"Jesus, Marriage, Divorce, and the Church" by Fr. Chris House
October 4, 2024
This is a challenging Gospel to succinctly comment on in a bulletin article or a homily. Along with being pastor of CTK, I also serve as vicar judicial of the diocese which means that I sit as head of the diocesan tribunal in the name of the bishop so this Gospel has special pertinence for my ministry. Mark’s Gospel this Sunday gives us Jesus’s teaching on divorce; Mark’s account is the oldest of the four Gospel writers concerning marriage. What does Mark’s text teach us as the Pharisees attempt to trap Jesus using the Mosaic Law?
The Pharisees ask Jesus if divorce is lawful; we must be attentive to the phrases that follow. Jesus asks the Pharisees what Moses commanded while the Pharisees reply with what Moses permitted. Jesus preaches against divorce, and since it was only allowed by Moses, Jesus cannot be condemned as speaking against the law. Jesus easily thwarts the attempt to entrap him but he goes further in his discourse on the question of divorce, not just giving a simple “no” to the question. Jesus, invoking Genesis, speaks of man and woman becoming one flesh in marriage. We see in the Old Testament that marriage is symbolic of the covenant relationship between God and his people. In the New Testament, St. Paul speaks of marriage as a sacramental sign of Christ’s relationship with the Church. The marriage bond is sacred because it is a living sign of God’s love that is both irrevocable and self-giving. Jesus then goes further in Mark’s Gospel stating that whoever divorces their spouse, and marries another, commits adultery.
The Church understands and teaches that marriage between two persons who are baptized, Catholic or not, takes on the quality of indissolubility (unless non-consummated), meaning that no power under heaven can undo what God has joined; no external power can undo the union and neither party in the marriage can withdraw their consent. Marriages that are between a baptized person and a non-baptized, or between two unbaptized, are still seen as valid by the Church, but, in certain very limited circumstances, can be set aside if one party leaves the marriage. Concerning the question of divorce, the Church sees it as a civil matter. The Church recognizes that a civil divorce can have civil effects but the act of divorce itself does not affect a person’s status in the Church; however, divorce and remarriage outside of the auspices of the Church does affect a person’s status in the Church.
In reading this you might be saying to yourself “well, annulments in the Church are just Catholic divorce;” actually, no. First, we often use the wrong term. An annulment is a declaration that dissolves something. An ecclesiastical tribunal (church court) in examining marriage cases does not grant annulments but may issue what is called a declaration of nullity by which a marriage is declared to have been null and void from the beginning due to either an impediment to the marriage itself or due to invalid consent on the part of one or both parties in the marriage. The nullity process in a tribunal does not look to assign blame or guilt to anyone regarding a failed marriage, but looks for what the truth of the matter is and whether or not a valid marriage bond was created at the time of consent between the couple.
I cannot stress enough that those who have suffered a divorce are not “second class citizens” in the Church and they should not be treated as such. A person who is divorced is not barred from any aspect of the Church’s life, sacramental or otherwise; this is a wide-spread misunderstanding among Catholics that has caused great pain and alienation for some. Yes, if a Catholic is divorced and remarried outside of the Church without a declaration of nullity then they are to refrain from Holy Communion, but the Church can work with them in the hope of regularizing their situation.
If you have any further questions on divorce, marriage nullity, or remarriage in the Church, please do not hesitate to contact me, Fr. Alex, or Deacon Scott.
Praying for the Victims of Hurricane Helene
Many of us have been shocked with the news and images that have come not just out of Florida but in other states as well especially North Carolina concerning the destruction caused by Hurricane Helene and the subsequent flooding. One commentator said earlier this week that you do not expect the situation to be getting worse several days after the storm but that is what has happened in many parts of the southeast coastal region. While nothing has been announced yet at the time I am writing this, generally the bishops of the United States will call for a special collection. Let us continue to pray for the recovery of those who have been affected by Helene.
Blessings to you and yours for the week ahead!
