For the past 2,000 years, the Catholic Church has consistently taught that marriage is permanent, exclusive and fruitful (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1603-1605). In addition, the Church has taught that divorce (from a valid marriage) and remarriage is committing adultery (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 2384). Many want the Church to change its teaching so that the divorced and remarried can receive Communion. However, the Church does not have the authority to change God’s design for marriage as revealed in sacred Scripture, taught by the early Church Fathers and interpreted by the Magisterium.

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Marriage is called to be not only an object but a subject of the new evangelization.^[1]

With these words, Pope Benedict XVI opened the thirteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops on the theme The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith. He explained that:

Matrimony is a Gospel in itself, a Good News for the world of today, especially the dechristianized world. The union of a man and a woman, their becoming “one flesh” in charity, in fruitful and indissoluble love, is a sign that speaks of God with a force and an eloquence which in our days has become greater because unfortunately, for various reasons, marriage, in precisely the oldest regions evangelized, is going through a profound crisis. And it is not by chance. Marriage is linked to faith, but not in a general way. Marriage, as a union of faithful and indissoluble love, is based upon the grace that comes from the triune God, who in Christ loved us with a faithful love, even to the Cross. Today we ought to grasp the full truth of this statement, in contrast to the painful reality of many marriages which, unhappily, end badly.^[2] (emphasis added)

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Today is the feast day of Blessed Luigi and Maria Beltrame Quattrocchi. They are a model of virtuous married love and unwavering commitment to the faith. Their inspiring example is a source of encouragement for all married couples.

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A few summers ago our faith community was shaken when two young people experienced life-threatening accidents. In both instances, our community went into action via various social media forums to spread the word and request immediate prayer. Within a few hours, people throughout the country were praying for the healing of these two precious souls. God performed several miracles on both of these individuals that were not expected to survive. Today they are both thankful to alive.

While praying for these two individuals, we were struck by the thousands of equally great tragedies that occur every day yet go largely unnoticed in the Christian community. No one is calling the faithful to pray for these individuals. We are heartbroken over the lack of concern for these suffering souls. Why have we grown so numb to an epidemic that is destroying hundreds of thousands of lives every year? Lord, have mercy on us for being so uncaring for those who are suffering in our midst.

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For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh. This is a great mystery, but I speak in reference to Christ and the Church. (Eph 5:31-32)

Do you know the point of marriage? St. Paul is his letter to the Church at Ephesus calls it a “great mystery.” In the original Greek, Paul used the word mystērion, a hidden or secret thing, not obvious to the understanding (Strong’s Concordance G3466). In rabbinic writings, the word mystērion denotes a mystic or hidden sense to a biblical saying. What is this hidden sense of marriage that Paul is speaking about?

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Today the Church celebrates the Feast Day of St. John Paul II. Traditionally, the feast of a saint is held on dies natalis, the day of the saint’s death and his heavenly birthday. St. John Paul II died on April 2, 2005 however that day can fall during Holy Week. To guarantee the day would be solemnly celebrated every year, the Vatican elected to set his day of liturgical memory on October 22, the Anniversary of the Inauguration Mass for his pontificate.

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