Sex and sin in the Catholic Church according to Cardinal McElroy: "Don't judge" but listen to

Interview with Cardinal Robert McElroy* by Jesuitical podcast**, published on the website of the weekly Jesuit America (United States) on February 3, 2023, freely translated by Giacomo Tessaro, part two

Zac Davis: I think that for many it is a breath of fresh air to hear a cardinal talking like this, but for others it can be a big rock, a shock, because, and here I try to enter their heads, they will think "but, wait, I have I lived my life believing that it was all true, and with great efforts and sacrifices, and now, still a sudden, they come to remove the carpet from under my feet ". What do you want to say to those who think that the concepts of minimal inclusion and welcome at the base what we believe or have we believed as Catholics?

Monsignor Robert McElroy: Let's take a look at sexuality, for example, which is stubborn stone for many, and where I hope for a change in terms of pastoral theology. It is not that we must stop fighting against sin, in all its forms, in our sex life, which is and remains an area in which to sin is easy. What I mean is that, in Christian moral life, sexual sins are not always fatal. A fatal sin, according to Catholic doctrine, is such a serious sin that it is objectively capable of mocking our relationship with God. It is something very heavy, and what I want to say is that it is not suitable for describing sexuality.

However, this does not diminish the vocation to the chastity of each of us, each in their own condition of life, and in particular it does not exempt us from living what I think is the central affirmation of the Catholic faith: sexuality is something profound, not to be taken lightly. Here really our Church goes against society. Our society does not believe this.
Instead, I think that our doctrine on sexuality is innervated by this basic principle: [sex] is something deep, not to be taken lightly, and it is something that touches us very deeply, from a personal, spiritual, moral and emotional point of view.
Tutto questo non lo contesto, dico solo di non prendere questo unico ambito della vita umana e dire che è sempre peccato mortale, perché non penso sia coerente con il meglio della nostra teologia morale.

Ashley McKinless: Sta descrivendo un approccio molto pastorale, e uno degli appunti più frequenti che si fanno all’approccio consistente nell’incontrare le persone lì dove sono e nell’accoglierle, è che l’atto più amorevole che si possa fare nei riguardi di qualcuno è presentargli la verità. Come risponde a questo ragionamento?

Monsignor Robert McElroy: Citerò san Giovanni Paolo II, un suo insegnamento molto importante contenuto nella Familiaris consortio. Il principio della gradualità è al centro della vita morale di ciascuno. Lo si riscontra in Gesù. Quando Gesù incontrava qualcuno, non gli diceva “Vuoi seguirmi? Allora devi essere perfetto”. Se avesse detto così, i discepoli non sarebbero durati nemmeno una settimana. [Gesù] ci afferra lì dove siamo e ci invita ad avanzare. Non dice “Vivi la tua vita come vuoi, e non importa se è in contraddizione con il mio Vangelo”. Ma non dice nemmeno “Devi assolutamente arrivare alla perfezione”. Non funziona così.

Francesco dice che, dato che la grazia si fonda sulla natura, la grazia di Dio agisce progressivamente nella nostra vita. Sant’Agostino ha questa bella intuizione. I suoi anni giovanili furono in totale contraddizione con il Vangelo, poi si convertì, e divenne molto vicino alla Chiesa.
Le sue Confessioni I am a very important work because, for the first time in western literature, they don't say "After my conversion I have always been good and perfect". Throughout the work we find written "They are on the way to get closer to God, and it is a path that will never end". Even at the end of his life Augustine says “I'm not done yet. God has not yet completed his work in me ".

I think so we must consider Christian moral life. This I would like to say to who wonders "Does this mean abandoning the Christian vocation?"; I saw many people ask me, adding "Jesus told Adultera that he no longer sin". This is true, but in my opinion this parable is often not really understood; Here Jesus says first of all not to spit judgments about this woman.

In my opinion, the vice of judging is the worst sin that there may be in a Christian life; That's why Jesus speaks so often. When reading the Gospels, it is noted that he often says he does not judge, because we all do it, it is very easy to fall. And it hurts others to others. Therefore, the parable of the adulterous woman wants to tell us this: Don't spit judgments. Jesus was certainly not hard towards the woman caught in flagrant adultery, on the contrary, she was generous with her. That's all. Now Jesus says "Yes, live Christian life", but gradually, that I think it is the heart of Christ's method.

* Cardinal Robert W. McElroy, appointed auxiliary bishop of San Francisco in 2010, became bishop of San Diego in March 2015.

** Jesuitical is a podcasts created by the weekly's youngest lay editors America, edited by Ashley McKinless and Zac Davis. Search for it on Twitter: @jesuiticalshow

Original text: Cardinal McElroy: Sex and sin need a new framework in the church