Father Chris House
Happy 24th Sunday of Ordinary Time! A warm welcome to the CTK Class reunion of 1982. They will be joining us for Mass on Saturday. This weekend, we also welcome Fr. Linus Umoren. He is currently the Pastor of SS. Peter and Paul down in Waterloo, IL and serves as Mission Superior of Vincentians USA. He will be sharing about the Vincentians mission in his homily. His visit is part of the Missionary Cooperative Partnership that the Diocese does every summer. You will be seeing a couple items in the back of Church very soon. The following weekends of Sept. 20-21 and Sept 27-28, we are bringing the Eco-Filters for the Guatemala project back to CTK. Our last collection was in 2019 and we collected over $25,000 to purchase 782 water purifiers. If you would like to donate, please use the forms in back and deposit them in the box. Each filter is $20. I stayed in Guatemala for 3 months back in 2013 and I can attest for the need especially in the small villages for clean water! These Eco-Filters are a great gift to so many. More information in a bulletin insert coming up in future bulletins. Also on the weekend of Sept. 20-21, our local Knights of Columbus with have their annual Tootsie Roll Drive. They will be present in back of Church if you would like to donate. Proceeds from the drive assist local agencies who assist those with special needs. Finally, this week the Priests will be away for annual Convocation, September 16th through 18th. Deacon Scott Keen will offer Communion service those days at 7am. Military Drill Oct. 17-19, Nov. 15-16, no Dec drill
Happy 23rd Sunday of Ordinary Time! This Sunday is one of great joy for the Church! We as Catholics celebrate two new saints! I personally have a great devotion to both Blessed Carlo and Blessed Pier Giorgio for several reasons that I will share in upcoming homilies and bulletins. Below is some great biographical information on them. Carlo Acutis and Pier Giorgio Frassati / EWTN News By Courtney Mares Carlo Acutis: the first millennial saint Acutis, an Italian computer-coding teenager who died of cancer in 2006, is known for his great devotion to the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. He became the first millennial to be beatified by the Catholic Church 2020 and is widely popular among Catholics, particularly youth. Known for his deep faith and digital savvy, he used his computer-coding skills to draw attention to Eucharistic miracles around the world. His miracles’ exhibit, featuring more than 100 documented miracles involving the Eucharist throughout history, has since traveled to thousands of parishes across five continents. The Vatican formally recognized a second miracle attributed to Acutis’ intercession on May 23, 2024. The case involved the healing of 21-year-old Valeria Valverde of Costa Rica, who sustained a serious brain injury in a bicycle accident while studying in Florence in 2022. She was not expected to survive but recovered after her mother prayed for Acutis’ intercession at his tomb in Assisi. Born in London in 1991 and raised in Milan, Acutis attended daily Mass from a young age and was passionate about the real presence of Jesus in the Eucharist. Shortly after his first Communion at the age of 7, Carlo told his mother: “To always be united to Jesus: This is my life plan.” Carlo called the Eucharist “my highway to heaven,” and he did all in his power to make the real presence known. His witness inspired his parents to return to practicing the Catholic faith and his Hindu au pair to convert and be baptized. Many of Carlo’s classmates, friends, and family members testified to the Vatican how he brought them closer to God. He is remembered for saying, “People who place themselves before the sun get a tan; people who place themselves before the Eucharist become saints.” Shortly before his death, Acutis offered his suffering from cancer “for the pope and for the Church” and expressed a desire to go “straight to heaven.” Known as a cheerful and kind child with a love for animals, video games, and technology, Acutis’ life has inspired documentaries, digital evangelization projects, and the founding of schools in his name. His legacy continues to resonate strongly with a new generation of Catholics. Pier Giorgio Frassati: ‘To the heights’ of holiness Frassati, who died at the age of 24 in 1925, is also beloved by many today for his enthusiastic witness to holiness that reaches “to the heights.” The young man from the northern Italian city of Turin was an avid mountaineer and Third Order Dominican known for his charitable outreach. Born on Holy Saturday, April 6, 1901, Frassati was the son of the founder and director of the Italian newspaper La Stampa. At the age of 17, he joined the St. Vincent de Paul Society and dedicated much of his spare time to taking care of the poor, the homeless, and the sick as well as demobilized servicemen returning from World War I. Frassati was also involved in the Apostleship of Prayer and Catholic Action. He obtained permission to receive daily Communion. On a photograph of what would be his last climb, Frassati wrote the phrase “Verso L’Alto,” which means “to the heights.” This phrase has become a motto for Catholics inspired by Frassati to strive for the summit of eternal life with Christ. Frassati died of polio on July 4, 1925. His doctors later speculated that the young man had caught polio while serving the sick. John Paul II, who beatified Frassati in 1990, called him a “man of the eight beatitudes,” describing him as “entirely immersed in the mystery of God and totally dedicated to the constant service of his neighbor.” The canonization Mass for Acutis and Frassati is expected to take place in St. Peter’s Square. Military Drill Oct. 17-19, Nov. 15-16, no Dec drill
