If voters want to know whether opting for divorce legislation is a sin and whether their choice means they will not be able to receive Holy Communion they should ask “their confessor”, the Church says.
Many people, particularly churchgoers, are confused about the moral implications of their vote following statements made by religious leaders during the referendum campaign.
In a recent homily, Gozo Bishop Mario Grech said, among other things: “The door of life is one... If we want to find the right door shortly... and adults understand what I am trying to say... do not make a mistake, there is only one door...
“If you are not in communion with Christ’s teachings, you are not in communion with the Church and you cannot receive communion... We cannot pretend to be in communion with the Eucharist, so that everybody can understand me,” he added.
Asked to clarify whether this meant Catholics who vote for divorce are committing a sin and cannot receive Holy Communion, the Curia said: “Bishop Mario Grech forms part of the Church hierarchy. How can you ask for the Church’s reaction to Bishop Grech’s comment?”
Catholics referred to statement by theologians
Questioned again in the light of Catholic readers saying they were unsure about whether they could vote for divorce without sinning, the Church spokesman said: “The best thing to do in such cases is to refer your readers to their confessor.”
He added that an answer to such a question could be found in the statement published in October by seven prominent theologians, which was endorsed by the Archbishop.
The statement says: “The Catholic, who not caring about having an informed and formed conscience, decides to follow one’s whim, without seriously paying attention to the teaching of God’s Word and of the Church, but only follows one’s feelings, one’s own thoughts or personal advantage, if not also one’s prejudices, should realise that one is not doing one’s duty as a Catholic. One is responsible for such action before God and may possibly be sinning.”
After trying hard to form one’s conscience “according to God’s Word and the teaching of the Church” and sincerely trying to discover the whole truth which leads to the common good, a Catholic is obliged to follow his decision, whether it is right or wrong.
So, if after this process Catholics do not see “why to vote against legislation” or perceive that divorce is “the lesser evil”, they have “the right and duty to follow what their conscience says”.
The Times also contacted the Vatican spokesman in an attempt to get a clear reply on the matter but was referred to the Maltese bishops.