I’m afraid that if we don’t overcome the crisis facing the Church at the moment faithfulness to the Gospel will soon become something “new”. Such conclusions come to mind immediately, especially when we listen to some “progressive” priests in Germany, Great Britain, United States or even Vatican. One can have an impression that for many of them the magisterium of the Catholic Church, not mentioning the words of Jesus Christ with regards the insolubility of marriage, is a completely new thing – says Professor Grzegorz Kucharczyk, a participant of the Polonia Semper Fidelis campaign.
Is it still worthwhile dealing with the indissolubility of marriage nowadays?
Wesprzyj nas już teraz!
Yes! You have to deal with what is considered the foundation of our civilisation and not with secondary matters which are rather the effects and not the causes.
But looking at the world today we could say that it has little in common with Christian civilisation. Is it not the case that Poland and Polish Catholics should “get with the times” and take the course suggested by priests from Germany or Argentina for example?
A similar situation occurred at the dawn of the Roman Empire. Just have a look at the customs cultivated at that time, especially among so-called elites. Not only did they have little in common with the idea of Christianity but there were also attempts to translate them into the teachings of the Church. Fortunately, the then Christians remained faithful to the Gospel and the teachings of Jesus and they resisted these diabolic ideas.
The faithful didn’t change their faith under the pressure of the then trends! No! They rejected them! Having a complete trust in our Saviour and the promise He made they attempted to transform the society and they did it. There is nothing else left for us than to draw from the experience of the first centuries of the Church and to not look at new trends and ideologies but to follow the road that Jesus set for us 2000 years ago.
Is it still possible these days?
I’m afraid that if we don’t overcome the crisis facing the Church at the moment faithfulness to the Gospel will soon become something “new”. Such conclusions come to mind immediately, especially when we listen to some “progressive” priests in Germany, Great Britain, United States or even Vatican. One can have an impression that for many of them the magisterium of the Catholic Church, not mentioning the words of Jesus Christ with regards to the indissolubility of marriage, is a completely new thing.
What are the “exceptional situations” mentioned in the Amoris Laetitia apostolic exhortation that have already become “legendary”?
These are the circumstances under which people living in so-called new, nonsacramental relationships can, after a careful discussion with their priest, be allowed to receive the Holy Communion. As Professor Josef Seifert accurately observed, this is simply planting an atomic bomb in the whole moral teachings of the Church. Many other noble, brave and wise theologians as well as people of the Church have a similar opinion. Amoris Laetitia is destroying the moral teachings of the Church and pushes the Church towards a suicidal course that the majority of Protestant communities have been on for a few centuries.
Exceptional situations are nothing else than “situational ethics” which means moral relativism that Saint John Paul II warned against and condemned 25 years ago in his Veritatis Splendor exhortation.
Why hasn’t Pope Francis explained what these “exceptional situations” are so far?
I think that the Pope has done it by considering the letter on the interpretation of Amoris Laetitia he had received from the bishops representing the Buenos Aires area as “fully explaining the sense” of this exhortation.
From this letter we found out that in some exceptional situations people can be allowed to such a danger as committing the sin of receiving the Holy Communion in a sacrilegious manner.
Why is this happening?
This is an issue that I cannot decide on. I’m not able to go deep into the recess of the Pope’s or anyone else’s soul. However, I can refer to what the closest associates of Pope Francis say. For example, Cardinal Walter Kasper repeatedly stated that it was about changing the so-called paradigm in the Church, meaning the very tenant of the Church and, as can be seen, the doctrine of the Church.
What is worse, we can hear many other associates of the Pope saying that Pope Francis wants his reform to be “irreversible”. Please note the arrogance of such statements. The only Person who can make something irreversible is God. All man’s work is changed sooner or later. Only God remains unchanged!
If someone tries to question this and make irreversible changes one has to active the sense of smell to check if there is no sulphur odour in the air.
Do you think this madness can be stopped?
Of course! Nothing is impossible for God.
And for people?
Unfortunately, people have their constraints. Jesus says: „There is nothing from without the man, that going into him can defile him; but the things which proceed out of the man are those that defile the man. […] For from within, out of the heart of men, evil thoughts proceed, fornications, thefts, murders, adulteries, covetings, wickednesses, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye, railing, pride, foolishness: all these evil things proceed from within, and defile the man”. Please note that Jesus mentions foolishness.
It is foolishness to think that “irreversible changes” can be made. There were many people in the history of the Church who were thinking in a similar way. Luckily, today almost no one remembers them.
Why do so many bishops delay taking a stand on Amoris Laetitia?
First of all, we should thank God that so many bishops turned out to be brave enough to tell the truth because there were times in the history of the Church when there was only one who went up against the world. For example, in the 4th century Saint Athanasius fought against the Arian heresy with no support. Nowadays, when we hear what important priests from Zambia, Kazakhstan and other places in the world as well as other noble people say, we have to thank God that so many righteous ones could be found.
Unfortunately, many bishops still think that the best strategy is to wait and say nothing. This is not a good method because in our times we mainly need a testimony and not theorising. After all, we are talking about the most important thing – salvation or damnation – meaning the matter of life and eternal death.
I’m afraid, though, that the majority of priests believe that the problem will solve itself.
Why did you sign the Polonia Semper Fidelis petition addressed to Archbishop Stanisław Gądecki, President of the Polish Episcopal Conference?
Because my conscience told me to do so. Besides, I’m from the generation of people who remember what our Polish Pope said in 1983 about having expectations towards oneself even when others have no expectations towards us.
In 1987 John Paul II said that there were some matters that couldn’t be let go and simply deserted. In 1991 he reminded that building the world without values would at some point transform into creating open totalitarian regime.
Considering all this I simply had no other choice than to sign the petition prepared by the Piotr Skarga Institute. I was very happy that the authors of the petition contacted me because it is a valuable initiative and I’m very glad to be a part of it.
Do you think the faithful will receive the support they need so much nowadays in this matter from their priests?
We have to pray for that.
We notice certain signs of the times that let us stay positive. Recently there has been a decision made to recognise heroic virtues of the servant of God – Cardinal Stefan Wyszyński – the Primate of the Millennium.
His biography clearly shows that at some point, when we say “we cannot agree to that”, we may face repressions but the victory is always on the side of the truth and those who stand by the truth, which the Primate’s life demonstrated.
I believe that priests will follow in his footsteps and will not give in to the pressure from Argentina, Germany or Vatican and will stand by the Gospel and the teachings of the Son of God.
Thank you.
An interview by Tomasz D. Kolanek
