«A valid sacramental marriage is indissoluble: this is the Catholic practice reaffirmed by Popes and Councils, in fidelity to Jesus’ Word». Msgr. Gerhard Ludwig Müller, Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, gave this response on the topic of divorced persons who have remarried and the sacraments, in an interview with Gian Guido Vecchi published in “Il Corriere della Sera” on December 18th 2013.

 

In a lengthy and explicative article published in “L'Osservatore Romano” on October 23, 2013, Msgr. Gerhard Ludwig Müller, said: «A responsible pastoral approach presupposes a theology that offers ‘”the full submission of intellect and will to God who reveals, freely assenting to the truth revealed by him” (Dei Verbum 5)». In fact—Msgr. Muller continues —«The Catholic Church has always based its doctrine and practice upon these sayings of Jesus concerning the indissolubility of marriage». «On the basis of this passage, the Church has come to recognize that only a marriage between a baptized man and a baptized woman is a sacrament in the true sense, and only in this instance does unconditional indissolubility apply. The marriage of the unbaptized is indeed ordered to indissolubility, but can under certain circumstances–for the sake of a higher good–be dissolved (privilegium Paulinum)».