Acta Apostolicae Sedis - Commentarium Officiale510

parenting. In any case, the lives of two persons once married to one another

are forever qualified by the experience of that marriage. The depth of what

remains admits of degrees, but something remains. But does what remains

disallow a second marriage? My own view is that it does not. Whatever

ongoing obligation a residual bond entails, it need not include a prohibition

of remarriage - any more than the ongoing union between spouses after one

of them has died prohibits a second marriage on the part of the one who

still lives" (P. 310).

This view contradicts Catholic teaching that excludes the possibility of

remarriage after divorce: "Today there are numerous Catholics in many

countries who have recourse to civil divorce and contract new civil unions.

In fidelity to the words of Jesus Christ - 'Whoever divorces his wife and

marries another, commits adultery against her; and if she divorces her hus-

band and marries another, she commits adultery' (Mk 10:11-12) -, the

Church maintains that a new union cannot be recognized as valid, if the first

marriage was. If the divorced are remarried civilly, they find themselves in a

situation that objectively contravenes God's law. Consequently, they cannot

receive Eucharistic communion as long as this situation persists. For the

same reason, they cannot exercise certain ecclesial responsibilities. Reconci-

liation through the sacrament of Penance can be granted only to those who

have repented for having violated the sign of the covenant and of fidelity to

Christ, and who are committed to living in complete continence".7

Conclusion

With this Notification, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith

expresses profound regret that a member of an Institute of Consecrated Life,

Sr. Margaret A. Farley, R.S.M., affirms positions that are in direct contra-

diction with Catholic teaching in the field of sexual morality. The Congrega-

tion warns the faithful that her book Just Love. A Framework for Christian

Sexual Ethics is not in conformity with the teaching of the Church. Conse-

quently it cannot be used as a valid expression of Catholic teaching, either in

counseling and formation, or in ecumenical and interreligious dialogue.

Furthermore the Congregation wishes to encourage theologians to pursue

7 Catechism of the Catholic Church, n. 1650; cfr John Paul II, Apostolic Exhortation Fami-

liaris consortio, n. 84: AAS 74 (1982), 184-186; Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith,

Letter Annus Internationalis Familiae Concerning the Reception of Holy Communion by the

Divorced and Remarried Members of the Faithful (September 14, 1994): AAS 86 (1994), 974-979.