New Hong Kong laws will have ‘no effect’ on religious freedom says cardinal

Hong Kong, China, Feb 26, 2020 / 12:30 pm (CNA).- The Diocese of Hong Kong has told Catholics to make use of online resources following the cancellation of Masses in response to the coronavirus. Catholics in mainland China, where all pla… […]

Astana, Kazakhstan, Jan 11, 2018 / 04:28 pm (CNA/EWTN News).- Fidelity to the words of Christ makes it necessary to profess the truth about sacramental marriage, Bishop Athanasius Schneider told CNA in a recent interview.

Bishop Schneider, an auxiliary bishop of Maria Santissima in Astana, was a drafter of the “Profession of the immutable truths about sacramental marriage” issued by three Kazakhstani bishops Dec. 31, 2017.

The bishops stated it is not licit to admit to sacramental communion Catholics who are divorced-and-remarried, if they are not living according to the long-standing teachings of the Church.

The three bishops – Bishop Schneider, along with Archbishop Tomash Peta of Maria Santissima in Astana and Archbishop Jan Pawel Lenga, Bishop Emeritus of Karaganda – wrote that “an approval or legitimation of the violation of the sacredness of the marriage bond, even indirectly through the mentioned new sacramental discipline, seriously contradicts God’s express will and His commandment.”

Since the open letter was issued, several more bishops have reportedly added their names as signatories.

Archbishop Luigi Negri, Archbishop Emeritus of Ferrara-Comacchio, spoke to La Nuova Bussola Quotidiana about his decision to sign the text, and Cardinal Janis Pujats, Archbishop Emeritus of Riga, has also been confirmed as a signatory.

Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, Apostolic Nuncio Emeritus to the US, and Bishop Andreas Laun, Auxiliary Bishop Emeritus of Salzburg, have also reportedly to signed onto the Kazakhstani bishops’ profession. Bishop Laun was among the first to sign a declaration of fidelity to the Church’s unchangeable teaching and uninterrupted discipline on marriage.

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Vatican Secretary of State, told Vatican News Jan. 10 that Amoris laetitia is the result of “a new paradigm” which he claimed Pope Francis promotes “with wisdom, prudence, and patience.” The cardinal added that difficulties around the apostolic exhortation “are due to this change of attitude the Pope is asking of us,” as well as “some aspects of content.”

Bishop Schneider recently corresponded with CNA about the profession, discussing the occasion of the letter, the importance of prayer, and the common understanding of Church teaching and its implications among the bishops of Kazakhstan.

Below is the conversation between CNA and Bishop Schneider:

CNA: Your excellency, would you speak to the need for the profession made by you, Archbishop Peta, and Archbishop Lenga? What occasioned its drafting?

Bishop Schneider: Already for a number of years there has existed in the Church the obvious and undeniable situation of a widespread confusion regarding the sacramental discipline of those Catholics who are called “divorced and remarried”. The relevant pastoral norms of several dioceses and regional and national bishops’ conferences ultimately give permission to these Catholics to receive Holy Communion in spite of the fact that they have not the intention to stop sexual relationships with a person who is not their legitimate spouse. Such norms in practice contradict divine revelation and the infallible universal and ordinary magisterium of the absolute indissolubility of a ratified and consummated marriage. Recently there was published even in the Acta Apostolicae Sedis, the official publishing organ of the Holy See, the approval which Pope Francis gave to the pastoral norms of the bishops of the Buenos Aires region, which foresee ultimately, even though in individual cases and after a so-called discernment process, such a new sacramental praxis. However, this praxis contradicts divine revelation, which prohibits always and in every circumstances sexual acts outside a valid marriage. Everyone who still believes in the divine words of Christ and takes them seriously, must acknowledge how detrimental such norms are for the faith and for the unmistakable witness of the Church against the “plague of divorce” and against the “hardheartedness” of men towards the command of God, who demands unequivocally “Thou shall not commit adultery.” To continue to be silent in such a situation or to pretend that the danger does not exist, would mean to deny reality or to eliminate one’s own thinking.

CNA: How does your recent profession relate to the appeal to prayer you issued nearly a year ago, Jan. 18, 2017? Is it right to read these two documents in light of one another?

