Catholic World News

Pope said teaching on divorce and Communion cannot change, Spanish bishop reports

September 25, 2014

A Spanish bishop has reported that Pope Francis said it is impossible to change Church teaching to allow divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Communion.

Bishop Demetrio Fernandez of Cordoba told the daily Diario Cordoba that during an ad limina visit, the "Kasper proposal" (which would open the possibility of Communion for divorced and remarried Catholics) arose in discussions. "We asked the Pope himself," Bishop Fernandez said, "and he responded that a person married in the Church who has divorced and entered into a new civil marriage cannot approach the sacraments."

The Pope went on to say that the Church's teaching on this matter is clearly established, following the words of Jesus, and cannot be altered, the Spanish bishop said.

Bishop Fernandez said that he was revealing the Pope's remarks "because sometimes people say that everything is going to change, and there are some things that cannot be changed."

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