly manifest the existence of one of them, because the outward practice of that virtue is rendered difficult." [AL 301] The difficulty mostly is that simply one cannot live by moral laws in certain situations. According to the traditional moral teaching, he points out that there are "circumstances which mitigate moral responsibility” [AL 302]. Moreover, it can be (and the Pope still moves within the conventional moral theology) that different moral commandments command a man simultaneously and he is not able to fulfil both. For example, somebody can be confronted both with the commandment of marital fidelity as well as with an unbearable situation for the vulnerable partner and children. In such a case, the Pope says explicitly, a separation can be unavoidable: “At times it even becomes morally necessary, precisely when it is a matter of removing the more vulnerable spouse or young children from serious injury due to abuse and violence, from humiliation and exploitation, and from disregard and indifference”. Even so, “separation must be considered as a last resort, after all other reasonable attempts at reconciliation have proved vain”. [AL 241].

For the pastoral accompaniment of individuals in their respective unique life-stories, this can lead to somebody being "objectively" "sinful" (according to the moral law), but "subjectively" in the realm of their freedom to choose they do not make themselves culpable, Therefore, the Roman Catholic moral teaching does not follow the ancient myth of Oedipus, who without knowing married his mother, killed his father and was therefore condemned and punished by the gods. Much more, the Pope reminds us the moral wisdom of the Roman Catholic Church:

"Because of forms of conditioning and mitigating factors, it is possible that in an objective situation of sin – which may not be subjectively culpable, or fully such – a person can be living in God’s grace, can love and can also grow in the life of grace and charity, while receiving the Church’s help to this end." [AL 305]

Morality can be mercilessly correct

The Pope suspects that this view on the conventional moral teaching of the Church and its handling of the moral instructions, will run into resistance from the ‘law orientated experts’. He has been made to feel this resistance considerably in discussions at the two family synods as well as in reactions to his interviews, to Misericodiae vultus, and not least to the ‘passages of practice’ in the Apostolic Exhortatio "Amoris Laetitia", and previously "Evangelii Gaudium".

He reacts to this resistance in a rather edgy way. He fears that through applying moral instructions, laws can become boulders to be thrown at people. He laments, that in pastoral practice conditions are set for the unconditional mercy of God. And not least he fears – or does he hope? - , that the ‘moral building’, decoupled from the central message of the divine mercy, in the reality of life today will collapse like a house of cards. Here follow the respective texts, which to mediate on is worthwhile:

We put so many conditions for mercy

"At times we find it hard to make room for God’s unconditional love in our pastoral activity. We put so many conditions on mercy that we empty it of its concrete meaning and real significance. That is the worst way of watering down the Gospel. It is true, for example, that mercy does not exclude justice and truth, but first and foremost we have to say that mercy is the fullness of justice and the most radiant manifestation of God’s truth. For this reason, we should always consider “inadequate any theological conception which in the end puts in doubt the omnipotence of God and, especially, his mercy”. [AL 311]

Laws as boulders

"For this reason, a pastor cannot feel that it is enough simply to apply moral laws to those living in “irregular” situations, as if they were stones to throw at people’s lives. This would bespeak the closed heart of one used to hiding behind the Church’s teachings, “sitting on the chair of Moses and judging at times with superiority and superficiality difficult cases and wounded families”. Along these same lines, the International Theological Commission has noted that “natural law could not be presented as an already established set of rules that impose themselves a priori on the moral subject; rather, it is a source of objective inspiration for the deeply personal process of making decisions”. [AL 305]

Moral building as a house of cards

"When preaching is faithful to the Gospel, the centrality of certain truths is evident and it becomes clear that Christian morality is not a form of stoicism, or self-denial, or merely a practical philosophy or a catalogue of sins and faults. Before all else, the Gospel invites us to respond to the God of love who saves us, to see God in others and to go forth from ourselves to seek the good of others. Under no circumstance can this invitation be obscured! All of the virtues are at the service of this response of love. If this invitation does not radiate forcefully and attractively, the edifice of the Church’s moral teaching risks becoming a house of cards, and this is our greatest risk. It would mean that it is not the Gospel which is being preached, but certain doctrinal or moral points based on specific ideological options. The message will run the risk of losing its freshness and will cease to have “the fragrance of the Gospel”. [EG 39]

Showing esteem for the moral instructions of humankind and the Judeo-Christian tradition, the Pope advises not to "moralise”, meaning not to separate them from their wider context of divine mercy.

Insistently he recommends that preachers and couples should avoid moralising language.⁴⁷, However, for him the priority of healing mercy is and remains incontrovertible. In the end, whoever does not take this into account does not help people. "We have long thought that simply by stressing doctrinal, bioethical and moral issues, without encouraging openness to grace, we were providing sufficient support to families, strengthening the marriage bond and giving meaning to marital life." [AL 37]

Not only the homily, but also pastoral practice must "express God’s saving love which precedes any moral and religious obligation on our part; it should not impose the truth but appeal to freedom; it should be marked by joy, encouragement, liveliness and a harmonious balance which will not reduce preaching to a few doctrines which are at times more philosophical than evangelical." [EG 165].

We have already stepped onto the bridge which leads from moralising to healing. In the following section we will propose the many dimensions of a healing pastoral practice according to Pope Francis.

…to healing

Pope Francis relates the healing of wounds to two central topics of the Christian tradition: conversion and forgiveness. However, he interprets them both now within the context of his pastoral of mercy. Forgiveness and conversion are God’s presents to humankind and the world. And while conversion is more related to grace-supported human activity, forgiveness stresses that God’s grace is always advanced to human beings and is given by God even when the human situation has gone totally astray and in respect to the expected change only the good, but hardly successful will remains.

Conversion

Next, some marked positions of the Pope related to conversion. Firstly, it is about the conversion of individuals - also of couples - and thereafter facets of political conversion.

Conversion of individuals

Conversion happens in the realm of God’s mercy. This gives to wounded person time for conversion, therefore for healing:

"Mercy is not opposed to justice but rather expresses God’s way of reaching out to the sinner, offering him a new chance to look at himself, convert, and believe." [MV 21]

The Pope reminds us that the call for conversion is that request with which Jesus starts his public activities and is the basic melody of his sermon on the kingdom of God. He quotes from the Gospel of St Matthew: “Truly I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Whoever humbles himself like this child, he is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven’ (Mt 18:3-4).” [AL 18]

Conversion brings joy - and not only in the heaven (“Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance” (Lk 15:7). [EG 15], but also to the remorseful ones here on earth:

"He will be – so to say – delighted on the day when we return and say: ‘Lord, in your goodness, forgive me. Thus our repentance becomes God’s joy." [SYN]

Just awaken this joy of conversion in people is the aim of the pastoral of mercy: "The Church, in her maternal concern, tries to help them experience a conversion which will restore the joy of faith to their hearts and inspire a commitment to the Gospel." [EG 15]

It is, therefore the task of the church to “call to conversion” [AL 297]⁴⁸ everyone, particularly those who are distant from God: "I direct this invitation to conversion even more fervently to those whose behaviour distances them from the grace of God." [MV 19] The sermon should also be so that "God’s word can forcefully resound in its call to conversion, worship, commitment to fraternity and service, and so forth." [EG 155] With an eye on the addressees of conversion, the Pope articulates: "All one needs to do is to accept the invitation to conversion and submit oneself to justice during this special time of mercy offered by the Church." [MV 19] Together with couples in "irregular union" of different types, he asks for the "grace of conversion". [AL 78]

So that the Church can carry out this service to invite people in the name of God to a healing conversion, it needs itself a "missionary conversion" [AL 201] Together with John XXIII Francis is convinced:

“The Church’s first duty is not to hand down condemnations or anathemas, but to proclaim God’s mercy, to call to conversion, and to lead all men and women to salvation in the Lord (cf. Jn 12:4450)." [SYN]

Conversion in politics

The Pope who heeds the cry of the held-poor, who looks on those whose cry has ceased, cares about more justice in the world. The way there goes through political conversion.

Peace

Pope Francis is a peace maker, a peace initiator. Wherever it is possible for him, he intervenes politically for peace: in Syria, in Indonesia, on the Philippines, in Cuba, in the Middle East and in North Korea. However, the way of peace is always a way of reconciliation which is not possible without conversion of the hearts - and again the Pope does not refer to the Roman Magisterium but to the magisterium of the bishops, here referring to the Congo:

"The message of peace is not about a negotiated settlement but rather the conviction that the unity brought by the Spirit can harmonize every diversity. It overcomes every conflict by creating a new and promising synthesis. Diversity is a beautiful thing when it can constantly enter into a process of reconciliation and seal a sort of cultural covenant resulting in a “reconciled diversity”. As the bishops of the Congo have put it: “Our ethnic diversity is our wealth… It is only in unity, through conversion of hearts and reconciliation, that we will be able to help our country to develop on all levels” [EG 230]

Common welfare

Together with the complete social doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church, Francis is convinced that politics has to serve the common welfare. This is not possible without a socio-political reorientation. "Christian conversion demands reviewing especially those areas and aspects of life “related to the social order and the pursuit of the common good” [EG 182]

Ecological conversion

In the same way as more justice in this One World is a central concern for him, he also worries about nature, the environment, “the world we're part of”. He connects both concerns in his encyclical. For him, policy in favour of the poor and in favour of the environment are merely two sides of one and the same coin. Just as there will be not more justice without a "socio-political conversion", this One World House of humankind cannot be protected without "ecological conversion", which will be possible only with a "change of heart" [LS 218]

It was already John Paul II who called for a "global ecological conversion" [LS 5]. In the environmental encyclical, Pope Francis dedicated a whole chapter to it [LS 216-221]. Again, he counts on a regional magisterium: "The Australian bishops spoke of the importance of such conversion for achieving reconciliation with creation: ‘To achieve such reconciliation, we must examine our lives and acknowledge the ways in which we have harmed God’s creation through our actions and our failure to act.’" [LS 218] For his struggle for the "ecological conversion", his paragon is the Umbrian saint, Francis of Assisi. Following him, the Pope wants to heal the relation of people to creation and therefore proposes a complete experience of conversion [LS 218] of human beings. The following are the most important points of his ecological appeal:

1. A first step on the way to ecological conversion is a de-acceleration of development. Together with Benedict XVI, Pope Francis recommends humankind "to be moderate" and recognise the boundaries of growth to which the Club of Rome⁴⁹ already pointed in the last century.

"In any event, if in some cases sustainable development were to involve new forms of growth, in other cases, given the insatiable and irresponsible growth produced over many decades, we need also to think of containing growth by setting some reasonable limits and even retracing our steps before it is too late. We know how unsustainable is the behaviour of those who constantly consume and destroy, while others are not yet able to live in a way worthy of their human dignity. That is why the time has come to accept decreased growth in some parts of the world, in order to provide resources for other places to experience healthy growth. Benedict XVI has said that “technologically advanced societies must be prepared to encourage more sober lifestyles, while reducing their energy consumption and improving its efficiency”. [LS 193]

2. For the Pope it is clear that the solution of the ecological challenge cannot be achieved just by changing individuals. It needs a joint political effort from all people and all nations. Therefore, ecological conversion is always a community conversion:

"Nevertheless, self-improvement on the part of individuals will not by itself remedy the extremely complex situation facing our world today. Isolated individuals can lose their ability and freedom to escape the utilitarian mindset, and end up prey to an unethical consumerism bereft of social or ecological awareness. Social problems must be addressed by community networks and not simply by the sum of individual good deeds. This task “will make such tremendous demands of man that he could never achieve it by individual initiative or even by the united effort of men bred in an individualistic way. The work of dominating the world calls for a union of skills and a unity of achievement that can only grow from quite a different attitude”. The ecological conversion needed to bring about lasting change is also a community conversion." [LS 219]

3. In connection with this, the Pope sharply rebukes the idleness, still more the arrogant mockery of many putatively good Christians. One cannot be a Christian without participating in God’s concern with the protection of His creation. To them, he warmly recommends an ecological conversion:

“The external deserts in the world are growing, because the internal deserts have become so vast”. For this reason, the ecological crisis is also a summons to profound interior conversion. It must be said that some committed and prayerful Christians, with the excuse of realism and pragmatism, tend to ridicule expressions of concern for the environment. Others are passive; they choose not to change their habits and thus become inconsistent. So what they all need is an “ecological conversion”, whereby the effects of their encounter with Jesus Christ become evident in their relationship with the world around them. Living our vocation to be protectors of God’s handiwork is essential to a life of virtue; it is not an optional or a secondary aspect of our Christian experience." [LS 217]

4. To underline his demand for an ecological conversion, Pope Francis puts forth powerful arguments. The following is a concise "theology of creation " with which he supports his call for ecological conversion:

"Various convictions of our faith, developed at the beginning of this Encyclical can help us to enrich the meaning of this conversion. These include the awareness that each creature reflects something of God and has a message to convey to us, and the security that Christ has taken unto himself this material world and now, risen, is intimately present to each being, surrounding it with his affection and penetrating it with his light. Then too, there is the recognition that God created the world, writing into it an order and a dynamism that human beings have no right to ignore. We read in the Gospel that Jesus says of the birds of the air that “not one of them is forGoden before God” (Lk 12:6). How then can we possibly mistreat them or cause them harm? I ask all Christians to recognize and to live fully this dimension of their conversion. May the power and the light of the grace we have received also be evident in our relationship to other creatures and to the world around us. In this way, we will help nurture that sublime fraternity with all creation which Saint Francis of Assisi so radiantly embodied." [LS 221]

5. Finally, Pope Francis transforms his environmental theology into an ecological spirituality which is fed by such fundamental attitudes as tenderness, creativity and engagement:

"This conversion calls for a number of attitudes which together foster a spirit of generous care, full of tenderness. First, it entails gratitude and gratuitousness, a recognition that the world is God’s loving gift, and that we are called quietly to imitate his generosity in self-sacrifice and good works: “Do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing… and your Father who sees in secret will reward you” (Mt 6:3-4). It also entails a loving awareness that we are not disconnected from the rest of creatures, but joined in a splendid universal communion. As believers, we do not look at the world from without but from within, conscious of the bonds with which the Father has linked us to all beings. By developing our individual, God-given capacities, an ecological conversion can inspire us to greater creativity and enthusiasm in resolving the world’s problems and in offering ourselves to God “as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable” (Rom 12:1). We do not understand our superiority as a reason for personal glory or irresponsible dominion, but rather as a different capacity which, in its turn, entails a serious responsibility stemming from our faith." [LS 220]

Forgiveness

God forgives

That God forgives, is one of the variations within the main topic of the pastoral of mercy. "God never tires of forgiving us” [EG 3] His forgiveness knows no bounds [MV 22]: "Mercy will always be greater than any sin, and no one can place limits on the love of God who is ever ready to forgive." [MV 3] Mercy after Psalm 51 is God’s justice [MV 20]. “God goes beyond justice with his mercy and forgiveness" [MV 21] without making justice superfluous. God’s mercy is "mercy that searches out sinners and offers them pardon and salvation." [MV 20] Whoever makes a mistake, certainly must serve their sentence: "However, this is just the beginning of conversion, not its end, because one begins to feel the tenderness and mercy of God. God does not deny justice. He rather envelopes it and surpasses it..." [MV 21]

Here we meet the core of the Gospel:

