Recently I was in a group of people who were gathered together at one of our parishes and rather quickly the conversation turned to the subject of marriage, which was not a surprise given that issues about marriage are on the mind of our Holy Father and were also very much on the mind of the Council Fathers at the Second Vatican Council, particularly in the document on the Pastoral Constitution of the Church in the Modern World.
When one reads paragraphs 46 through 52, one can see how prophetic the concerns and warnings of the Council were in light of what has unfolded over these most recent years with respect to marriage.
For example, Part II of the Constitution begins with a section entitled ?Some Problems of Special Urgency.? The first ?Problem? is entitled ?Fostering the Nobility of Marriage and the Family.? Interestingly, this section directly addresses the reality of what is the landscape of the healthiness of marriage when it shares the following ?. . . the excellence of this institution is not everywhere reflected with equal brilliance!?
We are challenged as Catholics when it comes to embracing the teachings of God and of His Church relative to marriage because at times we may have an incomplete understanding of our Catholic faith relative to marriage. Without a solid understanding, we can lose our way in life as to the true reality which God has given us regarding marriage. All of us have a responsibility to know our faith, for only then can we live it to the fullest.
(The above column by the Most Reverend Richard Lennon, Bishop of Cleveland originally appeared in the Friday, June 5, 2015 issue of the Catholic Universe Bulletin, the official newspaper of the Diocese of Cleveland.)
