The Divorced Shouldn't Feel Left Out
Feb 11, 2005
Divorced persons "are not excommunicated" and "they must not feel discriminated against or excluded," says a Vatican official.
VATICAN CITY, FEB. 8, 2005 (Zenit.org).- Cardinal Julián Herranz, president of the Pontifical Council for the Interpretation of Legislative Texts, made these statements today during a press conference to present "Dignitas Connubii" (The Dignity of Marriage), the new document on marriage annulments.
He reminded his listeners that divorced people who have remarried without an annulment "are deprived of Eucharistic Communion."
This privation takes place while "there is a public and continual situation of sin and the person does nothing to improve his or her situation," the prelate explained.
Yet, Cardinal Herranz was keen on promoting the pastoral care of divorced people and said that they are "fully members of the Church."
The Divorced Shouldn't Feel Left Out