"In the parables devoted to mercy, Jesus reveals the nature of God as that of a Father who never gives up until he has forgiven the wrong and overcome rejection with mercy and mercy. We know these parables well, three in particular: the lost sheep, the lost coin, and the father with two sons (cf. Lk 15:1-32). In these parables, God is always presented as full of joy, especially when he pardons. In them we find the core of the Gospel and of our faith, because mercy is presented as a force that overcomes everything, filling the heart with love and bringing consolation through pardon." [MV 9]

"Mercy will always be greater than any sin." [MV 3] For this, Pope Francis refers to the cross, under which "Mary, together with John, the disciple of love, witnessed the words of forgiveness spoken by Jesus. This supreme expression of mercy towards those who crucified him show us the point to which the mercy of God can reach." [MV 24] As a witness, the Pope appeals to Mary that she should obtain the grace, “to enter the depths of divine mercy” and to live “with an unwavering trust in his love”. [MV 24]

" In short, the mercy of God is not an abstract idea, but a concrete reality with which he reveals his love as of that of a father or a mother, moved to the very depths out of love for their child. It is hardly an exaggeration to say that this is a “visceral” love. It gushes forth from the depths naturally, full of tenderness and mercy, indulgence and mercy." [MV 6]

To forgive one another

The meditation about marital love and the life in families, gives the Pope various opportunities to ask people to forgive each other. “To know how to forgive and to feel forgiven is a basic experience in family life”. “The arduous art of reconciliation, which requires the support of grace, needs the generous cooperation of relatives and friends, and sometimes even outside help and professional assistance” [AL 236]. ''Through their union in love, the couple experiences the beauty of fatherhood and motherhood, and shares plans, trials, expectations and concerns; they learn care for one another and mutual forgiveness” [AL 88]

There is a great need for pardon in marriages and families today: "…personal crises that affect the life of couples, often involving finances, problems in the workplace, emotional, social and spiritual difficulties. Unexpected situations present themselves, disrupting family life and requiring a process of forgiveness and reconciliation." [AL 236] “Marital problems are often confronted in haste and without the courage to have patience and reflect, to make sacrifices and to forgive one another.” [AL 41]

With patience, the Pope asks spiritual questions on the readiness to pardon: "…if we have forgiven those who have offended us and have rejected all forms of anger and hate that lead to violence; if we have had the kind of patience God shows, who is so patient with us?" [MV 15] This is easier to say than to do: "When we have been offended or let down, forgiveness is possible and desirable, but no one can say that it is easy. " [AL 106]

The Pope gives thoroughly modern advice to married couples in crisis which is related to the experiences of marriage-, family- and life counseling of the Church, which he honours explicitly.⁵⁰ The Pope’s argument in his plea for pardon is water tight in respect of relationship-psychology. For forgiveness above all the ability to forgive oneself is necessary.

"Today we recognize that being able to forgive others implies the liberating experience of understanding and forgiving ourselves. Often our mistakes, or criticism we have received from loved ones, can lead to a loss of self-esteem. We become distant from others, avoiding affection and fearful in our interpersonal relationships. Blaming others becomes falsely reassuring. We need to learn to pray over our past history, to accept ourselves, to learn how to live with our limitations, and even to forgive ourselves, in order to have this same attitude towards others. " [AL 107]

He advises couples to seek counseling, if the crisis becomes too great and the strength to master it too weak:

"When problems emerge in a marriage, before important decisions are made it is important to ensure that each spouse has come to grips with his or her own history. This involves recognizing a need for healing, insistent prayer for the grace to forgive and be forgiven, a willingness to accept help, and the determination not to give up but to keep trying.” [AL 240]

Apart from all good advice: what is decisive for Pope Francis, is a love which “bears fruit in mercy and forgiveness” [AL 27] as well as a strong trust in God, "after they have fallen, to forgive one another, to bear one another’s burdens”. [AL 73] “All this assumes that we ourselves have had the experience of being forgiven by God, justified by his grace and not by our own merits. ⁵¹ We have known a love that is prior to any of our own efforts, a love that constantly opens doors, promotes and encourages. If we accept that God’s love is unconditional, that the Father’s love cannot be bought or sold, then we will become capable of showing boundless love and forgiving others even if they have wronged us"[AL 108]

Forgiveness means not to bill for the bad but to try "to understand other people’s weaknesses and to excuse them. As Jesus said, “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Lk 23:34)." [AL 105]

What the Pope relies on married couples, he expects form all people. It sounds like a summary of his spiritual plea for the indispensable readiness for pardon when he says:

“This parable contains a profound teaching for all of us. Jesus affirms that mercy is not only an action of the Father, it becomes a criterion for ascertaining who his true children are. In short, we are called to show mercy because mercy has first been shown to us. Pardoning offences becomes the clearest expression of merciful love, and for us Christians it is an imperative from which we cannot excuse ourselves. At times how hard it seems to forgive! And yet pardon is the instrument placed into our fragile hands to attain serenity of heart. To let go of anger, wrath, violence, and revenge are necessary conditions to living joyfully. Let us therefore heed the Apostle’s exhortation: “Do not let the sun go down on your anger” (Eph 4:26). Above all, let us listen to the words of Jesus who made mercy an ideal of life and a criterion for the credibility of our faith: “Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy” (Mt 5:7): the beatitude to which we should particularly aspire in this Holy Year.” [MV 9]

Socio-political "forgiveness"

As in the case of all important topics, the Pope also discovers a political dimension in respect to forgiveness. He refers to the practice in Israel towards those who have become victims of poverty and injustice. After seven annual weeks, 49 years, great "debt relief" was given: therefore a socio-political "forgiveness":

"Finally, after seven weeks of years, which is to say forty-nine years, the Jubilee was celebrated as a year of general forgiveness and “liberty throughout the land for all its inhabitants” (cf. Lev 25:10). This law came about as an attempt to ensure balance and fairness in their relationships with others and with the land on which they lived and worked. At the same time, it was an acknowledgment that the gift of the earth with its fruits belongs to everyone. Those who tilled and kept the land were obliged to share its fruits, especially with the poor, with widows, orphans and foreigners in their midst: “When you reap the harvest of your land, you shall not reap your field to its very border, neither shall you gather the gleanings after the harvest. And you shall not strip your vineyard bare, neither shall you gather the fallen grapes of your vineyard; you shall leave them for the poor and for the sojourner” (Lev 19:9-10)."[LS 71]

The following text acts as a summary of the Pope’s request to give more room to forgiveness in personal and political life as well:

"God’s forgiveness knows no bounds. In the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God makes even more evident his love and its power to destroy all human sin. Reconciliation with God is made possible through the paschal mystery and the mediation of the Church. Thus God is always ready to forgive, and he never tires of forgiving in ways that are continually new and surprising. Nevertheless, all of us know well the experience of sin. We know that we are called to perfection (cf. Mt 5:48), yet we feel the heavy burden of sin. Though we feel the transforming power of grace, we also feel the effects of sin typical of our fallen state. Despite being forgiven, the conflicting consequences of our sins remain. In the Sacrament of Reconciliation, God forgives our sins, which he truly blots out; and yet sin leaves a negative effect on the way we think and act. But the mercy of God is stronger even than this. It becomes indulgence on the part of the Father who, through the Bride of Christ, his Church, reaches the pardoned sinner and frees him from every residue left by the consequences of sin, enabling him to act with charity, to grow in love rather than to fall back into sin." [MV 22]

Churches ready to forgive

With regard to forgiveness, the Pope assigns an important role to the Christian Churches, especially the Roman Catholic. He is definitely aware that there are also between the churches wounds, old divisions, which make the call for forgiveness and reconciliation [AL 236] more difficult. Moreover, the Church herself needs forgiveness from God and the people. He confirms “that the Church is a Church of the poor in spirit and of sinners seeking forgiveness, not simply of the righteous and the holy, but rather of those who are righteous and holy precisely when they feel themselves poor sinners." [SYN] All this knowledge about its own need for forgiveness doesn’t keep Pope Francis from wishing that by the work of the Church “the message of mercy [may] reach everyone" [MV 19]:

"The time has come for the Church to take up the joyful call to mercy once more. It is time to return to the basics and to bear the weaknesses and struggles of our brothers and sisters. Mercy is the force that reawakens us to new life and instils in us the courage to look to the future with hope." [MV 10]

He sees the Church as "a servant of this love and mediates it to all people: a love that forgives and expresses itself in the gift of oneself. Consequently, wherever the Church is present, the mercy of the Father must be evident." [MV 12] “Jesus asks us also to forgive and to give. To be instruments of mercy because it was we who first received mercy from God. To be generous with others, knowing that God showers his goodness upon us with immense generosity" [MV 14]

Those "worldly people" (also within the Church) who learn nothing from their sins and think they do not need forgiveness, admittedly cause the Pope to worry.

"Those who have fallen into this worldliness look on from above and afar, they reject the prophecy of their brothers and sisters, they discredit those who raise questions, they constantly point out the mistakes of others and they are obsessed by appearances. Their hearts are open only to the limited horizon of their own immanence and interests, and as a consequence they neither learn from their sins nor are they genuinely open to forgiveness. This is a tremendous corruption disguised as a good. We need to avoid it by making the Church constantly go out from herself, keeping her mission focused on Jesus Christ, and her commitment to the poor. God save us from a worldly Church with superficial spiritual and pastoral trappings! This stifling worldliness can only be healed by breathing in the pure air of the Holy Spirit who frees us from self-centredness cloaked in an outward religiosity bereft of God." [EG 97]

To strengthen the culture of forgiveness within the Church and the world, Pope Francis backs two measures - a temporary one and a lasting one. The one is the Holy Year of Mercy which proclaimed for 2015/16. The other one is the father confessors.

Holy Year of Mercy

The Year of Mercy shall bring back into the Church’s consciousness that "God’s forgiveness knows no bounds” [MV 22]. "In the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, God makes even more evident his love and its power to destroy all human sin. Reconciliation with God is made possible through the paschal mystery and the mediation of the Church. Thus God is always ready to forgive, and he never tires of forgiving in ways that are continually new and surprising. Nevertheless, all of us know well the experience of sin. We know that we are called to perfection (cf. Mt 5:48), yet we feel the heavy burden of sin. Though we feel the transforming power of grace, we also feel the effects of sin typical of our fallen state. Despite being forgiven, the conflicting consequences of our sins remain. … Let us live this Jubilee intensely, begging the Father to forgive our sins and to bathe us in his merciful “indulgence.”" [MV 22]

Since traditionally "indulgence" is connected to the Holy Year, whose economic abuse induced Martin Luther to hang up his thesis in Wittenberg, Francis attends to reinterpret this within the frame of his theology of mercy. Though God in his mercy forgives, the sin “leaves a negative effect on the way we think and act. But the mercy of God is stronger even than this. It becomes indulgence on the part of the Father who, through the Bride of Christ, his Church, reaches the pardoned sinner and frees him from every residue left by the consequences of sin, enabling him to act with charity, to grow in love rather than to fall back into sin." [MV 22] "Hence, to live the indulgence of the Holy Year means to approach the Father’s mercy with the certainty that his forgiveness extends to the entire life of the believer.” [MV 22]

However, according to the hierarchy of truths (and analogous to the ritual practice), in the Year of Mercy the Pope puts the Gospel at the centre of his teaching, not indulgence.

"In this Jubilee Year, may the Church echo the word of God that resounds strong and clear as a message and a sign of pardon, strength, aid, and love. May she never tire of extending mercy, and be ever patient in offering mercy and comfort. May the Church become the voice of every man and woman, and repeat confidently without end: “Be mindful of your mercy, O Lord, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old” (Ps 25:6). [MV 25]

Father confessors

In the draft of his pastoral of Mercy confession and with it the father confessors (and in a particular way in many pastoral facilities mother confessors - for Pope Francis his grandmother was among these) play a prominent role.

Francis encourages people to confess,⁵² knowing that with not a small number of people this does not have a good reputation. The priests of the Church have - often in a clerical illusion of power and responsibility - transformed the confession into an instrument of control and a "torture chamber" [EG 44].

In times of the close interweaving between state and church, the state authority has ordered “confession slips” to control the Church members – in this case "the ordinary man". An exaggerated sin casuistry has contributed to destroying the reputation of the confession.

It is the Pope’s concern to gain a new significance (value)f or confession in the context of his Pastoral of Mercy and within this changing from moralising to healing.

The season of Lent is - as in Eastern Churches – a time for healing, curing wounds which are caused by sins - themselves wounds. Therefore, in his picturesque language he emphasises that confessionals should not be torture chambers but places of Mercy in which the Church does good to people in the name of God:

"Consequently, without detracting from the evangelical ideal, they need to accompany with mercy and patience the eventual stages of personal growth as these progressively occur. I want to remind priests that the confessional must not be a torture chamber but rather an encounter with the Lord’s mercy which spurs us on to do our best. A small step, in the midst of great human limitations, can be more pleasing to God than a life which appears outwardly in order but moves through the day without confronting great difficulties. Everyone needs to be touched by the comfort and attraction of God’s saving love, which is mysteriously at work in each person, above and beyond their faults and failings." [EG 44]

The competence of the father confessors plays an important role. To them, the ministry of reconciliation and forgiveness is entrusted. The Pope expects from them “to accept the plea for help and mercy pouring from the heart of every penitent. In short, confessors are called to be a sign of the primacy of mercy always, everywhere, and in every situation, no matter what." [MV 17]

"We priests have received the gift of the Holy Spirit for the forgiveness of sins, and we are responsible for this. None of us wields power over this Sacrament; rather, we are faithful servants of God’s mercy through it. Every confessor must accept the faithful as the father in the parable of the prodigal son: a father who runs out to meet his son despite the fact that he has squandered away his inheritance. Confessors are called to embrace the repentant son who comes back home and to express the joy of having him back again. Let us never tire of also going out to the other son who stands outside, incapable of rejoicing, in order to explain to him that his judgement is severe and unjust and meaningless in light of the father’s boundless mercy. May confessors not ask useless questions, but like the father in the parable, interrupt the speech prepared ahead of time by the prodigal son, so that confessors will learn to accept the plea for help and mercy pouring from the heart of every penitent. In short, confessors are called to be a sign of the primacy of mercy always, everywhere, and in every situation, no matter what." [MV 17]

To underline this ministry of reconciliation in the sacrament of penitence, for the Holy Year of Mercy, the Pope appointed missionaries of mercy in addition to the priests in office. They are for him "heralds of joy and forgiveness" [MV 18] “They will be, above all, living signs of the Father’s readiness to welcome those in search of his pardon. They will be missionaries of mercy." [MV 18]

Healing

In addition to the key concepts of forgiveness and conversion, which are interpreted in a healing sense, some texts speak directly about the curing of people from wounds which life causes and which people inflict on each other, not least on themselves.

Healing of personal wounds

In the context of the meditation about the Song of Love, Pope Francis wishes married couples that they may be healed of jealousy and envy [AL 95 f.] and also of pride [AL 98].

