Episcopal conferences have authority on certain matters...

Cardinal Müller to Cardinal Marx: Bishops’ Conferences Are Not the Magisterium 

by CARL BUNDERSON

The Vatican’s prefect for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith reminded his fellow countryman that ‘the president of an episcopal conference is nothing more than a technical moderator, and he does not have any particular magisterial authority.’
Cardinal Gerhard Müller, prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, has told a French newspaper that doctrinal, or even disciplinary, decisions regarding marriage and family are not up for determination by national bishops’ conferences.

“It is an absolutely anti-Catholic idea that does not respect the Catholicity of the Church,” Cardinal Müller said when asked, “Could certain doctrinal or disciplinary decisions on marriage and family be delegated to the episcopal conferences?”

“Episcopal conferences have authority on certain matters, but they are not a magisterium beside the magisterium, without the Pope and without communion with all the bishops,” he continued.

The Famille Chretienne (Christian Family) interview of Cardinal Müller — whose office is tasked with promoting and safeguarding doctrine on faith and morals — was published March 26, and was translated into English by the website Rorate Caeli.

The cardinal was asked directly about comments made last month by Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising, who is president of the German bishops’ conference. Cardinal Marx told reporters, “We are not a branch of Rome. Each conference of bishops is responsible for pastoral care in its cultural context and must preach the Gospel in its own, original way. We cannot wait for a synod to tell us how we have to shape pastoral care for marriage and family here.”

Cardinal Marx’s statements came amid proposals by some in the Church to permit a wider access to Communion for the divorced and remarried. The subject was raised by some German bishops in the past, and has been a topic of discussion surrounding the Synod on the Family gatherings last year and this coming fall.

Church teaching holds that marriage is a permanent sacrament that does not come to an end if spouses obtain a civil divorce. An annulment process exists within the Church to examine whether the marriage was invalid in the first place. But without an annulment, individuals may not enter into a second marriage while the first marriage is still binding. Doing so bars one from receiving Communion.

..............

Read more: www.ncregister.com