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Document Details : Title: Vatikanischer Fragebogen: Österreich Author(s): ZULEHNER, Paul M. Journal: Marriage, Families & Spirituality Volume: 20 Issue: 1 Date: 2014 Pages: 54-60 DOI: 10.2143/INT.20.1.3036694 Abstract : The Vatican questionnaire was not supervised in Austria by the Bishops’ Conference, which is split on important questions regarding the pastoral care of the family (pastoral care of the divorced, Humanae vitae); but we have valuable data from a number of questionnaires that can be significant for the Synod on the family. A differentiated evaluation shows clearly that the core pastoral question has long ceased to be the admission of divorced and remarried Catholics to the sacraments. The cultural transformation of the images of marriage poses the main challenge to the Christian churches. The protective, and at the same time restrictive, power of the institution that is supported by Catholic canon law ('marriage as a contract') has been dramatically weakened in our culture. At the same time, the personal dimension has become important. A marriage exists for as long as two persons (who certainly need not be of different genders) love one another. If the love dies, the marriage dies with it. For most people, the path for a further partnership is now free, and a church ought not to prevent this. But this cultural concept too raises questions. |
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