In valuing attention to psychological knowledge, he considers that many couples suffer and can fail because they bear burdens from earlier years, from their childhoods. Also here, he recommends healing processes to those affected:

"Many people leave childhood without ever having felt unconditional love. This affects their ability to be trusting and open with others. A poor relationship with one’s parents and siblings, if left unhealed, can re-emerge and hurt a marriage. Unresolved issues need to be dealt with and a process of liberation must take place. When problems emerge in a marriage, before important decisions are made it is important to ensure that each spouse has come to grips with his or her own history. This involves recognizing a need for healing, insistent prayer for the grace to forgive and be forgiven, a willingness to accept help, and the determination not to give up but to keep trying. A sincere self-examination will make it possible to see how one’s own shortcomings and immaturity affect the relationship. Even if it seems clear that the other person is at fault, a crisis will never be overcome simply by expecting him or her to change. We also have to ask what in our own life needs to grow or heal if the conflict is to be resolved " [AL 240]

Healing, in many cases does not only need therapeutic wisdom, however. Solitude before God allows people in need of healing to be cured of the wounds caused from living together:

"The space which each of the spouses makes exclusively for their personal relationship with God not only helps heal the hurts of life in common, but also enables the spouses to find in the love of God the deepest source of meaning in their own lives. Each day we have to invoke the help of the Holy Spirit to make this interior freedom possible." [AL 320]

Political healing

He would not be Pope Francis, inspired by theology of liberation, if he did not see also a political dimension to his wish for healing. In his environmental theological analysis, he observes a break in the original harmony within creation. Cultivating of the earth became a subordination, which led the acute critic of the Churches, Carl Amery, to speak⁵³ of “the merciless consequences of Christendom”. Therefore, in all concrete activities for the “integrity of creation" in the spiritual dimension it is all about the healing of this break:

"This in turn distorted our mandate to ‘have dominion’ over the earth (cf. Gen 1:28), to “till it and keep it” (Gen 2:15). As a result, the originally harmonious relationship between human beings and nature became conflictual (cf. Gen 3:17-19). It is significant that the harmony which Saint Francis of Assisi experienced with all creatures was seen as a healing of that rupture. Saint Bonaventure held that, through universal reconciliation with every creature, Saint Francis in some way returned to the state of original innocence. This is a far cry from our situation today, where sin is manifest in all its destructive power in wars, the various forms of violence and abuse, the abandonment of the most vulnerable, and attacks on nature." [LS 66]

It is, Francis thinking continues, not possible "to heal our relationship with nature and the environment without healing all fundamental human relationships" [LS 119]. Therefore, for him it is impossible, to separate concern for more justice in the world from concern for nature. Healing the wounds of nature and healing mankind of the wounds inflicted by harm-producing injustice always go hand in hand. "The need to resolve the structural causes of poverty cannot be delayed, not only for the pragmatic reason of its urgency for the good order of society, but because society needs to be cured of a sickness which is weakening and frustrating it, and which can only lead to new crises." [EG 202 and 188 ]

In this question, all leaders of the world, the political and the religious ones, must cooperate. The Pope implores that there will be "more politicians who are genuinely disturbed by the state of society, the people, the lives of the poor!" [EG 205]. At the same time, he also entreats the Church to do her duty in the Jubilee Year of Mercy:

"How many uncertain and painful situations there are in the world today! How many are the wounds borne by the flesh of those who have no voice because their cry is muffled and drowned out by the indifference of the rich! During this Jubilee, the Church will be called even more to heal these wounds, to assuage them with the oil of consolation, to bind them with mercy and cure them with solidarity and vigilant care." [MV 15]

God’s healing power - healing Church

According to the conviction of the Pope, this healing of people and the world happens in the end through God - appointing his Church in his service for God’s healing of the world.

He asks believers, to constantly invoke God’s healing Holy Spirit. "He can heal whatever causes us to flag in the missionary endeavour." [EG 280].

Then the Pope draws our attention to various aspects of a healing pastoral care.

Couples in crisis should ask God for “…his merciful forgiveness and healing strength." [AL 211].

He wants a healing pastoral practice in the ambit of divorce and remarriage. It is good that the wounds of parents can be cured; then children (from the old and in the new relationship) can prosper in a cured mode:

“How can we encourage those parents to do everything possible to raise their children in the Christian life, to give them an example of committed and practical faith, if we keep them at arm’s length from the life of the community, as if they were somehow excommunicated? We must keep from acting in a way that adds even more to the burdens that children in these situations already have to bear!” Helping heal the wounds of parents and supporting them spiritually is also beneficial for children, who need the familiar face of the Church to see them through this traumatic experience. Divorce is an evil and the increasing number of divorces is very troubling. Hence, our most important pastoral task with regard to families is to strengthen their love, helping to heal wounds and working to prevent the spread of this drama of our times. " [AL 246]

To expand this new pastoral style of healing, it is also necessary to create within the church "spaces where pastoral workers can be helped and healed, “places where faith itself in the crucified and risen Jesus is renewed, where the most profound questions and daily concerns are shared, where deeper discernment about our experiences and life itself is undertaken in the light of the Gospel, for the purpose of directing individual and social decisions towards the good and beautiful”. [EG 77] For this healing service to be effective, the Pope does not envision only members of the official pastoral practice being involved, but all members of the church, wherever they live or work. They can contribute to healing in their immediate social environment. All members are practically “branded” for this "mission of bringing light, blessing, enlivening, raising up, healing and freeing.” [EG 273].

The following acts as a summary of his desire to renew the pastoral culture of the church, when he says in the first great statement in his pontificate - and I quote this important excerpt with pleasure once again:

“‘I see clearly,’ the pope continues, ‘that the thing the church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds and to warm the hearts of the faithful; it needs nearness, proximity. I see the church as a field hospital after battle. It is useless to ask a seriously injured person if he has high cholesterol and about the level of his blood sugars! You have to heal his wounds. Then we can talk about everything else. Heal the wounds, heal the wounds.... And you have to start from the ground up.’” [IV Spadaro]

Healing, mercy and forgiveness do not know any limits

In the conversation with DIE ZEIT the question about God’s readiness to forgive is highlighted. Does it know any limits? For the Judas the traitor? For Stalin or Hitler, and one may quietly add: for myself? Here follows this striking passage from the interview:

"ZEIT: Do you think God could in the end forgive mass murderers like Hitler or Stalin?
Francis: I do not know it, it’s perhaps possibly ...I don’t know. But I can tell you something which touched me deeply. Where the Pilgrim’s Way of St James begins, there is the Basilica Sainte-Marie Madeleine in the village of Vézelay in Burgundy. There is a capital, on the one side the hunged Judas can be seen and on the other one the good shepherd who bears him away on his shoulders. This was the theology of the Middle Ages as the monks taught it. The Lord forgives to the very end.
ZEIT: But one has to ask him for pardon?
Francis: One must at least feel the burden of one’s sin. I do not claim that Judas is in heaven and saved. But I do not claim the opposite either. I only say: Look at this capital and what the monks of the Middle Ages thought who taught the people the catechism with their sculptures. And look at the Bible in which You can read: When Judas becomes conscious of his deed, he goes repentantly to the Archpriests. The Bible uses the word repentance. Perhaps he did not ask for pardon but regretted it.
ZEIT: Let's hope it was like that!"

From the courtroom to the field hospital

This shift of accent from moralising to healing can be illustrated with two pictures. The history of pastoral practice and its underlying theology teach us that the Western Churches led people into a courtroom.

The sin of mankind and of individuals as well as their forgiveness were not only expressed in images of courts, but were also experienced by people in that way. God was offended by sin. His Son was crucified for this and died for us. On this way he tore up the debter’s note. Whoever included themselves in Christ’s deed of salvation, could in turn hope for salvation at the end of their lifetime.

The eastern pastoral tradition set the focus differently. The point of departure was the injury to mankind caused by death. Only in its sphere of influence could sin grow. The salvation of mankind could therefore only be happen through curing the mortal wound, the fear connected to death and the finiteness which makes mankind evil. This occured, when God united himself through the incarnation in Jesus from Nazareth, "one of us". He was a person whose uniqueness consisted of never falling out of the deep unity with God, even in the last abandonment on the cross. This made him the conquerer of death for all - as death as well as sin only came into the world with Adam, the first human being.

Over some time, Western theologies rediscovered this Eastern strang of the pastoral culture, inspired by the humanities. The line of such a therapeutical pastoral practice starts with Sœren Kierkegaard, continues with Eugen Drewermann and Eugen Biser up to Benedikt XVI and reaches a highpoint with Pope Francis.⁵⁴ He argues without hesitation for this healing pastoral and asks the responsible office holders of the Church to follow him on this pathway. Therefore, he emphasises consistently in images that the Church is not a courtroom but a "field hospital" [IV Spadaro]. Pastoral practice should not judge and sentence, but heal. This requires being acutely aware of the wounds of the individuals and bandaging and giving and taking time for oneself to do this.

Another dimension of the new pastoral culture is heralded here. It is the accent shift from applying a general law to individuals, to pastoral empathy for individuals who follow their conscience. It is the moving "from law to face", from general norm to respect for the individual case.

From law to face

From law…

On the ambivalence of laws

Again: Pope Francis is not an "opponent" of law. However, he shows himself in regard to the importance of law as highly "suffering-empathic": When laws protect a person from suffering, he reminds people of them. But whenever laws hinder the reduction of people’s suffering, he relativises these. This makes his speach about law unavoidably ambivalent.

He notes appreciably that God released his law "in Israel" and commanded our fathers "…to teach to their children; that the next generation might know them, the children yet unborn, and arise and tell them to their children” [AL 16] He does not leave doubt that “abandoning one’s parents is contrary to God’s law (cf. Mk 7:8-13).” [AL 188]. Firmly he emphasizes in his Apostolic Letter about marriage: “In a word, love means fulfilling the last two commandments of God’s Law: ‘You shall not covet your neighbour’s house; you shall not covet your neighbour’s wife, or his manservant, or his maidservant, or his ox, or his donkey, or anything that is your neighbour’s’ (Ex 20:17).” [AL 96]

In accord with the Jewish tradition, he reminds the international community of the commandment of the sanctification of “God’s day” which the religions of the world solemnise on different days. But not only for religious reasons, the interruption of work on a day of rest is important: For him it is also about people not enslaving themselves through work and losing their true liberty: "The law of weekly rest forbade work on the seventh day, ‘so that your ox and your donkey may have rest, and the son of your maidservant, and the stranger, may be refreshed’ (Ex 23:12). Rest opens our eyes to the larger picture and gives us renewed sensitivity to the rights of others." [LS 237]

Moreover, laws protect people from harming themselves. Arguing for this position, the Pope takes on the concept - repeatedly used by John Paul II - of "human ecology" (or “ecology of men”): "Human ecology also implies another profound reality: the relationship between human life and the moral law, which is inscribed in our nature and is necessary for the creation of a more dignified environment. " [LS 155]

The pontiff refers with much emphasis to laws and legalities on ecological issues. The "responsibility for God’s earth means that human beings, endowed with intelligence, must respect the laws of nature and the delicate equilibria existing between the creatures of this world", [LS 68]. Law “limits the rule of force and enables the rule of law to prevail over the power of tyranny”, he has said to EU parliamentarians. At the European level it needs laws to be implemented, "capable … to protect the rights of European citizens and to ensure the acceptance of immigrants"; only in this way Europe "will be able to confront the problems associated with immigration”. [EU parliament]

Though the Pope is very much convinced that there are good laws and these are indispensable for the protection of people and their dignity, he laments at the same time certain “laws” and legalities. The harmful privatisation of scarce water resources is carried out due to "the laws of the market" (LS 30]. Iinspired by the theology of liberation, the Pope criticises that "… everything comes under the laws of competition and the survival of the fittest, where the powerful feed upon the powerless." [EG 53] Critically he assesses “a new tyranny… invisible and often virtual, which unilaterally and relentlessly imposes its own laws and rules.” [EG 53].

Laws for protection of the poor and nature

In all these passages, it becomes clear that the Pope expects from law the protection of the weaker in the world, the poor as well as nature. The law serves as protection of justice: "Justice is a fundamental concept for civil society, which is meant to be governed by the rule of law." [MV 20]

Everybody has to respect and to observe such law privately and in politics. By demanding this, the Pope can refer to the tradition of Israel: "He established them forever and ever; he fixed their bounds, which cannot be passed (Ps 148.6). Therefore, the biblical compendium of law gives to the people different regulations not only in connection with other people but also in connection with other living beings: “You shall not see your brother’s donkey or his ox fallen down by the way and withhold your help… " [LS 68] “We are called to respect creation and its inherent laws." [LS 69]

The Pope is worried if laws which are given for the protection of the weak and of nature, are relativised for reasons of advantage or utilitarianism. This opens the door for exploitation: "We should not think that political efforts or the force of law will be sufficient to prevent actions which affect the environment because, when the culture itself is corrupt and objective truth and universally valid principles are no longer upheld, then laws can only be seen as arbitrary impositions or obstacles to be avoided." [LS 123] Beside the law there may develop behaviours, which are correctly formed, but undermine the meaning of the law. Such could arise within the state administration but also in areas of civil society as well as in the relationships between citizens with one another. "Laws may be well framed yet remain a dead letter. Can we hope, then, that in such cases, legislation and regulations dealing with the environment will really prove effective? We know, for example, that countries which have clear legislation about the protection of forests continue to keep silent as they watch laws repeatedly being broken." [LS 142]

The Pope is skeptical about laws and legalities with a global reach. Their disadvantage could be that the various cultures lose their richness by levelling. This is valid for example for the economic area. Therefore, the Pope is irritated that "a consumerist vision of human beings, encouraged by the mechanisms of today’s globalized economy, has a levelling effect on cultures, diminishing the immense variety which is the heritage of all humanity. Attempts to resolve all problems through uniform regulations or technical interventions can lead to overlooking the complexities of local problems which demand the active participation of all members of the community." [LS 144]

From this, the tension between the general and the concrete is already apparent - which has serious consequences for the philosophical style of Pope Francis – in this context between centrally enacted laws and the richness of individual cultures which could be damaged by a centralism of law. On the other hand, he does not overlook that a national egoism of law can damage the environment. Therefore, a balance has to be found between the global and the regional: "Unless citizens control political power – national, regional and municipal – it will not be possible to control damage to the environment. Local legislation can be more effective, too, if agreements exist between neighbouring communities to support the same environmental policies." [LS 179]

Law alone does not suffice

We have already pointed out that worldwide corruption⁵⁵ irritates the Pope deeply. In this example of damming corruption he clarifies that law alone is not enough for mastering the great challenges of humankind. It develops its power only in combination with other virtuous attitudes. Therefore, he writes that the common worldwide corruption which hurts primarily the poor can be only overcome by a concert of virtues, law-abiding included: "Corruptio optimi pessima, saint Gregory the Great said with good reason, affirming that no one can think himself immune from this temptation. If we want to drive it out from personal and social life, we need prudence, vigilance, loyalty, transparency, together with the courage to denounce any wrongdoing. If it is not combated openly, sooner or later everyone will become an accomplice to it, and it will end up destroying our very existence." [MV 19]

The Pope particularly emphasises that the law in itself does not suffice: "Honesty and truth are needed in scientific and political discussions; these should not be limited to the issue of whether or not a particular project is permitted by law." [LS 183] In the long-term, the existence of laws and rules are insufficient to limit bad attitudes, even if effective control is available. "The existence of laws and regulations is insufficient in the long run to curb bad conduct, even when effective means of enforcement are present. If the laws are to bring about significant, long-lasting effects, the majority of the members of society must be adequately motivated to accept them, and personally transformed to respond. Only by cultivating sound virtues will people be able to make a selfless ecological commitment. [LS 211]

Therefore, for Pope Francis "law-abiding" proves to be two-faced. It can help people- and nature-friendly laws to reach a breakthrough. However, if the law opposes the poor, it also can lead to an attitude which castigates Jesus in respect to the Pharisees and Scribes: "In these passages, justice is understood as the full observance of the Law and the behaviour of every good Israelite in conformity with God’s commandments. Such a vision, however, has not infrequently led to legalism by distorting the original meaning of justice and obscuring its profound value." [MV 20]

Neither judge nor condemn

In these clarifications of the concept of law it already becomes apparent that the meaning of law is not primarily that we as human beings judge or even condemn people and their behaviour. The Pope can count on a number of biblical texts which warn against judging.

