Bishop Lehmann Seeks Change for Holy Communion for who are Divorced/Remarried

MAINZ - The chairman of Germany's Conference of Catholic Bishops said on Monday a "pressing issue" for Pope Benedict XVI was the church's ban on giving communion to divorced people who remarry.

[Cardinal Karl] Lehmann and other bishops had no success in past attempts to convince Pope John Paul II and the then prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Joseph Ratzinger - now pope - to liberalise the church's stance.

This would basically mean, then, that marriage is not permanent and sexual relations outside of marriage would not be sinful, adultery and fornication would no longer be viewed as sins. Of course, one has compassion for those who find themselves in such a state. We should pray for them. But at some point, a choice must be made to do that which would bring them into a fuller communion with the Church.

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