 |
| Pope Francis marries flight attendants Carlos Ciuffardi, left, and Paola Podest, center, during a flight from Santiago, Chile, to Iquique, Chile, Thursday, Jan. 18, 2018. Pope Francis celebrated the first-ever airborne papal wedding, marrying these two flight attendants from Chile’s flagship airline during the flight. (Credit: L’Osservatore Romano Vatican Media/Pool Photo via AP.) |
Fr. Z read at Crux that the Holy Father married (witnessed the marriage) of a steward and stewardess on the papal airplane – during the flight. Questions ... questions ...
And then Canon Peters shares his thoughts on the mid-air marriage.
This what the groom had to say:
“What he said to us is very important: ‘This is the sacrament the world needs, the sacrament of marriage. Hopefully, this will motivate couples around the world to get married’,” Ciufardi said.The couple have been civilly married for 8 years, yet Peters and Zulsdorf wonder if they were properly prepared. It's no wonder couples avoid getting married in a church.
(The comments on Facebook are ridiculous.)
"yet Peters and Zulsdorf wonder if they were properly prepared"
ReplyDeleteThis couple has been married for eight years and the above two are wondering if they were properly prepared? What if they were and only God, our Holy Father, the couple know about it? What if those eight years have been proof enough to them both what truly is the beauty of marriage and they decided to read what the Catholic Church has to say about it and then decided to seek the Church's blessing?
I am happy they have their marriage blessed by the Church and by Christ's Vicar no less. Many years of wedded bliss to them both.
Correction: they were not "married" for eight years, rather they were living in sin for eight years. For eight years they did not rectify their situation, but rather chose to continue living in sin. It seems to me that this sort of couple is in serious need of catechesis and pre-marital counseling. But, Francis can dispense with that so he can have a "media moment." Sad.
DeleteThanks Yaya - I'm with you.
DeleteSurely if they were going to be married in the Church 8 years ago they were prepared at that time. Who knows, Mr. Beckett - maybe they were living as brother and sister all that time, and perhaps His Holiness heard their Confessions before the Sacramental Marriage. It may be a stretch, but it is not for us to judge others' interior lives, and particularly, the Vicar of Christ, our Pope. It *is* for us to pray for all involved, as fellow Catholics. God bless and protect all here - Susan, ofs
DeleteIf they had really wanted to be married in the Church don't you think they would have not let EIGHT YEARS pass? And lets not forget that this was the idea of Francis, not the couple. This seems to me to be yet ANOTHER publicity stunt. Whenever Francis gets bad press (such as the tiny crowds that showed up in Chile, and the boo's that he received) there suddenly appears an opportunity for him to be "merciful" for the cameras. It's all a show. And lets not forget about all those poor parish priests who will now have to set things right and tell people that they can't do the same thing. The "mercy" of Francis is anything but mercy for those who end up being the big, bad, mean, unmerciful and rigid priest for telling people no. I feel for priests during these times. We must pray for them.
ReplyDeleteI totally disagree, but you know that.
DeleteThe beauty of this couple's example regarding marriage in the Catholic Church is, imo, encouraging. At my parish, where the majority speaks only Spanish, the priests call those who are married civilly to consider marriage as the sacrament it is and therefore encourage them to contact them so they can assist them towards having their marriage blessed by the Church.
DeleteOur priests always make this call annually with patience, compassion and love - I have not ever heard them do otherwise.
The idea was our Holy Father's, so what? The couple accepted that idea and are now married before the Lord and man! Beautiful! Wonderful! What rejoicing in giving hope to many who might feel unworthy to approach God's holy altar.
I read this couple was already planning to have their marriage blessed by the Church back in 2010 but postponed it due to earthquakes?
Anyway, if that be true, well, they probably kept all the prep materials on hand, brushed up on it just in case the Holy Father came up with the novel idea of stressing once again the importance of having their marriage consecrated before the Lord ... and on a plane no less.
What marvelous use of technology to proclaim an eternal truth!
Happiness to the married couple!
Safe travels and joyful hope to querido Papa Francis.
Yaya, makes me think of Luke 15:7
DeleteThanks Yaya. Francis certainly understands, and that is all that matters at this point - and what hope and encouragement he gives to those who have not yet come forward to have their marriages blessed. And those who simply cohabitate without benefit of marriage, may they be encouraged as well. I have family who are in civil marriages - there is nothing - no impediment to having their marriage blessed - hopefully this inspires them to do so.
DeleteMr. Beckett, are you condemning this couple because they wanted to correct the fact they had not been Sacramentally married, and because the Pope, in his kindness and pastoral care, offered the Sacrament to them? By your reasoning, there is no salvation - once you sin, you are done, with no chance for forgiveness. Respectfully, that is *not* the teaching of Jesus, nor of His Holy Catholic Church.
Delete@ Angela ... amen!
DeleteI knew a young couple (she's Catholic and he's not) and they met with their parish priest to discuss a wedding. The groom was told he was going to hell if he did not convert. Needless to say they did not marry in the Church, do not attend any sort of services anywhere, the children are not baptized, etc. So not only have we lost one person - we've now lost 5. Maybe Pope Francis does things we don't understand but his heart is always about bringing people to Jesus. We don't always understand who God will use to accomplish this - in my own case it was my ex-MIL (we couldn't stand each other) who was one person who helped me back to the church.
ReplyDeleteHoly cow - did a priest really say that? For some odd reason many priests have told me they hate doing weddings and meeting with couples to prepare.
DeleteYup. And this wasn't in 1945, it was 1995.
Delete