"The Lord Jesus shows us the steps of the pilgrimage to attain our goal: ‘Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven; give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, running over, will be put into your lap. For the measure you give will be the measure you get back’ (Lk 6:37-38). The Lord asks us above all not to judge and not to condemn. If anyone wishes to avoid God’s judgement, he should not make himself the judge of his brother or sister." [MV 14]

The Pope connects such judgement, which the Bible forbids us, regarding married couples with the word "merciless" [AL 115]. The Pope vehemently criticises the usual habit within the Church of judging and condemning. At the family Synod, insight grew in this regard, which allows hope for an end of judging and condemning in pastoral practice:

"It was also about laying closed hearts, which bare the closed hearts which frequently hide even behind the Church’s teachings or good intentions, in order to sit in the chair of Moses and judge, sometimes with superiority and superficiality, difficult cases and wounded families." [SYN]

Since all people have their limits, a just judging and condemning is impossible. Humans lack God’s ability to look deep within which arises from His redeeming mercy: "Therefore do not pronounce judgment before the time, before the Lord comes, who will bring to light the things now hidden in darkness and will disclose the purposes of the heart. Then each one will receive commendation from God. " (1 Cor 4.5) In our judgments as human beings, but also as representatives of the Church and as advocates of the Gospel, looking at the particular person we always remain superficial, which prevents us from judging appropriately:

"Human beings, whenever they judge, look no farther than the surface, whereas the Father looks into the very depths of the soul. How much harm words do when they are motivated by feelings of jealousy and envy! To speak ill of others puts them in a bad light, undermines their reputation and leaves them prey to the whims of gossip. To refrain from judgement and condemnation means, in a positive sense, to know how to accept the good in every person and to spare him any suffering that might be caused by our partial judgment, our presumption to know everything about him. But this is still not sufficient to express mercy. Jesus asks us also to forgive and to give. To be instruments of mercy because it was we who first received mercy from God. To be generous with others, knowing that God showers his goodness upon us with immense generosity." [MV 14]

Through such restrictions, for Francis law does not lose its significance for pastoral care (and beyond that for the lives of the entrusted people). The law clearly articulates a desirable ideal for people and gives orientation for their lives. Therefore, the psalmist can sing:

"For the commandment is a lamp and the teaching a light, and the reproofs of discipline are the way of life."
(Proverbs 6.23)

But the Church which teaches the law mustn't forget in her teaching that as (sinful) people we are always moving in the direction of perfection. Therefore, people are more or less near to the ideal, but in their lifetime on this earth they never forever and completely arrive at it.

It makes no sense to judge from on high or with severe consequences how far away somebody is from the ideal.

Rather, individuals deserve from God’s Church support on their ways, detours and sometimes also wrong ways. Perhaps then a kindly and competently accompanied person can make steps in the right direction. Or in a singular situation, this person will not give up even when - because of guilt and tragedy or biographical conditioning (which can be named as original sin[55]⁵⁶) - now the way leads in a wrong direction. "To understand this reality we need to approach it with the gaze of the Good Shepherd, who seeks not to judge but to love" [EG 125] The Pope explains this even further:

"The Church’s pastors, in proposing to the faithful the full ideal of the Gospel and the Church’s teaching, must also help them to treat the weak with mercy, avoiding aggravation or unduly harsh or hasty judgements. The Gospel itself tells us not to judge or condemn (cf. Mt 7:1; Lk 6:37). Jesus “expects us to stop looking for those personal or communal niches which shelter us from the maelstrom of human misfortune, and instead to enter into the reality of other people’s lives and to know the power of tenderness. Whenever we do so, our lives become wonderfully complicated” [AL 308]

Graduality

The above described tension between the ideal and the life journey corresponds with the polarity between the two pastoral principles of the old Eastern Church tradition, namely "Akribia" and "Oikonomia". “Akribia” means the obligation for the Church to proclaim the commandments of God unabridged. At the same time, the bishop and his cooperators act “kat‘ oikonomian“.They care about people’s salvation, that they convert if necessary and they repent, which means to let themselves be healed by God (which can take time): "God’s presence accompanies the sincere efforts of individuals and groups to find encouragement and meaning in their lives." [EG 71]

At the Family Synod, which has learned in this regard from the Orthodox Church, this creative tension was explained with the help of a pun on gradualness and law. There is no "gradualness of law" but a "law of gradualness", therefore a "gradualness of the way":

"Along these lines, Saint John Paul II proposed the so-called “law of gradualness” in the knowledge that the human being “knows, loves and accomplishes moral good by different stages of growth”. This is not a “gradualness of law” but rather a gradualness in the prudential exercise of free acts on the part of subjects who are not in a position to understand, appreciate, or fully carry out the objective demands of the law. For the law is itself a gift of God which points out the way, a gift for everyone without exception; it can be followed with the help of grace, even though each human being “advances gradually with the progressive integration of the gifts of God and the demands of God’s definitive and absolute love in his or her entire personal and social life” [AL 295]

From these insights into the way of salvation of al people, follow concrete action models for an adequate pastoral culture. It is inadmissible to judge harshly and with this to continually overtax individuals. An illusion of perfection has no place in this pastoral culture. The law which keeps the "still not achieved fullness" in mind, it should not serve as an authoritarian instrument of power but serves rather as an incentive for growth and reorientation of the life of the irreplaceable individual:

"Our contemplation of the fulfilment which we have yet to attain also allows us to see in proper perspective the historical journey which we make as families, and in this way to stop demanding of our interpersonal relationships a perfection, a purity of intentions and a consistency which we will only encounter in the Kingdom to come. It also keeps us from judging harshly those who live in situations of frailty. All of us are called to keep striving towards something greater than ourselves and our families, and every family must feel this constant impulse. Let us make this journey as families, let us keep walking together. [AL 325]

The aim of pastoral actions therefore is not to judge, nor condemn though moralising, but rather to lift up. The Pope refers to psalm 146:7: “He executes justice for the oppressed; he gives food to the hungry. The Lord sets the prisoners free; the Lord opens the eyes of the blind. The Lord lifts up those who are bowed down; the Lord loves the righteous!" [MV 6]

This also implies: Pastoral activity relieves and does not load. It does not lay on any burdens. Such a pastoral culture can count on Jesus:

"Jesus was angered by those supposed teachers who demanded much of others, teaching God’s word but without being enlightened by it: “They bind heavy burdens, hard to bear, and lay them on the shoulders of others; but they themselves will not lift a finger to move them” (Mt 23:4). The apostle James exhorted: “Not many of you should become teachers, my brethren, for you know that we who teach shall be judged with greater strictness” (Jes 3:1)." [EG 150]

This pastoral of not-judging and not-condemning does not remove the final seriousness from human existence. Nowhere does Pope Francis doubt God’s judgment on doomsday.⁵⁷ But God’s final judgment is founded in the fact that justice and mercy are irreversibly interwoven. However, mercy is God’s innermost sanctum. This divine mercy always happens in this life when somebody practises mercy with a poor person, a neighbour or with nature.

To face

However, how does this pastoral of non-judging work? What are – positively speaking - its main elements? We can explain these systematically using the richness of the papal statements. The keywords are: individual case and conscience, distinguish and assist. The formula is: "From law to face."

The long-term consequences of this dynamic which arises through this accent shift "from law to face" in the pastoral culture cannot yet be foreseen. However, it is a radical move to the unique person, the individual. This is, theologically presumed, a unique image of God and God has a unique love story with his own likeness. For the Pope this therefore follows: "We must always consider the person. Here we enter into the mystery of the human being. In life, God accompanies persons, and we must accompany them, starting from their situation. It is necessary to accompany them with mercy. When that happens, the Holy Spirit inspires the priest to say the right thing" [IV Spadaro]

Within this unique story, the conscience of man has an indispensable importance. However, it is for the individual not all about a conscientious self-evaluation or even primarily a self-accusation according to the law. That God makes himself perceptible in the conscience of every man, is aimed at connectedness, surrender and love for God as response to God’s prevenient and merciful love. An alignment of life with law would be petty in comparison with the great adventure of love between God and an individual. Therefore, Pope Francis formulates sharply:

"It is reductive simply to consider whether or not an individual’s actions correspond to a general law or rule, because that is not enough to discern and ensure full fidelity to God in the concrete life of a human being." [AL 304]

The Pope still goes a step further. The mere fulfilment of laws would not be only pettily shameful; it would be rather too little for him "spiritually":

“… fidelity would be spiritually meaningless were it simply a matter of following a law with obedient resignation. Rather, it is a matter of the heart, into which God alone sees (cf. Mt 5:28). Every morning, on rising, we reaffirm before God our decision to be faithful, come what may in the course of the day. And all of us, before going to sleep, hope to wake up and continue this adventure, trusting in the Lord’s help.” [AL 319]

These first considerations for a pastoral culture, which respects individuals and their conscience helps us to understand that the family synod was not expected to provide "a new set of general rules, canonical in nature and applicable to all cases" [AL 300]. The main concern is rather a new pastoral culture, a culture of love and mercy. Regarding love and mercy, the Pope does not hesitate to reflect on law. It is the new law which Jesus brought down from the mountain (Mt 8.1-4). Love and mercy make the concept of the undeserved grace of God visible.

The new law of love and mercy

This law, this conformity with the legality of the prevenient grace, was Jesus’ main concern: "Christ proposed as the distinctive sign of his disciples the law of love and the gift of self for others (cf. Mt 22:39; Jn 13:34)" [AL 27]

This "law" shall form the nature of every man till depths of their existence. People who surrender themselves to the prevenient grace of God, become loving people. The law of love and mercy is written into their heart. It is that law which spares the poor and nature, thanks to its effects on their actions, and which helps people on their way to a more humane life. The Pope sees in this biophilic main feature of the law of comprehensive love “a profound law of reality”: “’Life grows by being given away, and it weakens in isolation and comfort. Indeed, those who enjoy life most are those who leave security on the shore and become excited by the mission of communicating life to others’." [EG 10].

Love

When the authors of the New Testament reduce the moral message of Christianity to its essence, then they remind us of the unavoidable demand of love for thy neighbour: "The one who loves his neighbour has fulfilled the whole law… therefore love of neighbour is the fulfilling of the law” (Rom 13:8, 10). These are the words of Saint Paul, for whom the commandment of love not only sums up the law but constitutes its very heart and purpose: “For the whole law is fulfilled in one word, ‘you shall love your neighbour as yourself’” (Gal 5:14)." EG [161]

"Works of love directed to one’s neighbour are the most perfect external manifestation of the interior grace of the Spirit: “The foundation of the New Law is in the grace of the Holy Spirit, who is manifested in the faith which works through love”. Thomas thus explains that, as far as external works are concerned, mercy is the greatest of all the virtues." [EG 37]

However, love is not only the perfect epitome of law. For its part, it must characterise the encounter with divine law: "In seeking to uphold God’s law we must never forget this specific requirement of love." [AL 112]

Mercy

Based on the Jesuanic tradition, it becomes clear, which kind of love the Pope means, when we see that it is interwoven with mercy. Love and mercy become interchangeable concepts and define one another:

"Mercy: the fundamental law that dwells in the heart of every person who looks sincerely into the eyes of his brothers and sisters on the path of life. Mercy: the bridge that connects God and man, opening our hearts to the hope of being loved forever despite our sinfulness." [MV 2]

In the end, it is tangible merciful love which saves people: “The apostle James teaches that our mercy to others will vindicate us on the day of God’s judgment: “So speak and so act as those who are to be judged under the law of liberty. For judgment is without mercy to one who has shown no mercy, yet mercy triumphs over judgment” (Jac 2:12-13)". [EG 193]

Law and mercy

Therefore, the Pope’s interest is in the primacy of the prevenient grace, about the play of love between God and mankind and with every individual, who is an image of the loving God and is created for love: "To believe in a Father who loves all men and women with an infinite love means realizing that ‘he thereby confers upon them an infinite dignity’”. [EG 178]

For him and for the whole Christian tradition mercy has priority before law. In several attempts, the Pope encircles this his central pastoral concern, prioritising the believing and loving answer to God’s love before bare compliance with laws:

"For his part, Jesus speaks several times of the importance of faith over and above the observance of the law. It is in this sense that we must understand his words when, reclining at table with Matthew and other tax collectors and sinners, he says to the Pharisees raising objections to him, “Go and learn the meaning of ‘I desire mercy not sacrifice’. I have come not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mt 9:13). Faced with a vision of justice as the mere observance of the law that judges people simply by dividing them into two groups – the just and sinners – Jesus is bent on revealing the great gift of mercy that searches out sinners and offers them pardon and salvation. One can see why, on the basis of such a liberating vision of mercy as a source of new life, Jesus was rejected by the Pharisees and the other teachers of the law. In an attempt to remain faithful to the law, they merely placed burdens on the shoulders of others and undermined the Father’s mercy." [MV 20]

The change of accent from law to mercy is decisive for Pope Francis. He finds a fitting illustration in the life of the Apostle Paul. He searched "…his life to pursuing the justice of the law with zeal (cf. Phil 3:6). His conversion to Christ led him to turn that vision upside down, to the point that he would write to the Galatians: “We have believed in Christ Jesus, in order to be justified by faith in Christ, and not by works of the law, because by works of the law shall no one be justified” (2:16). Paul’s understanding of justice changes radically. He now places faith first, not justice. Salvation comes not through the observance of the law, but through faith in Jesus Christ, who in his death and resurrection brings salvation together with a mercy that justifies. God’s justice now becomes the liberating force for those oppressed by slavery to sin and its consequences. God’s justice is his mercy (cf. Ps 51:11-16)." [MV 20]

Repeatedly, Pope Francis refers in his canvassing for a farewell from a law-centered pastoral practice to a passage quoted by Jesus from the book of the prophet Hosea – “I desire love and not sacrifice”. “Jesus affirms that, from that time onward, the rule of life for his disciples must place mercy at the centre, as Jesus himself demonstrated by sharing meals with sinners. Mercy, once again, is revealed as a fundamental aspect of Jesus’ mission. This is truly challenging to his hearers, who would draw the line at a formal respect for the law. Jesus, on the other hand, goes beyond the law; the company he keeps with those the law considers sinners makes us realize the depth of his mercy." [MV 20] Only when pastoral practice follows Jesus on the way of mercy, can it be avoided that "an attempt to remain faithful to the law must not prevent attention from being given to matters that touch upon the dignity of the person." [MV 20] This already applies to God and much more for the Church:

"If God limited himself to only justice, he would cease to be God, and would instead be like human beings who ask merely that the law be respected. But mere justice is not enough. Experience shows that an appeal to justice alone will result in its destruction. This is why God goes beyond justice with his mercy and forgiveness. …For Christ is the end of the law, that everyone who has faith may be justified” (Rom 10:3-4). [MV 21]

The Pope seems to feel that with this request he will find resistance within the Church. This leads him to pray:

"Let us ask the Lord to help us understand the law of love. How good it is to have this law! How much good it does us to love one another, in spite of everything. Yes, in spite of everything!" [EG 101]

Individuals and their irreplaceable conscience

We have been called to form consciences, not to replace them.[AL 37]

Martin Luther and Ignatius of Loyola lived at the same time. It was a time of radical change. The “sign of this time" was the discovery of the individual, the appreciation of the person. Individuality, but not individualism became a highly valued. For Martin Luther, it was all about the very personal question of how the individual can find a merciful God. In turn, Ignatius taught individuals in his spiritual exercises to search for the will of God and to discern the spirits.

