Duszpasterstwo związków niesakramentalnych

Abstract

Within the range of the past few years, the issue of “The Ministry of the marriages not sanctified by church” has been a serious problem for the priests taking care of the Catholics who decided to contract a registry marriage. This ministry regards people who live in marria ges not sanctified by church and who are not able to regulate their marital status. As the years go by, such people perceive the value of such sacraments as: confession and the Eucharist, in which they cannot fully participate since they contracted a registry marriage, in a different way. The things which they used to appreciate as constituting the delight and the major significance of their lives: the intimacy of being with the other person, children and home, prove insufficient. The documents of the Second Vatican Synod, of the Synod of Bishops in Rome and of the Second Plenary Synod of Poland appeal to treat those who live in marriages not sanctified by church in a positive and forbearing way. The ministry of such marriages should not, however, approve of divorce or legalize it. The aim of the ministry is to help to those Catholics whose life and marital status are complicated. The presented set of proposals on the ministry among the people who live in marriages not sanctified by church, including the retreat, meetings, or the contact through the media, and providing psychological and pedagogical help, is supposed to make them aware of the fact that the Church wants to help them to the extent which would not go against the doctrines of our faith.