Strong Words

First this story comes out:

Pope denies Berlusconi communion

Then this one:

Cardinal Bagnasco: Impossible for divorced and remarried to receive Communion

Two sections quoted from that second article:

Cardinal Bagnasco pointed to the example of Catholics who are separated and who “suffer from this difficult situation, but nonetheless live in fidelity to the indissolubility of the sacrament and desire to meet and pray together, to exchange experiences and encourage one another.” This situation “is one of the ways in which the maternity of the Church is expressed,” he added.

The cardinal's comments also come in the context of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi's public campaign to push for allowing divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Communion. Berlusconi is himself divorced and remarried.

Catholic teaching says that Catholics cannot ignore Jesus' teaching that the faithful cannot divorce and remarry. The Church teaches that for the good of their souls, believers should not present themselves for Communion, when they have departed from the teachings of Jesus.

I cannot help but remember two previous posts made on my blog that speak of a group in Italy that I hope soon spreads world wide (esp here in the US)....

Way back on June 13, 2005.....

We Need Leadership like this HERE

and again made reference to that same article on April 19, 2008.....

A Daughter's Open Letter to Papa, BXVI

But it is also proper to recognize the value of the witness of those spouses who, even when abandoned by their partner, with the strength of faith and of Christian hope have not entered a new union: These spouses too give an authentic witness to fidelity, of which the world today has a great need. For this reason they must be encouraged and helped by the pastors and the faithful of the church.
~~FAMILIARIS CONSORTIO Pope John Paul II 12/15/1981 (Sec 20)