The texts of Pope Francis are formed by this estimation of the individual person. This can be seen in how he behaves: "Whenever he is among a crowd of people his eyes actually rest on individual persons." [IV Spadaro – about the Pope]. The Pope regards the appreciation of the unique person as an advantage for the cohesion of families [AL 146] and cohabiting partners for learning to love someone with whom he or she plans to share his or her whole life [AL 208]

However, respect for the uniqueness of the individual is also a feature of this pastoral culture which he would like to disseminate within the Church. Regarding the shift of accent "from law to face" it follows that the question is no longer whether the individual complies with the general norm, but whether the norm provides orientation and help for the individual on their unique path in life. In pursuit of this, the Pope is able to refer to Thomas Aquinas.

After he writes…

"It is reductive simply to consider whether or not an individual’s actions correspond to a general law or rule, because that is not enough to discern and ensure full fidelity to God in the concrete life of a human being.” [AL 304]

… he continues, arguing theologically:

“I earnestly ask that we always recall a teaching of Saint Thomas Aquinas and learn to incorporate it in our pastoral discernment: “Although there is necessity in the general principles, the more we descend to matters of detail, the more frequently we encounter defects… In matters of action, truth or practical rectitude is not the same for all, as to matters of detail, but only as to the general principles; and where there is the same rectitude in matters of detail, it is not equally known to all… The principle will be found to fail, according as we descend further into detail”. It is true that general rules set forth a good which can never be disregarded or neglected, but in their formulation they cannot provide absolutely for all particular situations.” [AL 304]

From this it follows that pastoral practice does not apply laws but accompanies individual lives. In this process of support, laws take on a serving, orientating and also critical, discerning role. But in the end, what is decisive, is the search for a way which is possible and reasonable for the individual - and not the enforcing of the law. However, this does not concern the life path of individuals in general, but also the path which Church members choose within the Church community. To express it using a plausible image, Christmas cookies are not shaped from dough always using one single form, but various forms create different cookies. The Pope expresses this thus:

"It is a matter of reaching out to everyone, of needing to help each person find his or her proper way of participating in the ecclesial community and thus to experience being touched by an ‘unmerited, unconditional and gratuitous’ mercy. No one can be condemned for ever, because that is not the logic of the Gospel! Here I am not speaking only of the divorced and remarried, but of everyone, in whatever situation they find themselves." [AL 297]

Conscience

When the Pope speaks about the individual and pastorally demands sensitive respect for their uniqueness, then he is not referring to someone with an inflated ego, nor an unprincipled individualist, but conscientious individuals. The respect for conscience is a cornerstone pillar for the new pastoral culture. Only by this, the Pope demonstrates that he is a modern person.

It is clear to him that insisting on the inviolable conscience of the individual is not acceptable for some representatives of the Church. But in doing this he can rely on the “theological personalism" of John Henry Newman and his position "first the conscience, then the Pope".⁵⁸

Traditionally, conscience was subordinated to magisterium – even in everyday pastoral practice. In the official teaching, an autonomy of conscience as well as an autonomous morality (“autonome Moral”) were rejected⁵⁹. In his conversation with Antonio Spadaro the Pope admits frankly that for him the conscience is autonomous.

The Pope does not support any individualistic concept of the autonomy of conscience, though. He knows that it can be influenced by adverse circumstances. Today, people live in a "hardly transparent world". [IV Spadaro] Interests and power can cast a shadow on the light of conscience.

" Doing what is right means more than “judging what seems best” or knowing clearly what needs to be done, as important as this is. Often we prove inconsistent in our own convictions, however firm they may be; even when our conscience dictates a clear moral decision, other factors sometimes prove more attractive and powerful. We have to arrive at the point where the good that the intellect grasps can take root in us as a profound affective inclination…”[AL 265]

In connection with this, the Pope recommends for example parents not to practice a “dark pedagogy” but to educate children by emphasising the “attractive good”. Because "today, it is less and less effective to demand something that calls for effort and sacrifice, without clearly pointing to the benefits which it can bring." [AL 265]

Competent formation of conscience is obviously more important for the Pope than a submission under the authority of magisterium, surrendering the one’s own ultimate responsibility. Above all, according to the founder of his congregation, for him the discernment of the spirit is indispensable. Regarding this challenge of the conscience, the church can and shall stand at the side of the individuals and accompany them. Then follows the striking sentence: "We have been called to form consciences, not to replace them.” [AL 37]

Conscientious politics

However, conscience is not only indispensable in the way individuals conduct their lives. Also in politics it plays an important role, according to the Pope. In his political texts – the speeches in European committees and not least in the very political encyclical Laudato sì he teaches about conscience. He speaks about the “numbing of conscience” and that reality is ignored [LS 49]. We burden our consciences if we don’t respect the environment as “collective good” [LS 95] and as the inheritance of mankind, and usurp something without managing it for the welfare of everyone. The Pope laments that “our immense technological development has not been accompanied by a development in human responsibility, values and conscience”. [LS 105]. Determinism [LS 118] reduces the responsibility of human beings. It can be foreseen, that "those who will have to suffer the consequences of what we are trying to hide will not forget this failure of conscience and responsibility" [LS 169].

Therefore, in politics people with conscience are needed more than ever, "which does not submit to any influencing and therefore is capable of recognising one’s own dignity and to open oneself to the Absolute", Pope Francis quotes former Pope John Paul II [EU Council of Europe]. The European Court of Human Rights he calls the "conscience of Europe for the respect of human rights" [EU Council of Europe]. And, if Europe has a soul (and it needs such), then it is its conscience and its historical memory. Concerning the realm of politics, the Pope is not only pessimistic [EU European Parliament]: "I think that the Roman Catholics engaged in politics have the values of religion within themselves but also their mature conscience and the competence to implement this." [Eugenio Scalfari].

The Pope is reticent regarding the formation of "political conscience" by the Church because it does not have solutions for every detailed question. "Together with the various sectors of society, she supports those programs which best respond to the dignity of each person and the common good. In doing this, she proposes in a clear way the fundamental values of human life and convictions which can then find expression in political activity." [EG 241]. This is the reason why the Pope is against a “privatisation” of religions, which aims to silence them socio-politically:

"A healthy pluralism, one which genuinely respects differences and values them as such, does not entail privatizing religions in an attempt to reduce them to the quiet obscurity of the individual’s conscience or to relegate them to the enclosed precincts of churches, synagogues or mosques. This would represent, in effect, a new form of discrimination and authoritarianism." [EG 255]

Against such a tendency, the Pope is worried about a political neutralising of religions in many cultures: “a worry that should disquiet our consciences, that “…so many of our brothers and sisters are living without the strength, light and consolation born of friendship with Jesus Christ, without a community of faith to support them, without meaning and a goal in life.” [EG 49]

When believers commit themselves politically, it would not be sufficient to only soothe need apolitically. "Nor should our loving response to God be seen simply as an accumulation of small personal gestures to individuals in need, a kind of “charity à la carte”, or a series of acts aimed solely at easing our conscience. The Gospel is about the kingdom of God (cf. Lk 4:43); it is about loving God who reigns in our world." [EG 180]

Regarding the great social and ecological challenges of mankind in the realms of peace, justice and integrity of creation, the Pope considers it as his inevitable task "to stir dulled consciences or to soil her hands". [SYN] without fear. The Family Synod has shown that the Church is ready for such a commitment to the formation of political conscience. Also the Jubilee of Mercy was for him a contribution to "reawakening the conscience":

"It is my burning desire that, during this Jubilee, the Christian people may reflect on the corporal and spiritual works of mercy. It will be a way to reawaken our conscience, too often grown dull in the face of poverty. And let us enter more deeply into the heart of the Gospel where the poor have a special experience of God’s mercy." [MV 15]

Responsible Parenthood

The Pope does not only speak about the conscience in political matters but also with regard to cultivating marriage and family.

A first occasion offers– since Humanae vitae – the vexatious topic of responsible parenthood and the moral judgement of the means of controlling the number of children.

According to the encyclical of Paul VI regional conferences of bishops have given pastoral explanations which have - respecting the position of the Pope - reminded parents that they have the right to make a decision according to their own consciences: This means in many cases a decision that deviates from Humanae vitae.

Pope Francis confirms this position which differs from the magisterium, writing: "The upright consciences of spouses who have been generous in transmitting life may lead them, for sufficiently serious reasons, to limit the number of their children." [AL 42] At the same time, based on the same respect for the dignity of the conscience, he strongly rejects "the forced State intervention in favour of contraception, sterilization and even abortion” [AL 42]. He also stands by people who work in healthcare facilities and who have a moral duty not to cooperate in actions which are for them immoral. [AL 83]

When the Pope indicates conscience as the ultimate authority then he means of course an educated conscience, whereby he is thinking of a spiritual accompaniment to form the consciences:

"Decisions involving responsible parenthood presupposes the formation of conscience, which is ‘the most secret core and sanctuary of a person. There each one is alone with God, whose voice echoes in the depths of the heart’ (Gaudium et Spes, 16). The more the couple tries to listen in conscience to God and his commandments (cf. Rom 2:15), and is accompanied spiritually, the more their decision will be profoundly free of subjective caprice and accommodation to prevailing social mores”. The clear teaching of the Second Vatican Council still holds: “[The couple] will make decisions by common counsel and effort. Let them thoughtfully take into account both their own welfare and that of their children, those already born and those which the future may bring. For this accounting they need to reckon with both the material and the spiritual conditions of the times as well as of their state in life. Finally, they should consult the interests of the family group, of temporal society and of the Church herself. The parents themselves and no one else should ultimately make this judgment in the sight of God” [AL 222]

Induced abortion for the Pope is not an acceptable form of responsible parenthood. He nevertheless obliges those who are responsible for pastoral care "…to adequately accompany women in very difficult situations, where abortion appears as a quick solution to their profound anguish, especially when the life developing within them is the result of rape or a situation of extreme poverty. Who can remain unmoved before such painful situations?“ [EG 214]

Accompanying pastoral practice

For the Pope it is clear that the accent shift from the magisterium to the conscience which he promotes, therefore from law to face, finds little support within the traditional pastoral culture. But exactly it is this usual pastoral culture that he blames for the lack of support given to people:

"We have long thought that simply by stressing doctrinal, bioethical and moral issues, without encouraging openness to grace, we were providing sufficient support to families, strengthening the marriage bond and giving meaning to marital life. We find it difficult to present marriage more as a dynamic path to personal development and fulfilment than as a lifelong burden. We also find it hard to make room for the consciences of the faithful, who very often respond as best they can to the Gospel amid their limitations, and are capable of carrying out their own discernment in complex situations. We have been called to form consciences, not to replace them." [AL 37]

The Pope can (incidentally also from tradition) name many reasons which support the argument for including conscience much more in pastoral practice.

One of these reasons is that nobody can honestly judge the real situation of an individual in the face God from the outside and only with the help of objective laws within various and often unalterable circumstances. In this even the individual can only roughly succeed: But before God they individuals have the responsibility for what they discover about themselves. Fidelity to conscience can also justify unbelievers: "Non-Christians, by God’s gracious initiative, when they are faithful to their own consciences, can live “justified by the grace of God”, and thus be “associated to the paschal mystery of Jesus Christ”. [EG 254]

It can happen that somebody in his conscience decides in favour of a personal lifestyle which is not consistent with the general laws of God and the Church.

"Recognizing the influence of such concrete factors, we can add that individual conscience needs to be better incorporated into the Church’s praxis in certain situations which do not objectively embody our understanding of marriage. Naturally, every effort should be made to encourage the development of an enlightened conscience, formed and guided by the responsible and serious discernment of one’s pastor, and to encourage an ever greater trust in God’s grace. Yet conscience can do more than recognize that a given situation does not correspond objectively to the overall demands of the Gospel. It can also recognize with sincerity and honesty what for now is the most generous response which can be given to God, and come to see with a certain moral security that it is what God himself is asking amid the concrete complexity of one’s limits, while yet not fully the objective ideal. In any event, let us recall that this discernment is dynamic; it must remain ever open to new stages of growth and to new decisions which can enable the ideal to be more fully realized of the growth and permits these for new decisions. [AL 303]

For the Pope such profound thoughts about conscience are not an abstract playground. He develops them in that churchly discourse space which he has established in the Family Synod.

This centers around cases of utmost important in life, by which theological reflection is inspired. And the results of this reflection should serve people in their lives.

The Pope paraphrases just such an important case thus:

"One thing is a second union consolidated over time, with new children, proven fidelity, generous self giving, Christian commitment, a consciousness of its irregularity and of the great difficulty of going back without feeling in conscience that one would fall into new sins." [AL 298]

Just at these often not simple questions of conscience, pastoral practice - as the Pope wishes - should give accompanying support. "Pastoral discernment, while taking into account a person’s properly formed conscience, must take responsibility for these situations" [AL 302]

The Art of Accompaniment

logically Within the context of our Again and again the issue of respect for individuals and their conscience, the pastoral motto of "accompaniment" occurs logically. Within the context of our civilisation, the Pope is designing such an "art of accompaniment".

"In a culture paradoxically suffering from anonymity and at the same time obsessed with the details of other people’s lives, shamelessly given over to morbid curiosity, the Church must look more closely and sympathetically at others whenever necessary. In our world, ordained ministers and other pastoral workers can make present the fragrance of Christ’s closeness and his personal gaze. The Church will have to initiate everyone – priests, religious and laity – into this “art of accompaniment” which teaches us to remove our sandals before the sacred ground of the other (cf. Ex 3:5). The pace of this accompaniment must be steady and reassuring, reflecting our closeness and our mercyate gaze which also heals, liberates and encourages growth in the Christian life." [EG 169]

This “art of accompaniment” - one also could speak about a culture of accompanying – will be introduced now in its various facets using particular texts.

Surrender oneself to God

A first principle could be that accompaniment has as its goal, that individuals - in their consciences responsible people - become themselves before God, are aware of his courteous kindness. Then they are - under the tender gaze of Jesus – ready, to recognise their situation without dissembling and if necessary to change this within the boundaries of the reasonable and possible:

"They [the Synod Fathers synod father] began with the gaze of Jesus and they spoke of how he ‘looked upon the women and men whom he met with love and tenderness, accompanying their steps in truth, patience and mercy as he proclaimed the demands of the Kingdom of God’. The Lord is also with us today, as we seek to practice and pass on the Gospel of the family” [AL 60]

This way Jesus shows how “God’s indulgent love always accompanies our human journey; through grace, it heals and transforms hardened hearts, leading them back to the beginning through the way of the cross." [AL 62]

This "placing themselves before God" and in this way “confronting themselves with God” is in no way always comfortable. This is because the truth about one’s life, suppressed for a long time, can come to light. The consciences become inspired, "subtle dynamics which even attempt to replace God the Creator, dynamics which must be unmasked and resisted in full respect for the dignity of each person" [SYN, FN 8].