Bishop Schneider: The appeal to prayer which was made a year ago had the aim to implore for the Holy Father Pope Francis the necessary gifts of God so that he may confirm in a most unambiguous way the immutable doctrine about the indissolubility of the marriage and the relevant sacramental praxis. Since the Pope has not yet done so, and has even approved the above mentioned pastoral norms of the bishops of the Buenos Aires region, it was necessary to make a public profession of the immutable doctrine and praxis of the Church. But one thing is certain: no sincere prayers will be in vain. When a large number of faithful, and especially children and sick people, pray fervently, the moment will come when the Apostolic See will confirm again with clarity – as has been handed down by the infallible ordinary and universal magisterium – the immutable doctrine and sacramental praxis regarding people living in non-marital sexual relationships, i.e. people living in adultery. We have to believe in these words of Our Lord: “Will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?” (Lk 18:7).

CNA: There are three more bishops in Kazakhstan, as well as an apostolic administrator, who have signed on to neither the profession nor the appeal to prayer. Were they invited to do so? Have they indicated a different understanding of Amoris laetitia?

Bishop Schneider: The bishops and ordinaries of Kazakhstan have substantially no different understanding of Amoris laetitia. As to the manner of expressing publicly one’s own convictions we respect mutually the freedom of each one according to the decision of his own conscience.

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Sydney, Australia, Sep 26, 2019 / 11:18 am (CNA).- The archbishop of Sydney lamented a controversial new law decriminalizing abortion in New South Wales, and stressed that the Church will work to offer support for women facing difficult pregnancies.

“Today is a very dark day for New South Wales,” said Archbishop Anthony Fisher of Sydney in a Sept. 26 statement. He called the new law “a defeat for humanity.”

“The Abortion Law Reform Act 2019 may be the worst law passed in New South Wales in modern times, because it represents such a dramatic abdication of responsibility to protect the most vulnerable members of our community,” he said.

“Since the abolition of capital punishment in New South Wales in 1955, this is the only deliberate killing ever legalised in our state.”

A law removing abortion from the Crimes Act in New South Wales passed by a vote of 26-14 in the state’s upper house on Wednesday.

The Abortion Law Reform Act 2019 allows abortion for any reason up to 22 weeks of pregnancy; after that, it allows for abortions if two obstetricians agree.

Previously, abortion was only legal in NSW if a doctor determined that a woman’s physical or mental health is in danger. “Mental health” had been interpreted by courts to include “economic and social stress.”

According to supporters of the bill, it clarifies what they believe were previously ambiguous terms in penal code with regard to abortion. But according to conservatives who oppose the bill, it opens up the possibility for abortion at any time for any reason as long as two doctors agree.

Fisher emphasized that although abortion is now legal in New South Wales, “our commitment to life continues.”

“Care for pregnant women, new mothers and their babies will still be available through Church agencies and pro-life organisations,” he said.

“The Catholic Church, other Christian churches, people of other faiths and women and men of goodwill will continue to work together to turn our culture around, so that every vulnerable woman and baby is supported and abortion becomes unthinkable.”

The legislation had drawn opposition from the Catholic Church, the Eastern Orthodox Church, the Anglican Church of Australia, and the NSW Presbyterian Church.

Debate on the bill in the state’s Legislative Council had been delayed over the summer, following concerns that it was rushed through without proper consideration. The bill had previously passed the Legislative Assembly Aug. 8 by a vote of 59-31.

Under the legislation, it will still be a criminal offense for individuals to perform abortions without the proper authorizations, carrying a maximum penalty of seven years imprisonment for doing so. Doctors would also have to obtain “informed consent” from patients before performing abortions.

Originally titled The Reproductive Health Care Reform Bill 2019, the bill underwent several changes before reaching its final form.

Initially, it did not mandate any counseling or period of consideration for the woman, according to The Catholic Weekly, the Archdiocese of Sydney’s publication.

That was later changed to require medical practitioners to offer counseling to a woman seeking an abortion if they believe it would be beneficial, The Guardian reported.

Critics of the bill had also objected that it would require doctors with conscientious objections to refer women to other abortion providers. The final legislation instead requires them to direct women to the NSW Health website or hotline, which can then connect them with a doctor who will perform the abortion.

Another amendment prohibits coercing a woman into having an abortion, or preventing her from doing so. The crime is punishable by up to two years in jail, Australia’s ABC News reported.

In addition, it clarifies the obligation of doctors to care for a baby who survives an abortion attempt, and prohibits abortions based solely on the sex of the child, according to ABC News.

In his statement, Fisher thanked the members of Parliament who opposed the bill, and those “who worked tirelessly on amendments to make this bad law a little better.” He also thanked the members of the public who prayed and spoke out against the law.

He encouraged Catholics to pray and work for pro-life leaders, and to renew their commitment to helping pregnant women in need.

“We can still put an end to the scourge of abortion in this state by making it unnecessary, no matter what the law says,” the archbishop said.

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