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WORLD NEWS Thursday 22 June 2017

4 cardinals press Pope to clarify

divorce-remarriage stand

By NICOLE WINFIELD around the world have is- of our responsibility, and
Associated Press sued different interpreta- our conscience impels us
VATICAN CITY (AP) — Four tions of what Francis wrote. to ask humbly and respect-
conservative cardinals More conservative bishops fully for an audience,” said
who publicly questioned have reaffirmed traditional the letter, dated May 6 and
Pope Francis’ opening to church teaching on the signed by Cardinal Carlo
divorced and civilly remar- indissolubility of marriage; Caffarra, emeritus arch-
ried Catholics are press- others have taken Francis’ bishop of Bologna, on be-
ing their case and arguing opening and gone further. half of the other three.
that the issue is dividing the The bishops of Malta, for Francis hasn’t responded,
Catholic Church. example, said sometimes it though he has made clear
In a new letter, the cardi- might be “humanly impos- that he wants his church to
nals ask Francis for an au- sible” for the new couple to show a more merciful and
dience, noting he never abstain from sex. less rigid face for Catholics
responded to their written In the new letter, published facing difficult family situa-
request for clarification in by the blog of veteran tions. That said, on Wednes-
September. Vatican journalist Sandro day he made clear that
Francis published “Joy of Magister, the cardinals la- marriage is forever.
Love” last year, opening mented: “How painful it is In his weekly Wednesday
the door to letting civilly to see this — that what is catechism lesson, Francis
remarried Catholics re- sin in Poland is good in Ger- noted that the nuptial Mass
ceive Communion. Church many, invokes the help of saints
teaching says these Catho- that what is prohibited in to help newlyweds live as
lics must either obtain an the archdiocese of Phila- a married couple forever.
annulment of their first mar- delphia is permitted in Mal- “Not like some say ‘as long
riage or abstain from sex, if ta.” as love lasts.’ No: Forever! Pope Francis waves to faithful as he leaves at the end of his
they want to receive Com- “Faced with this grave situ- Otherwise it’s better to not weekly general audience in St. Peter’s Square at the Vatican,
munion. ation, in which many Chris- get married. Either forever Wednesday, June 21, 2017.
Since then, bishops and tian communities are being or nothing,” he said.q Associated Press
bishops’ conferences divided, we feel the weight
After 4 days, Portugal contains wildfire that killed 64

LISBON, Portugal (AP) — A more than a dozen water- the flames, which officials
wildfire that killed 64 peo- dropping aircraft were de- said they expected to ex-
ple last weekend has been ployed to tackle the blaze tinguish by Wednesday
brought under control, Por- that had raged across the night.
tuguese authorities said central region of Portugal, Meanwhile, members of
Wednesday as a minute of about 150 kilometers (95 the government and law-
silence was held in memory miles) north of Lisbon. makers stood in silence
of victims of the country’s Some of the personnel outside the parliament
deadliest natural disaster in and equipment was sent building in Lisbon at 1 p.m.
decades. by other European Union (1200 GMT.) President Mar-
“The fire is no longer pro- countries and Morocco. celo Rebelo de Sousa and
gressing,” Civil Protection Cooler temperatures and members of the emergen-
Agency spokesman Vi- weaker winds also helped cy services gathered near
tor Vaz Pinto said, adding firefighters make progress Pedrogao Grande, where
that hundreds of firefighters against a nearby wildfire in the main blaze broke out.
would remain on the scene A burnt truck next to a gate in the village of Pobrais, near Pedro- Gois. Portugal had already ob-
to prevent it from reigniting. gao Grande, central Portugal, Monday, June 19 2017. There, about 1,100 firefight- served three days of na-
Since Saturday, more Associated Press ers supported by 14 water- tional mourning.q
than 1,000 firefighters and dropping aircraft battled