That couples discover, that the loved one is given to them by God and that on this path of their love they discover God, can be described as a "spiritual accompaniment". The Pope is very much interested in such a “spiritual accompaniment”. For this spiritual accompaniment the Pope has strong demands and expectations. It must "… lead others ever closer to God, in whom we attain true freedom. Some people think they are free if they can avoid God; they fail to see that they remain existentially orphaned, helpless, homeless. They cease being pilgrims and become drifters, flitting around themselves and never getting anywhere. To accompany them would be counterproductive if it became a sort of therapy supporting their self-absorption and ceased to be a pilgrimage with Christ to the Father.” [EG 170]

Effective accompaniment does not only lead inwardly – to that mystery which life in its depths always is - but also has a missionary effect. Families then gain children, to follow the social movement created by Jesus. Families share with others their religious experiences, their joys and how they have mastered some crises with a "divine tailwind". As christened, such families participate in the proclamation of the Gospel by their religious lives and through answers, which they give when they are asked by others:

"Genuine spiritual accompaniment always begins and flourishes in the context of service to the mission of evangelization. Paul’s relationship with Timothy and Titus provides an example of this accompaniment and formation which takes place in the midst of apostolic activity. Entrusting them with the mission of remaining in each city to “put in order what remains to be done” (Tit 1:5; cf. 1 Tim 1:3-5), Paul also gives them rules for their personal lives and their pastoral activity. This is clearly distinct from every kind of intrusive accompaniment or isolated self-realization. Missionary disciples accompany missionary disciples.” [EG 173]

Before all practical instructions for the success of marriage and family, it is the Pope’s concern that in the end the decisive service of the Church is to bring the loving under God’s canopy as the Jewish marriage ceremony provides: "We pastors have to encourage families to grow in faith. This means encouraging frequent confession, spiritual direction and occasional retreats. It also means encouraging family prayer during the week, since “the family that prays together stays together”” [AL 227]

Supporting the decision of the individual

A second principle is the significance which is particular to the irreplaceable conscience of the individual before God. In the end, everyone must judge and decide by themselves. Therefore, accompaniment can only serve the conscience-based decision of the individual, a decision which is often complicated but nevertheless expected of them. For this, the companion needs a fine sense of empathy; at the same time, it is the task of the companion provided by the Church to be an advocate of the Gospel and to try to ensure that in the decision-making process of the conscience the Gospel is not lost sight off or is cut short, because it is read to “excuse” ourselves:

"One who accompanies others has to realize that each person’s situation before God and their life in grace are mysteries which no one can fully know from without. The Gospel tells us to correct others and to help them to grow on the basis of a recognition of the objective evil of their actions (cf. Mt 18:15), but without making judgments about their responsibility and culpability (cf. Mt 7:1; Lk 6:37). Someone good at such accompaniment does not give in to frustrations or fears. He or she invites others to let themselves be healed, to take up their mat, embrace the cross, leave all behind and go forth ever anew to proclaim the Gospel. Our personal experience of being accompanied and assisted, and of openness to those who accompany us, will teach us to be patient and mercyate with others, and to find the right way to gain their trust, their openness and their readiness to grow." [EG 172]

A third principle could be that the Pope refuses to cause a guilty conscience, where this does not have any basis in the subjective behaviour of the person. The Pope speaks about this request incidentally in the context of his "little lessons for preachers" in Evangelii gaudium [EG 135-159]. He demands from the preacher a “positive preaching”. He “… is not so much concerned with pointing out what shouldn’t be done, but with suggesting what we can do better. In any case, if it does draw attention to something negative, it will also attempt to point to a positive and attractive value, lest it remain mired in complaints, laments, criticisms and reproaches. Positive preaching always offers hope, points to the future, does not leave us trapped in negativity." [EG 159]

Great endurance

A pastoral practice of accompaniment requires great endurance. Limits are taken into account. The processes can be hard and long.

Those who evangelise have the "smell of the sheep" and these hear their voice. The evangelising community makes itself ready for accompaniment. They accompany “…people at every step of the way, no matter how difficult or lengthy this may prove to be. It is familiar with patient expectation and apostolic endurance. Evangelization consists mostly of patience and disregard for constraints of time.” [EG 24]

Two evaluating remarks to the practice of the accompaniment are worth mentioning: The Pope laments a “lack of pastoral care among the poor" [EG 70]. On the other hand, he praises the commitment of dedicated church members, writing that “many Christians are giving their lives in love. They help so many people to be healed or to die in peace in makeshift hospitals. They are present to those enslaved by different addictions in the poorest places on earth. They devote themselves to the education of children and young people. They take care of the elderly who have been fogotten by everyone else. They look for ways to communicate values in hostile environments. They are dedicated in many other ways to showing an immense love for humanity inspired by the God who became man. " [EG 76]

Situations for accompaniment

Everyday accompaniment

It seems obvious that the main area for the development of a “culture of accompaniment” is the pastoral practice around marriage and family in Amoris laetitia. The Pope wants an accompaniment of couples along their complete story of their relationship. The care for the success of the marriages in all its stages of development is puts in concrete terms under the broad heading "accompany". The Pope summarises thus:

"The Church wishes, with humility and mercy, to reach out to families and “to help each family to discover the best way to overcome any obstacles it encounters”. It is not enough to show generic concern for the family in pastoral planning. Enabling families to take up their role as active agents of the family apostolate calls for “an effort at evangelization and catechesis inside the family." [AL 200]

Thereafter, concrete situations on this long path of marriage and family are identified, which give an opportunity for the Church to offer accompaniment. The arc reaches from the beginning of their love until the painful loss of either partner.

The Church supports “engaged couples as they grow in love”. [AL 207] For this it can "… offer [to couples] a remote preparation that, by example and good advice, [it] can help their love to grow and mature.” [AL 208] In the preparation for marriage high value should be put on a mature and lived faith. "Those who help prepare them for marriage should help them experience these moments of prayer that can prove so beneficial." [AL 216]

Sometimes during such an accompaniment couples can recognise that they are not destined for each other: "The timely preparation of engaged couples by the parish community should also assist them to recognize eventual problems and risks. In this way, they can come to realize the wisdom of breaking off a relationship whose failure and painful aftermath can be foreseen." [AL 209]

A major step of the accompaniment is the wedding ceremony. The Pope does not only have in mind the weddings of couples, from which no questions arise from the Church, but the accompaniment should be extended to couples, “who are living together, or are only married civilly, or are divorced and remarried” [AL 78]. These people "need to be welcomed and guided patiently and discreetly" [AL 294]. “When such unions attain a particular stability, legally recognized, are characterized by deep affection and responsibility for their offspring, and demonstrate an ability to overcome trials, they can provide occasions for pastoral care with a view to the eventual celebration of the sacrament of marriage." [AL 293] Based on his Latin American experiences, the Pope knows that a Church wedding ceremony is often not possible because of poverty.

However, the wedding ceremony should not be the end of the accompaniment. "The Synod Fathers observed that “the initial years of marriage are a vital and sensitive period during which couples become more aware of the challenges and meaning of married life. Consequently, pastoral accompaniment needs to go beyond the actual celebration of the sacrament” [AL 223]. Accompaniment in the first years of marriage is therefore regarded as "essential" [AL 217]. All these accompanying means should effectuate that church members understand the meaning of the wedding ceremony (and with that the sacrament of marriage) and enable them to keep the given promise in lifelong truth:

"Both short-term and long-term marriage preparation should ensure that the couple do not view the wedding ceremony as the end of the road, but instead embark upon marriage as a lifelong calling based on a firm and realistic decision to face all trials and difficult moments together." [AL 211]

The Pope also sees shortcomings in the chain of accompaniment of couples by the Church. He complains: "Nor have we always provided solid guidance to young married couples, understanding their timetables, their way of thinking and their concrete concerns" [AL 36.] He appreciates "the Church’s efforts to offer guidance and counselling in areas related to growth in love, overcoming conflict and raising children.” [AL 38]. The Church should help parents to "assist them in the work of raising children" [AL 52] For such an accompaniment the Church hopes for support of experienced families from the neighbourhood of the young married couple: "It could also be helpful to ask older married couples to help younger couples in the neighbourhood by visiting them and offering guidance in the early years of marriage." [AL 230]

The Pope does not overlook “that many couples, once married, drop out of the Christian community. Often, however, we ourselves do not take advantage of those occasions when they do return, to remind them of the beautiful ideal of Christian marriage and the support that our parishes can offer them. I think, for example, of the Baptism and First Holy Communion of their children, or the funerals or weddings of their relatives or friends.” [AL 230]

Christian communities must encourage the married couple … to be generous in bestowing life [AL 222]. If children are born, the parents should receive additional accompaniment. This also applies to couples who are divorced but nevertheless retain their responsibilities as parents: "Christian communities must not abandon divorced parents who have entered a new union, but should include and support them in their efforts to bring up their children." [AL 246]

Families who have a child with a homosexual tendency should receive respectful accompaniment. This is the only passage which is left from a broad debate about homosexuality in the final document of the Family Synod: "Such families should be given respectful pastoral guidance, so that those who manifest a homosexual orientation can receive the assistance they need to understand and fully carry out God’s will in their lives." [AL 250]

With great urgency, the Pope demands that pastoral workers stand by families when a loved one dies. "We cannot fail to offer the light of faith as a support to families going through this experience. To turn our backs on a grieving family would show a lack of mercy, mean the loss of a pastoral opportunity, and close the door to other efforts at evangelization." [AL 253] Realistically and very pragmatically, he adds: "Ordinarily, the grieving process takes a fair amount of time, and when a pastor must accompany that process, he has to adapt to the demands of each of its stages." [AL 255]

Accompaniment in crises

Besides the everyday accompaniment of marriages and families over the complete lifecycle, the Pope gives great significance to accompaniment in critical situations. According to the words of Jesus, it is not the healthy but the sick who need a doctor (Lk 5.31).

Such a crisis accompaniment can be preventative with the aim of a cooperative conflict management. This way, crises can stimulate development in relationships. To accompany married couples in crises, the pastors should work together with a couple who have survived a crisis:

"Couples will gain from receiving help in facing crises, meeting challenges and acknowledging them as part of family life. Experienced and trained couples should be open to offering guidance, so the couples will not be unnerved by these crises or tempted to hasty decisions. Each crisis has a lesson to teach us; we need to learn how to listen for it with the ear of the heart.” [AL 232]

Accompany divorced who have married again

Already before the Family Synod, the pastoral question was broadly discussed of how the church handles members, whose sacramental wedding vow has not held and started a new relationship after divorce. The traditional pastoral practice tended toward "exclusion" as perceived by the persons concerned.

Already the title of the respective chapter in Amoris Laetitia shows that the Pope also on this issue wants a change in the pastoral culture: "Accompanying, distinguishing and integrating weakness". [AL 291]

Accompaniment begins by accepting their suffering with great respect, "particularly when children are involved or when they are in serious financial difficulty” [AL 242]. The pastoral conception of the Pope shows him to be “suffering-sensitive”. Pope John Paul II already noted in Familiaris consortio (1980, FC 83) that it is moreover necessary, “that the divorced who have entered a new union should be made to feel part of the Church. ‘They are not excommunicated’ and they should not be treated as such, since they remain part of the ecclesial community.” These situations “require careful discernment and respectful accompaniment. Language or conduct that might lead them to feel discriminated against should be avoided.” [AL 243] This assistance must be done “with attention and care [to those who are] the weakest of her children, who show signs of a wounded and troubled love, by restoring in them hope and confidence, like the beacon of a lighthouse in a port or a torch carried among the people to enlighten those who have lost their way or who are in the midst of a storm”. Let us not forget that the Church’s task is often like that of a field hospital” [AL 291].

The logic of integration

Whereas the logic of “exclusion” and "excommunication" determined the previous pastoral practice around divorce and re-marriage (insofar the remarried couples were excluded from receiving communion), a logic of "integration" should characterize pastoral practice in future.

"I am in agreement with the many Synod Fathers who observed that “the baptized who are divorced and civilly remarried need to be more fully integrated into Christian communities in the variety of ways possible, while avoiding any occasion of scandal. The logic of integration is the key to their pastoral care, a care which would allow them not only to realize that they belong to the Church as the body of Christ, but also to know that they can have a joyful and fruitful experience in it. They are baptized; they are brothers and sisters; the Holy Spirit pours into their hearts gifts and talents for the good of all. Their participation can be expressed in different ecclesial services, which necessarily requires discerning which of the various forms of exclusion currently practised in the liturgical, pastoral, educational and institutional framework, can be surmounted. Such persons need to feel not as excommunicated members of the Church, but instead as living members, able to live and grow in the Church and experience her as a mother who welcomes them always, who takes care of them with affection and encourages them along the path of life and the Gospel. This integration is also needed in the care and Christian upbringing of their children, who ought to be considered most important”" [AL 299]

In the end, this logic of integration into the full Church life (therefore also into the sacramental communio) is underpinned by already mentioned morals theological insights. The traditional insight that divorce and a following (civil) re-marriage bring a state of objective guilt is decisive. However, it can be very possible that subjectively it does not come to any imputation of this guilt. Regarding this, the Pope quotes the Catechism of the Catholic Church: "Imputability and responsibility for an action can be diminished or even nullified by ignorance, inadvertence, duress, fear, habit, inordinate attachments, and other psychological or social factors”. [EG 44]

Via Caritatis

In such a situation it is decisive to accompany the affected persons “on a journey of openness to God" [EG 44]. So the accompaniment primarily will not care for a pastoral refurbishing of the no longer reversible situation alone. It is much more necessary to promote a life in love:

"In every situation, when dealing with those who have difficulties in living God’s law to the full, the invitation to pursue the via caritatis must be clearly heard. Fraternal charity is the first law of Christians (cf. Jn 15:12; Gal 5:14). Let us not forget the reassuring words of Scripture: “Maintain constant love for one another, for love covers a multitude of sins” (1 Pet 4:8); “Atone for your sins with righteousness, and your iniquities with mercy to the oppressed, so that your prosperity may be prolonged” (Dan 4:24[27]); “As water extinguishes a blazing fire, so almsgiving atones for sins” (Sir 3:30). This is also what Saint Augustine teaches: “Just as, at the threat of a fire, we would run for water to extinguish it… so too, if the flame of sin rises from our chaff and we are troubled, if the chance to perform a work of mercy is offered us, let us rejoice in it, as if it were a fountain offered us to extinguish the blaze " [AL 306]

Stages of growth

As with all people, on such spiritual paths the insight in the "law of graduality" helps, which is now read as a law of spiritual growth and maturation. The pastoral accompaniment which is always a spiritual accompaniment supports the "the eventual stages of personal growth as these progressively appear, making room for ‚the Lord’s mercy, which spurs us on to do our best’”. [AL 308] The Pope is convinced that the strengthening of the spiritual dimension of life increases the quality of decisions: "The more the couple tries to listen in conscience to God and his commandments (cf. Rom 2:15), and is accompanied spiritually, the more their decision will be profoundly free of subjective caprice and accommodation to prevailing social mores”. [AL 222] Such accompaniment can then take pleasure in the small steps taken in direction of growing love in the conviction that growing love itself is effected by grace:

"Consequently, without detracting from the evangelical ideal, they need to accompany with mercy and patience the eventual stages of personal growth as these progressively occur. I want to remind priests that the confessional must not be a torture chamber but rather an encounter with the Lord’s mercy which spurs us on to do our best. A small step, in the midst of great human limitations, can be more pleasing to God than a life which appears outwardly in order but moves through the day without confronting great difficulties. Everyone needs to be touched by the comfort and attraction of God’s saving love, which is mysteriously at work in each person, above and beyond their faults and failings." [EG 44; AL 308]

For this development – according to the nature of the concept of accompaniment – not the companion, but the affected persons remain responsible for themselves according to their consciences. The Church cannot relieve anybody of this responsibility. It is indispensable for the affected persons to find a realistic assessment of their own situations and - based on this - to make decisions which the Church (grateful for Gods work in the consciences) accepts.

