Shifting Paradigms

 (A Satire)

Vatican City, April 1, 2018 / 07:19 am

The Vatican announced it has appointed a panel to review the apostolic exhortation, The Joy of Worship. While there are no changes to Catholic doctrine, moral theologians have heralded the new paradigm shift from doctrine to pastoral care.

Much controversy surrounds footnote 351 of The Joy of Worship, which prompted new guidelines issued from bishops in Nigeria, England, and Idaho, USA stating that those faithful who do not attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on Sunday and Holy Days of Obligation may not be living in grave sin, depending on their state of conscience. Those faithful involved in irregular situations such as Sunday employment, stressful jobs, sports obligations, and those who like to sleep in, welcome the new approach.

Pope Frederick stated, “Many people feel that the church’s message on Sunday Mass attendance does not clearly reflect the preaching and attitude of Jesus…most people in difficult or critical situations do not seek pastoral assistance, since they do not find it sympathetic, realistic or concerned for individual cases.”

Instead, Pope Frederick has made it plain that individuals who are works in progress regarding Mass attendance may, in fact, not be in grave sin. “If they sincerely believe they are presently doing the best that they can, then they may receive Holy Communion.”

Cardinal Burkey issued this reaction: “We need to be very clear in what we tell people in these irregular situations. Besides the grave danger of falling into mortal sin if someone skips Mass, it’s kind of difficult to receive Holy Communion without actually attending Mass.”

In response to the directive, there are renewed discussions among moral theologians revisiting if those in irregular situations sin when they fail to contribute to the support of the Church.

Using the idea of a paradigm shift, Msgr. Marygo stated: “We understand that sometimes it’s just not possible for people to conform their behavior to the teaching of the Catechism. Many find themselves ‘in the tangle of human affairs … in many difficult situations.’ They struggle to see how an ‘objective system of morality’ applies to their concrete situation. And so, ‘escaping the absolute opposition between good and evil,’ they seek ‘the path’ that leads to the ‘possible good.’”

Msgr. Marygo concluded with: “In situations where natural methods to support the church is impossible or impracticable, other forms of responsibility need to be found. Under such ‘circumstances,’ responsibility requires other methods for the support of the Church, such as stealing. Stealing falls under such issues that bring about a greater good if done for the right reasons, like contraception.”

Speaking on his private plane, Pope Frederick explained that while rules governing moral behavior are absolutely necessary, they cannot adequately provide for every circumstance. People’s lives are complex. The decisions they have to make are difficult. The wounds they have experienced and the situations in which they find themselves do not always align with the objective ideals of church teaching. And the pope does not want to add to this “a new set of general rules, canonical in nature and applicable to all cases.”

He continued, “Individual conscience needs to be incorporated into the Church’s praxis in certain situations which do not objectively embody our understanding of Mass attendance.”

Instead, Pope Frederick called for those involved in these irregular situations to embrace true, prayerful discernment while attending Sunday soccer practice.