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A German cardinal has said that those who insistently demand changes in the Church’s teaching on marriage are heretics, even if they are bishops.
Cardinal Walter Brandmüller said this in an interview with LifesiteNews last month.
The cardinal discussed the issue of Communion for those whose marriages are not recognised by the Church.
He was asked if the Church could deal with marriage in a pastoral manner that is different from its teaching, and if the Church could change its teaching without falling into heresy.
The cardinal replied that: “It is evident that the pastoral practice of the Church cannot stand in opposition to the binding doctrine nor simply ignore it.”
He drew an analogy with an architect designing a bridge.
“However, if he does not pay attention to the laws of structural engineering, he risks the collapse of his construction.
“In the same manner, every pastoral practice has to follow the Word of God if it does not want to fail.
“A change of the teaching, of the dogma, is unthinkable.
“Who nevertheless consciously does it, or insistently demands it, is a heretic – even if he wears the Roman Purple.”
Cardinal Brandmüller, 86, is president emeritus of the Pontifical Commission for Historical Sciences.
He was one of the five cardinals who contributed to the book Remaining in the Truth of Christ, which criticised Cardinal Walter Kasper’s proposal to allow Communion to civilly remarried Catholics under certain circumstances.
Cardinal Brandmüller said the Church could readmit to Communion those in unions it does not recognise as valid, if the couple lives together as brother and sister.
“This solution is especially worth considering when the care for children disallows a separation,” he said.
“The decision for such a path would be a convincing expression of the penance for the previous and protracted act of adultery.”
In an answer to another question, the cardinal said there is “an indissoluble inner contradiction” for one who wants to unite himself with Christ in Communion, while consciously disregarding the Lord’s commandment.
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