"Recognizing the influence of such concrete factors, we can add that individual conscience needs to be better incorporated into the Church’s praxis in certain situations which do not objectively embody our understanding of marriage. Naturally, every effort should be made to encourage the development of an enlightened conscience, formed and guided by the responsible and serious discernment of one’s pastor, and to encourage an ever greater trust in God’s grace. Yet conscience can do more than recognize that a given situation does not correspond objectively to the overall demands of the Gospel. It can also recognize with sincerity and honesty what for now is the most generous response which can be given to God, and come to see with a certain moral security that it is what God himself is asking amid the concrete complexity of one’s limits, while yet not fully the objective ideal. In any event, let us recall that this discernment is dynamic; it must remain ever open to new stages of growth and to new decisions which can enable the ideal to be more fully realized." [AL 303]

Those affected who are - in the context of their personal faith history – in the process of healing the wounds from their separation and divorce and of forming the new relationship, can expect pastoral support from the Church. It should come to an accompaniment in the "forum internum", i.e. in the protected space of pastoral practice, with the aim of looking at the situation before of God with the gift of discernment given by the Holy Spirit:

"Conversation with the priest, in the internal forum, contributes to the formation of a correct judgment on what hinders the possibility of a fuller participation in the life of the Church and on what steps can foster it and make it grow. Given that gradualness is not in the law itself (cf. Familiaris Consortio, 34), this discernment can never prescind from the Gospel demands of truth and charity, as proposed by the Church. For this discernment to happen, the following conditions must necessarily be present: humility, discretion and love for the Church and her teaching, in a sincere search for God’s will and a desire to make a more perfect response to it” [AL 300]

In this balancing and discerning pastoral practice it is the aim to work through spiritually the separation story and to heal the wounds which have been inflicted. On this, the Pope formulates quite concrete questions which have already proved effective in some Church districts [⁶⁰59].

"Priests have the duty to “accompany [the divorced and remarried] in helping them to understand their situation according to the teaching of the Church and the guidelines of the bishop. Useful in this process is an examination of conscience through moments of reflection and repentance. The divorced and remarried should ask themselves: how did they act towards their children when the conjugal union entered into crisis; whether or not they made attempts at re- conciliation; what has become of the abandoned party; what consequences the new relationship has on the rest of the family and the community of the faithful; and what example is being set for young people who are preparing for marriage. A sincere reflection can strengthen trust in the mercy of God which is not denied anyone”. What we are speaking of is a process of accompaniment and discernment which “guides the faithful to an awareness of their situation before God. Conversation with the priest, in the internal forum, contributes to the formation of a correct judgment on what hinders the possibility of a fuller participation in the life of the Church and on what steps can foster it and make it grow. Given that gradualness is not in the law itself (cf. Familiaris Consortio, 34), this discernment can never prescind from the Gospel demands of truth and charity, as proposed by the Church. For this discernment to happen, the following conditions must necessarily be present: humility, discretion and love for the Church and her teaching, in a sincere search for God’s will and a desire to make a more perfect response to it”. [AL 300]

The Pope does not spare harsh criticism for the attitude shown in the traditional pastoral practice of exclusion. Below follows a text already partially quoted elsewhere:

For this reason, a pastor cannot feel that it is enough simply to apply moral laws to those living in “irregular” situations, as if they were stones to throw at people’s lives. This would bespeak the closed heart of one used to hiding behind the Church’s teachings, “sitting on the chair of Moses and judging at times with superiority and superficiality difficult cases and wounded families”. Along these same lines, the International Theological Commission has noted that “natural law could not be presented as an already established set of rules that impose themselves a priori on the moral subject; rather, it is a source of objective inspiration for the deeply personal process of making decisions”. Because of forms of conditioning and mitigating factors, it is possible that in an objective situation of sin – which may not be subjectively culpable, or fully such – a person can be living in God’s grace, can love and can also grow in the life of grace and charity, while receiving the Church’s help to this end. Discernment must help to find possible ways of responding to God and growing in the midst of limits. By thinking that everything is black and white, we sometimes close off the way of grace and of growth, and discourage paths of sanctification which give glory to God. Let us remember that “a small step, in the midst of great human limitations, can be more pleasing to God than a life which appears outwardly in order, but moves through the day without confronting great difficulties”. The practical pastoral care of ministers and of communities must not fail to embrace this reality. [AL 305]

Experienced Companions

The "pastoral practice of the accompaniment" lives by the quality of the companions. The counceling with an experienced pastor was already considered in the declaration of the Austrian bishops of 1980⁶¹60 as an essential element for a possible reconciliation of divorcees who live in a new relationship.

These companions must master the "art of accompaniment". To develop this art, Pope Francis gives practical suggestions.

First and foremost, it requires a course of action characterized by "prudence, understanding, patience and docility to the Spirit, so that they can protect the sheep from wolves who would scatter the flock. We need to practice the art of listening, which is more than simply hearing. Listening, in communication, is an openness of heart which makes possible that closeness without which genuine spiritual encounter cannot occur. Listening helps us to find the right gesture and word which shows that we are more than simply bystanders. Only through such respectful and mercyate listening can we enter on the paths of true growth and awaken a yearning for the Christian ideal: the desire to respond fully to God’s love and to bring to fruition what he has sown in our lives. " [EG 171]

A priest who has matured in the art of accompaniment will also be able to balance between rigorous rigour and disinterested indifference. The Pope also expects that from the confessor. "The confessor, for example, is always in danger of being either too much of a rigorist or too lax. Neither is merciful, because neither of them really takes responsibility for the person. The rigorist washes his hands so that he leaves it to the commandment. The loose minister washes his hands by simply saying, ‘This is not a sin’ or something like that. In pastoral ministry we must accompany people, and we must heal their wounds." [IV Spadaro]

In developing the culture of accompaniment, (secular) professionals may be helpful: "Professionals, especially those with practical experience, help keep pastoral initiatives grounded in the real situations and concrete concerns of families." [AL 204]

It is more than an appreciative tribute to women still seeking a rightful place within the Church when the Pope attributes to them a special ability for accompaniment: "I readily acknowledge that many women share pastoral responsibilities with priests, helping to guide people, families and groups and offering new contributions to theological reflection. But we need to create still broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the Church." [EG 103] This applies to him in a special manner in view of Mary who “brought him (Jesus) into the world with great faith". She also “accompanies “the rest of her offspring, those who keep the commandments of God and bear testimony to Jesus” (Rev 12:17)” [EG 285]. “She is the missionary who draws near to us and accompanies us throughout life, opening our hearts to faith by her maternal love.” [EG 286]

An accompanying Church

Such a culture of accompaniment requires not only experienced companions - priests, women, experts - but also a Church willing to accompany them. In an almost hymnal way, the Pope formulates thus:

"I dream of a church that is a mother and shepherdess. The church’s ministers must be merciful, take responsibility for the people and accompany them like the good Samaritan, who washes, cleans and raises up his neighbor. This is pure Gospel. God is greater than sin. The structural and organizational reforms are secondary—that is, they come afterward. The first reform must be the attitude. The ministers of the Gospel must be people who can warm the hearts of the people, who walk through the dark night with them, who know how to dialogue and to descend themselves into their people’s night, into the darkness, but without getting lost. The people of God want pastors, not clergy acting like bureaucrats or government officials. The bishops, particularly, must be able to support the movements of God among their people with patience, so that no one is left behind. But they must also be able to accompany the flock that has a flair for finding new paths" [IV Spadaro]

The Pope believes that Christ also wants such a Church, which is "mindful of the good that the Holy Spirit spreads amidst weakness and decrepitude: a mother who clearly expresses her objective doctrine and at the same time ‘always does what good she can, even if in the process, her shoes get soiled by the mud of the street’.” [AL 308]

A Church ready to accompany is an open Church. It also does not wait until people seek accompaniment. "A Church which ‘goes forth’ is a Church whose doors are open. Going out to others in order to reach the fringes of humanity does not mean rushing out aimlessly into the world. Often it is better simply to slow down, to put aside our eagerness in order to see and listen to others, to stop rushing from one thing to another and to remain with someone who has faltered along the way. At times we have to be like the father of the prodigal son, who always keeps his door open so that when the son returns, he can readily pass through it." [EG 46]

Such a Church of respectful accompaniment will (re)attract people. "Let everyone admire how you care for one another, and how you encourage and accompany one another: “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another” (Jn 13:35).” [EG 99]

His desire for such a renewal of pastoral culture is summarised in the following text from Amoris laetitia:

"This offers us a framework and a setting which help us avoid a cold bureaucratic morality in dealing with more sensitive issues. Instead, it sets us in the context of a pastoral discernment filled with merciful love, which is ever ready to understand, forgive, accompany, hope, and above all integrate. That is the mindset which should prevail in the Church and lead us to “open our hearts to those living on the outermost fringes of society.”[AL 312]

Too much accompaniment?

Such a comprehensive concept of "pastoral accompaniment" can raise critical objections. The culture of accompaniment rejects the traditional culture of authoritarian assertion and moral incapacitation. Pastoral clericalism is being put in its place. This becomes clear, above all, from the strong emphasis on the uniqueness of each individual life story and the significance assigned to conscience in the desired pastoral care. This requires the pastors to bid farewell to a style of action that disregards the ultimate responsibility of the individual in his conscience. At the same time, those for whom pastoral care is organised are deprived of their responsibility of conscience. True freedom is uncomfortable. Therefore, within the secular world and Church, facing the intense complexity of globalisation and an increased risk to the individual freedom, the number of those - even young - people who want to get rid of the burdensome burden of freedom is increasing. This is observed not least in those modern societies in which freedom was achieved through centuries of struggle and the degrees of freedom were extended.

Such escalating flight from freedom is also an escape from the responsibility of individual conscience. The enemies of such a pastoral of accompaniment desired by the Pope, which relies on the conscience of the individual, can be the very people who flee freedom. After a long time of inculcated scepticism towards the conscience, the Church has long failed to promote the willingness of people to accept their responsibility according to their own conscience. Above all, fundamentalist groups in the churches, but also sceptics of modernity tend not to be willing to take responsibility for themselves.

But not only the unwillingness to accept freedom of conscience among the Church members (and far beyond) is contrary to an enforcement of the “pastoral of the accompaniment” desired by the Pope. If this is not carefully cultivated it could become endangered by it’s inner logic. Anyone who has gained an overview of the issues in which married couples should be "accompanied" from the beginning of their love to the death of one of the partners, can not consider it wholly untenable that such a complete concept of accompaniment can also include a moment of decapacitation. Especially the maturity of a free conscience, which presupposes the culture of accompaniment, can be counteracted by a kind of permanent accompaniment through all phases of life.

One can therefore also critically inquire into the concept of pastoral accompaniment. At a conference on the renewed pastoral practice in the realm of divorce and remarriage, I explained the elements of Pope Francis' concept. The keywords were: Ultimately, those affected are themselves responsible in their conscience to clarify how they stand before God. The Church offers a companion for the not always easy decision based on one’s conscience and the hoped for healing process. The Bishop completes this process by a certain kind of gesture that from that point on a divorced and remarried person can participate in the full life of the Church.

When I finished my explanation, someone raised their hand. She said excitedly that she regards such "imposed accompaniment" as mistrust of her, as a renewed form of imposition from the Church. This is no longer authoritarian and moralizing, dresses itself up as maternal care, in doing so treats those affected again as wordless children.

Now the pastoral accompaniment should not have this "stent". But the objection cannot be totally dismissed. Therefore, it requires a tremendous sensitivity on the part of the companions, so that this suspicion receives sustenance. First of all, it should be emphasized that there will certainly be people who do not need accompaniment. At the same time, these people need a great deal of insight into the workings of their own conscience. If they are not freedom fleers, but freedom artists, they will accept an accompaniment all the more, the more they are familiar with the experience, that each of us wants to have a good self-image, and be seen positively by others, and that this interest alone (in addition to many possible others) can shade our conscience and knowledge. Someone with a benevolent (not judgmental, but healing outlook) is – according to the insight - perhaps more capable of not falling victim to such shadowing. The art of such accompaniment will then aim to liberate the awareness of the person concerned. That requires a high level maturity. Therefore, the logical consequence of such insights into the working of the conscience is that accompaniment must be cultivated in a way that the accompaniment itself, its modalities and its times are freely agreed.

The Pope does not seem to be a stranger to those dark sides of a culture of accompaniment. Therefore, he appeals to people to whom he wishes a pastoral accompaniment:

"I encourage the faithful who find themselves in complicated situations to speak confidently with their pastors or with other lay people whose lives are committed to the Lord. They may not always encounter in them a confirmation of their own ideas or desires, but they will surely receive some light to help them better understand their situation and discover a path to personal growth. I also encourage the Church’s pastors to listen to them with sensitivity and serenity, with a sincere desire to understand their plight and their point of view, in order to help them live better lives and to recognize their proper place in the Church. " [AL 312]

From ideologue to shepherd

The Jesuit Antonio Spadaro, a friend of the Pope, was once asked if the pope was “right” or “left”. Spadaro replied, "Neither the one nor the other." The alternative sounds quite different: "Is he an ideologue or a shepherd?" Does the law concern him – as for ideologues - and its consistent application to human beings, or is he shepherd, who is interested in the well-being of each one of his entrusted “flock” and does not rest until all is well for the lost and the wounded sheep? The answer from Spadaro was clear. We find Pope Francis clearly at the pole of the shepherd. On the other hand, he finds no joy with the ideologues. If the general law is the focus of attention for the ideologue, then the shepherd confronts himself with the face of the individual. The Pope thus stands for a shift in the pastoral practice "from law to face". In his speech just after the Family Synod, during which ideologues and shepherds fought fiercely, he expresses this clearly:

"The Synod experience also made us better realize that the true defenders of doctrine are not those who uphold its letter, but its spirit; not ideas but people; not formulae but the gratuitousness of God’s love and forgiveness. This is in no way to detract from the importance of formulae – they are necessary – or from the importance of laws and divine commandments, but rather to exalt the greatness of the true God, who does not treat us according to our merits or even according to our works but solely according to the boundless generosity of his Mercy (cf. Rom 3:21-30; Ps 129; Lk 11:47-54). It does have to do with overcoming the recurring temptations of the elder brother (cf. Lk 15:25-32) and the jealous labourers (cf. Mt 20:1-16). Indeed, it means upholding all the more the laws and commandments which were made for man and not vice versa (cf. Mk 2:27)." [SYN]

1)

 Schein, Edgar H.: Organisationskultur [Organisation culture], Bergisch Gladbach 2003. - https://www.wko.at/site/FG-UBIT-WIEN-Unternehmenskultur/Beratungsverstaendnis/Begriff_der_Unternehmenskultur_wesentliche_Definition.html#EdSchein (21/5/2017)   ↵

2)

 http://www.stimmen-der-zeit.de/zeitschrift/online_exklusiv/details_html?k_beitrag=3906412  ↵

3)

 Spadaro, Antonio: Das Interview mit Pope Francis [The interview with Pope Francis], ed. Andreas Batlogg, Freiburg 2013.   ↵

4)

 In this book the abbreviations for the quotations are placed in square brackets.   ↵

5)

 Suddenly I was filled with a great light: La Repubblica, 1.-3/10/2013.  ↵

6)

