{"id":1610,"date":"2012-11-14T23:06:00","date_gmt":"2012-11-14T23:06:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.catholicnewsagency.com\/news\/divorced-should-be-embraced-with-kindness-priest-underscores\/"},"modified":"2012-11-14T23:06:00","modified_gmt":"2012-11-14T23:06:00","slug":"divorced-should-be-embraced-with-kindness-priest-underscores","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.patheos.com\/blogs\/catholicnews\/2012\/11\/divorced-should-be-embraced-with-kindness-priest-underscores\/","title":{"rendered":"Divorced should be embraced with kindness, priest underscores"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<\/head>

Rome, Italy, Nov 14, 2012 \/ 04:06 pm (CNA\/EWTN News<\/a>).- An Italian priest who serves as a spiritual director for dozens of divorced Catholics in Rome said that the Church needs to lovingly embrace its members who have suffered from separation.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cThrough Baptism everyone is a child of God, God liberates us all, and in a particular way, this Pope, many times, has affirmed the importance of embracing everyone,\u201d said Father Paolo Bachelet.<\/p>\n

\tAt 90 years-old, Fr. Bachelet helps families in difficult situations by working as an adviser for the Association of Separated Christians of Rome as well as a spiritual director for the divorced in the Italian capital.<\/p>\n

\tIn an interview with CNA, the priest noted that separation \u201ccertainly entails suffering, as Benedict XVI has said various times.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tHowever, \u201cthis suffering is a treasure for the Church,\u201d he said. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\u201cIf one does not understand that each suffering is offered together with the sufferings of Jesus and offered to the Father for the salvation of the world, one cannot draw close to Jesus.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\u201cAnd the suffering of separation, when in certain circumstances the suffering of not being able to receive Communion is offered, becomes a treasure for the good of the Church and is another source of comfort.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tThe priest then reflected on Jesus' words when said he whoever wants to follow him should be willing take up his or her cross.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cSo all Christians have a cross, including those who are married,\u201d he said. \u201cWith separation this cross becomes heavier, but it is always the cross of Jesus that Jesus knows we are carrying, and he helps us to carry it, whether it is light or heavy.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tFr. Bachelet also underscored the importance of understanding that when separation occurs, one is not a failure, but rather the marriage is what has failed. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\tGiven this truth, one has \u201cto know how to move forward, move on and accept and overcome this mistake in order to remain stable, work and have faith.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tIn his experience with broken families, Fr. Bachelet said providing them spiritual direction is not easy. \u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\u201cI must say that I have learned many things precisely from living among those who are separated, and I assure you that for many, separation has been an experience in which only the faith has sustained them,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cSome have strayed from the faith for a time, but many others found the need to deepen in their faith and they were helped,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\t\u201cExperience teaches us first of all that in a separation, if one has the mission to be a father, he can also take on the mission of mother, and vice versa. Consequently, God sends double the help in order to carry out this new mission.\u201d<\/p>\n

\t\u201cLikewise,\u201d the priest said, \u201cwhen one is alone, one is forced by circumstance to confront many problems and difficulties, and therefore many qualities and gifts come out that perhaps one did not know that one had.\u201d<\/p>\n

\tBy following God after the breakup of a marriage, \u201cinstead of being destroyed, one's personality can be enriched by all of the activities that one does.\u201d \u00a0<\/p>\n

\t\u201cAfterwards, especially if the children are grown, one way of overcoming loneliness is to devote oneself to activities such as study, politics, helping others, sports\u2026and one acquires new skills,\u201d Fr. Bachelet said.<\/p>\n

\n<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

<\/p>\n<\/body><\/html>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Rome, Italy, Nov 14, 2012 \/ 04:06 pm (CNA\/EWTN News).- An Italian priest who serves as a spiritual director for dozens of divorced Catholics in Rome said that the Church needs to lovingly embrace its members who have suffered from separation.<\/p>\n

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