There have recently been reports of the divergent views of Cardinal Walter Kasper and Cardinal Lopez Trujillo about divorced and remarried Catholics receiving Communion.
Firstly, to divide Catholics into liberals and conservatives makes no sense at all, since these are only two types of Catholics - those who adhere fully to what the Church teaches and those who do not.
Secondly, these reports sometimes give the impression that both opinions are equally valid and that a Catholic can in conscience adhere either to one or to the other. This is incorrect, since Cardinal Lopez Trujillo's views reflect the official teachings of the Church about this matter as endorsed by the bishops in their recent Synod held in Rome. Cardinal Kasper's opinions are expressing views which are just his own.
The attempt to put the two views on an equal footing is misleading and can cause confusion among the faithful. Pluralism of views (which in less euphemistic terms is simply dissent) about matters of faith and morals is unacceptable in the Catholic Church.
It would be like the Archbishop of Malta stating that abortion is the killing of the unborn child while the Bishop of Gozo thought otherwise.
When members of the clergy, be they theologians, priests, bishops or even cardinals, publicly dissent from the official teachings of the Church on serious faith and moral matters, or cast doubt on the enduring validity of such teachings, causing bewilderment among the faithful, they are showing a lack of love and Christian charity towards those entrusted to their care.
Pope John Paul II in his encyclical Veritatis Splendor said: "Dissent is opposed to ecclesial communion and to a correct understanding of the hierarchical constitution of the People of God. Opposition to the teaching of the Church's Pastors cannot be seen as a legitimate expression either of Christian freedom or of the diversity of the Spirit's gifts. When this happens, the Church's pastors have the duty to act in conformity with their apostolic mission, insisting that the right of the faithful to receive Catholic doctrine in its purity and integrity must always be respected.
"Never forgetting that he too is a member of the people of God, the theologian must be respectful of them and be committed to offering them a teaching which in no way does harm to the doctrine of the faith."
Catholics are blessed with having in the Catechism a complete exposition of Catholic teachings and a concerted effort should be made here in Malta so that in every home there is, together with the Bible, a copy of the Catechism, of which a compendium will soon be available.
Moreover, the Internet is a useful weapon in obtaining documents showing in clear terms what the Church teaches about many important matters. Ignorance of Church teachings is leading many Catholics to become easy prey to the agenda of those who have long sadly lost their faith, not just in the Church but in the Lord Jesus Himself and in His Gospel.