Erkebiskop Michael J. Sheehan i Santa Fe, New Mexico, lot et brev om samboerskap bli lest i alle katolske messer i erkebispedømmet søndag 3. april. Han snakker ganske tydelig og direkte om det moralske problemet samboerskap er, og peker også på hva slag konsekvenser det vil få for personer som lever slik:
Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We are all painfully aware that there are many Catholics today who are living in cohabitation. The Church must make it clear to the faithful that these unions are not in accord with the Gospel, and to help Catholics who find themselves in these situations to do whatever they must do to make their lives pleasing to God. ….We have three groups of people who are living contrary to the Gospel teaching on marriage: those who cohabit; those who have a merely civil union with no previous marriage; and those who have a civil union who were married before. These people are objectively living in a state of mortal sin and may not receive Holy Communion. They are in great spiritual danger. At the best – and this is, sadly, often the case – they are ignorant of God’s plan for man and woman. At the worst, they are contemptuous of God’s commandments and His sacraments.
Of these three groups, the first two have no real excuse. They should marry in the Church or separate. Often their plea is that they “cannot afford a church wedding” i.e. the external trappings, or that “what difference does a piece of paper make?” – as if a sacramental covenant is nothing more than a piece of paper! Such statements show religious ignorance, or a lack of faith and awareness of the evil of sin.
The third group, those who were married before and married again outside the Church, can seek a marriage annulment and have their marriage blest in the Church. Please remember that divorce still is no reason to refrain from Holy Communion as long as they have not entered into another marriage or sinful relationship. Many Catholics are confused on this point.
Christ our Lord loves all these people and wishes to save them – not by ignoring their sin, or calling evil good, but by repentance and helping them to change their lives in accordance with His teaching. ….
Les hele hyrdebrevet HER (pdf-fil). Brevet fortsetter med å nevne seks konkrete punkter; bl.a. kan personer som lever slik (i utgangspunktet) ikke motta noen sakramenter, og heller ikke være faddere ved dåp eller konfirmasjon.
Viktig at Kirken er tydlig, men nattverdsnekt er kanskje ikke veien å gå. Jeg er usikker
Jeg savner en gjennomført holdning og praksis i saker som dette, og andre.
At samboere (og andre som lever i ekteskap Kirken ikke kan godkjenne) ikke kan motta kommunion, er ganske gjennomført i Den katolske Kirken her i Norge, men noen prester har vært mindre strenge ved ved andre sakramenter, f.eks. konfirmasjon. Mem mht. til faddernes liv, har dette i liten grad vært undersøkt hos oss.
Det èr viktig at kirken er tydelig og jeg mener dette èr veien å gå.