 Die frohe Botschaft Jesu. Aufbruch zu einer neuen Kirche. Das Apostolische Schreiben „Evangelii gaudium – Freude am Evangelium“ von Pope Francis [The glad message Jesu. Departure to a new church. The Apostolic Letter " Evangelii Gaudium - joy in the Gospel " of Pope Francis], Leipzig 2014.   ↵

7)

 Pope Francis: Laudato si‘. Über die Sorge für das gemeinsame Haus. Die Umwelt-Enzyklika mit Einführung und Themenschlüssel [About the worry for the common House. The environmental encyclical with introduction and topic key], Stuttgart ³2015...   ↵

8)

 Pope Francis: Amoris laetitia. Freude der Liebe. Mit einer Hinführung von Christoph Kardinal Schönborn [Joy of the love. With an introduction of Christoph Cardinal Schönborn], Freiburg2016. – Zulehner, Paul M.: Vom Gesetz zum Gesicht [From law to face], Ostfildern 2017.  ↵

9)

 Thus in Unitatis redintegratio, 11.   ↵

10)

 Radio Vaticana, 16/4/2013: http://de.radiovaticana.va/storico/04/16/2013/papst%20Francis%20bem%C3%A4ngelt%20umsetzung%20des%20zweiten%20vatikanums/ted-683281 (23.5.2017)   ↵

11)

 Rohr, Richard: Die Männerbibel: Meditationen auf dem Weg zur Freiheit [Soul Brothers: Men in the Bible Speak to Men Today , 2004], München 2011, Day 36.  ↵

12)

 Berger, Peter L./Zijderveld, Anton C.: In Praise of the Doubt. How to have convictions without becoming a fanatic, New York 2010.   ↵

13)

 Halbfas, Hubertus: Der Sprung in den Brunnen [The spring into the fountain], Düsseldorf 1989.   ↵

14)

 "It is forgetfulness of God and not his glorification that generates violence". Benedict XVI, Address to the members of the Diplomatic Corps, 7/1/2013.  ↵

15)

 We bishops on the Family Synod have tried to follow “courageously the grace and the compassion of God, which exceeds our human calculations and wants nothing else than to save all people" [SYN]  ↵

16)

 Thus the Jesuit Karl Rahner in the outline of a Theology of Pastoral Practice Today in: Zulehner, Paul M./Rahner, Karl: "Denn du kommst unserem Tun mit deiner Gnade zuvor …"[„Since You anticipate our actions with Your grace."], Düsseldorf 1987.  ↵

17)

 And also through nature, as Saint Francis suggests to us in fidelity to the Holy Scriptures, to recognise „…nature as a magnificent book in which God speaks to us and grants us a glimpse of his infinite beauty and goodness“ [LS 12].  ↵

18)

 „The heart of its message will always be the same: the God who revealed his immense love in the crucified and risen Christ.“ [EG 11]  ↵

19)

 „An evangelizing community knows that the Lord has taken the initiative, he has loved us first (cf. 1 Jn 4:19)“ [EG 24].  ↵

20)

 Pope Francis uses the word caress three times for conjugal love, twice in conjunction with the word hug [AL 157, 181, 321].  ↵

21)

 "From my perspective, I acknowledge God as the light that illuminates the darkness but does not dissolve it, and in each of us there is a spark of that divine light. I remember mentioning in my letter to you that our species will also end, but the light of God will never end, which will then penetrate into all souls and be all in all. "[IV Scalfari]  ↵

22)

 "Augustine feels powerless against the immensity of God and the tasks that a Christian and a bishop should fulfill." [IV Scalfari]  ↵

23)

 Here Pope Francis in his speech after the Synod of Bishops (footnote 6) quotes John Paul II: Dives in Misericordia, 13.  ↵

24)

 Rahner, Karl: Kleines Kirchenjahr [Little Church Year], Munich 1954, 84-92.   ↵

25)

 „Another common temptation is to think about what the text means for other people, and so avoid applying it to our own life. It can also happen that we look for excuses to water down the clear meaning of the text. Or we can wonder if God is demanding too much of us, asking for a decision which we are not yet prepared to make. This leads many people to stop taking pleasure in the encounter with God’s word; but this would mean forgetting that no one is more patient than God our Father, that no one is more understanding and willing to wait. He always invites us to take a step forward, but does not demand a full response if we are not yet ready. He simply asks that we sincerely look at our life and present ourselves honestly before him, and that we be willing to continue to grow, asking from him what we ourselves cannot as yet achieve.“ [EG 153]  ↵

26)

 Paul VI: Homily (23/6/1968): Insegnamenti VI (1968), 1177-1178.   ↵

27)

 „Our relationship with the followers of Islam has taken on great importance, since they are now significantly present in many traditionally Christian countries, where they can freely worship and become fully a part of society. We must never forget that they “profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, who will judge humanity on the last day”. The sacred writings of Islam have retained some Christian teachings; Jesus and Mary receive profound veneration and it is admirable to see how Muslims both young and old, men and women, make time for daily prayer and faithfully take part in religious services. Many of them also have a deep conviction that their life, in its entirety, is from God and for God. They also acknowledge the need to respond to God with an ethical commitment and with mercy towards those most in need.“ [EG 252]  ↵

28)

 Nietzsche, Friedrich Wilhelm: Also sprach Zarathustra. Der hässlichste Mensch [Thus spoke Zarathustra: The ugliest person] (part 4), 1883-1885.   ↵

29)

 It was Anton Ziegenaus who formulated this strange, even heretical statement in a speech to priests; Hundreds of priests and some bishops applauded: Zulehner, Paul M: Gott ist größer als unser Herz. Für eine Pastoral des Erbarmens [God is greater than our hearts. For a Pastoral of Mercy], Ostfildern 2006.   ↵

30)

 “Speaking of the power of mercy, he [Benedikt XVI.] stated: “it is mercy that sets a limit to evil. In it is expressed God’s special nature – his holiness, the power of truth and of love” (Homily on Divine Mercy Sunday, 15 April 2007: Insegnamenti III, 1 [2007], 667)." [SYN footnote 7]  ↵

31)

 Pope Francis refers among others to the story of the Good Samaritan [Lk 10:25-37: MV 4, IV Spadaro ] and the Prodigal Son [ Lk 15:1-32: MV 17; EG 46 ].   ↵

32)

 "The beloved person deserves all the attention. Jesus was a role model for this, because when someone came to speak with him, he looked into his eyes with love (see Mk 10:21). No one felt ignored in his presence because his words and gestures were an expression of the question, 'What shall I do to you?' (Mk 10:51).   ↵

33)

 “The appeal Jesus makes to the text from the book of the prophet Hosea – “I desire love and not sacrifice” (6:6) – is important in this regard. Jesus affirms that, from that time onward, the rule of life for his disciples must place mercy at the centre, as Jesus himself demonstrated by sharing meals with sinners. Mercy, once again, is revealed as a fundamental aspect of Jesus’ mission. This is truly challenging to his hearers, who would draw the line at a formal respect for the law. Jesus, on the other hand, goes beyond the law; the company he keeps with those the law considers sinners makes us realize the depth of his mercy." [MV 20]   ↵

34)

 Pope Francis belongs to that school of theology of liberation, which is not based on the social analysis of Karl Marx (which was criticized under John Paul II and Joseph Ratzinger as Prefect of the Congregation of Faith). Rather, Francis is a member of a School in which the people play a key role. (Cardinal Walter Kasper at a lecture at the University of Vienna)  ↵

35)

 Nouwen, Henri: Nimm sein Bild in Dein Herz [Take his image into your heart], Freiburg 1991.   ↵

36)

 He meets with tax collectors like Matthew (see Matthew 9:9-13, Lk 5:27-32) and Zacchaeus (see Luke 19: 5-10) in their houses and even speaks to sinners like the woman in the house of Simon the Pharisee (see Luke 7:36-50). [AL 21].  ↵

37)

 Hensel, Gerhard/Limbeck, Meinrad: Zu neuem Ansehen [To a new reputation], Stuttgart 1981.  ↵

38)

 „We often forget that slander can be quite sinful; it is a grave offense against God when it seriously harms another person’s good name and causes damage that is hard to repair." [AL 112]  ↵

39)

 Canisius, Peter: Catechismus, Coloniae 1560, 195.   ↵

40)

 Märzinger, Doris: Das Verschwinden der himmelschreienden Sünden in der europäischen Kirchenpraxis [The disappearance of outrageous sins in the pastoral practice of the Church of Europe], Vienna 1989.- See also: Zulehner, Paul M.: Pastorale Futurologie [Pastoral Futurology], Düsseldorf 1990, 243-268.   ↵

41)

 „we are compelled to heed their cry for help! May we reach out to them and support them so they can feel the warmth of our presence, our friendship, and our fraternity! May their cry become our own, and together may we break down the barriers of indifference that too often reign supreme and mask our hypocrisy and egoism!“ [MV 15]  ↵

42)

 „This leads to an effective lack of concern for others and favours that globalization of indifference born of selfishness, the result of a conception of man incapable of embracing the truth and living an authentic social dimension.” (Council of Europe); “To sustain a lifestyle which excludes others, or to sustain enthusiasm for that selfish ideal, a globalization of indifference has developed. Almost without being aware of it, we end up being incapable of feeling compassion at the outcry of the poor” (EG 54)   ↵

43)

 Richter, Horst-Eberhard: Der Gotteskomplex [The God Complex], Gießen 2005.  ↵

44)

 Zulehner, Paul M.: Pastorale Futurologie [Pastoral Futurology], Düsseldorf 1991, 50-74.   ↵

45)

 Pope John Paul II - with other auguries - has made a similar "double politics". Although he argued "modern" on many issues in matters of the world, he remained very restrictive in church matters. Pope Francis, on the other hand, is stricter with some of the world's activities than with some areas of church pastoral care.  ↵

46)

 „In this way certain issues which are part of the Church’s moral teaching are taken out of the context which gives them their meaning. The biggest problem is when the message we preach then seems identified with those secondary aspects which, important as they are, do not in and of themselves convey the heart of Christ’s message.“ [EG 34]  ↵

47)

 „The ability to say what one is thinking without offending the other person is important. Words should be carefully chosen so as not to offend, especially when discussing difficult issues. Making a point should never involve venting anger and inflicting hurt. A patronizing tone only serves to hurt, ridicule, accuse and offend others.“ [AL 139]  ↵

48)

 Also pilgrimage in the Holy Year to holy sites and the associated indulgences should be an impetus to conversion [MV 3, 14].  ↵

49)

 Die Grenzen des Wachstums [The limits of growth]. Bericht des Club of Rome zur Lage der Menschheit [Report of the Club of Rome about the situation of mankind]. Dennis Meadows, Donella Meadows etc.. (Transl. Hans-Dieter Heck), Reinbek 1982.   ↵

50)

 „To forgive such an injustice that has been suffered is not easy, but grace makes this journey possible. Pastoral care must necessarily include efforts at reconciliation and mediation, through the establishment of specialized counselling centres in dioceses.” [AL 242]  ↵

51)

 For the experience of the forgiving love of God, he suggests the sacramental reconciliation „which allows them to bring their sins and past mistakes, and their relationship itself, before God, and to receive in turn his merciful forgiveness and healing strength“ [AL 211]  ↵

52)

 „We pastors have to encourage families to grow in faith. This means encouraging frequent confession, spiritual direction and occasional retreats.“ [AL 227]  ↵

53)

 Amery, Carl: Das Ende der Vorsehung [The end of providence], Reinbek 1972. – Similarly Drewermann, Eugen: Der tödliche Fortschritt [The deadly progress], Regensburg 1982.   ↵

54)

 Kierkegaard, Søren: Der Begriff Angst [The concept of fear], Hamburg 1984. Related to Kierkegaard’s approach: Die Angst des modernen Menschen [The angst of the modern person], Zurich 1977. - Künzli, Arnold: Die Angst des modernen Menschen. Søren Kierkegaards Angstexistenz als Spiegel der geistigen Krise unserer Zeit, [The angst of the modern person. Søren Kierkegaard angst existence as a mirror of the intellectual crisis of our time}, Zurich 1947. Id.: Die Angst als abendländische Krankheit. Dargestellt am Leben und Denken Søren Kierkegaards, [The angst as a western illness. Pepresented in the life and thinking of Søren Kierkegaard], Zurich 1948. Drewermann, Eugen: Wendepunkte oder Was eigentlich besagt das Christentum? [Turning points or What Christianity actually means?] Ostfildern 2014. - Biser, Eugen: Theologie als Therapie. Zur Wiedergewinnung einer verlorenen Dimension [Theology as therapy. The retrieval of a lost dimension], Heidelberg 1985. - Id.: Die glaubensgeschichtliche Wende. Eine theologische Positionsbestimmung [The turn in the history faith. A theological positioning], Graz 1986. – Id.: Überwindung der Lebensangst. Wege zu einem befreienden Gottesbild [Overcoming angst of life. Ways to a liberating image of God], Munich 1996. - Eugen Biser is the only theologian whom Benedikt XVI quotes in his interview "Salt of the Earth”. Benedikt XVI/Seewald, Peter: Salt of the Earth, Munich 1996.   ↵

55)

 Many passages are dedicated to corruption and its conquest in the world and the church: LS 172, 177, 179, 182, 197, 237; MV 19; EG 56, 60, 75, 97.   ↵

56)

 Renz, Monika: Erlösung aus Prägung [Redemption from Imprints: Message and the Life of Jesus as overcoming the structures of human anxiety, desire and power, Paderborn 2008], Paderborn ²2017.  ↵

57)

 In this regard, Pope Francis sees great agreement with the teachings of Islam: „Our relationship with the followers of Islam has taken on great importance, since they are now significantly present in many traditionally Christian countries, where they can freely worship and become fully a part of society. We must never forget that they “profess to hold the faith of Abraham, and together with us they adore the one, merciful God, who will judge humanity on the last day”. [EG 252] „This invocation is often on the lips of faithful Muslims who feel themselves accompanied and sustained by mercy in their daily weakness. They too believe that no one can place a limit on divine mercy because its doors are always open.“ [MV 23]  ↵

58)

 Batlogg, Andreas: Zuerst das Gewissen und dann der Pope [First the conscience and then the Pope], in: StdZ 228 (2010) 11, 721.   ↵

59)

 Auer, Alfons: Autonome Moral und christlicher Glaube [Autonomous moral and Christian faith], Düsseldorf 1971 (²1995)   ↵

60)

 Helmut Krätzl put such questions in 1978 for the pastoral reorientation of pastoral work around divorce and remarriage for the Archdiocese of Vienna under Cardinal Franz König. Krätzl, Helmut: Seelsorge an wiederverheirateten Geschiedenen. Derzeitiger Stand der Diskussion. Überarbeitetes Referat, gehalten vor dem Wiener Priesterrat am 15.11.1978 [Pastoral care for remarried divorced people. Current state of discussion. Revised presentation, held before the Vienna Priest Council on 15/11/1978].  ↵

61)

 "On the other hand, according to the conviction of the Synod of Bishops, it is the task of the Church to show understanding even of such civil marriages. Such spouses are not separated from the church. They should participate in the liturgical life. According to the traditional practice of the Church, however, they cannot participate in the full sacramental life, unless there are special circumstances which require closer discussion in each case in conversation with an experienced priest.” Erklärung der Österreichischen Bischöfe zum Abschluss der Bischofssynode [Declaration by the Austrian Bishops on the conclusion of the Synod of Bishops] (1980/14-4).   ↵

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