Happy 22nd Sunday of Ordinary Time! I pray that you have a blessed Labor Day Weekend with family and friends. Some folks have asked when I start with the Army Reserves. I officially received word this week of my unit. I start with my unit in Oct. My usual practice is to put my drill dates at the bottom of my column so that you know when I am away for military duty. In the bulletin, you see a message about Church security. It is common practice that most Catholic Parishes have a Church security of some sorts. We will have a short meeting on Sept 4 for anyone interested in joining the Church security team. Current members plus Ushers and Greeters are welcome to attend the meeting on Sept. 4. Next weekend, our local Knights of Columbus #364 is hosting their annual Oktoberfest on Sept. 6 from 12pm to 9pm. The festival features German bands, food, and games. The event benefits various charities in the community. Oktoberfest will be held on the Council grounds located at 2200 South Meadowbrook Road at Iles in Springfield. Christ the King Fall Bible Study is coming up on Sept. 11. See bulletin for details if you would like to join. The Bible Study will be using the Great Adventure Series from Ascension Press to explore the Gospel of St. Luke. Military Drill Oct. 17-19, Nov. 15-16, no Dec drill
Happy 21 st Sunday of Ordinary Time! Thank you again for the warm welcome to CTK. I am enjoying being here and getting more settled in each passing week. My apologies if I ask for your name again. I am working hard at getting names down, but it takes time. Over the next few weeks on Wednesdays, Dcn. Scott will be showing the Search Series by Chris Stefanick. I have personally watched the series and it is a great series that leads to wonder and awe of God. Anyone is welcome to join the series and if you know anyone interested in becoming Catholic invite them to join. Also, a warm welcome to the CTK Class of 1980. They are celebrating their 45 year reunion and joining us for Mass at 4:30pm this Saturday, touring the campus and gathering in the hall. Welcome home! Below are 5 biblical Values that I preached about last Sunday. These 5 Biblical Values allow us to be transformed by the Divine Love of the Sacred Heart of Jesus: Worship Sunday Mass Daily Mass Personal Prayer Sacrament of Confession/Reconciliation Formation Form our minds according to the mind of Christ through good Catholic books, podcasts, videos, etc. Strengthen our wills through Christ by fasting on Wednesdays and Fridays and feasting on Sundays and other Solemnities and Feast days. Fellowship Devotion to the saints who are our brothers and sisters in Christ who inspire, encourage, and intercede for us. Good Christian friendships that inspire and encourage us to grow in our faith life with Jesus. Stewardship Living out our vocations in Christ and using our unique God-given gifts for God’s glory. Seeking to make a gift of my life to God through time, talent, and treasure. Evangelization Through my words and actions inviting others to friendship with Christ and His Church.
Happy 20th Sunday of Ordinary Time! Reminder that this weekend, August 16 and 17 at 4:30pm and 10am Mass, we will have a backpack tag blessing at the end of Mass. Any school children will be invited forward to receive the blessing and backpack tag. I pray as they begin this school year, they grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church. Bishop Paprocki as you know was here on Aug. 2 for our Pastor Installation and he wanted me to pass along his homily. Below are a couple paragraphs. You can read the full homily at https://dio.org/bishop/homilies-and-speeches/ My dear brothers and sisters in Christ: It is good for us to be here today for this Mass and Rite of Installation of Father Mark Tracy as Pastor of Christ the King Parish here in Springfield. Although Father Tracy officially began his new assignment here as Pastor of Christ the King Parish earlier last month on July 1st, we celebrate this Rite of Installation liturgically today not only to ask God’s blessings on Father Tracy as he begins his ministry as shepherd of this flock, but also because it reminds all of us of an essential part of being a disciple: Disciples do not choose their own path, they follow Christ where He leads them. The word apostle comes from the Greek word Apostolos, which means “one who is sent out as a messenger.” Bishops are successors of the apostles, and priests are collaborators with the bishops. As a successor of the apostles, I was sent here as Bishop of this Diocese in 2010 by then Pope Benedict XVI, himself having been given his authority as Pope after Christ gave it to St. Peter when He founded the Church: “Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven” (Matthew 16:19). In a similar way, as a collaborator in the ministry of a successor of the apostles, a priest is sent and entrusted with the pastoral responsibilities of a parish by his bishop, and it is during the rite of installation that we celebrate here this evening that this handing over of the “keys of the kingdom” (albeit only a small part of Christ’s Kingdom) takes place. At the same time, Jesus’ gift of responsibility and authority over His Church as entrusted to Peter, and my giving a part of that to your new pastor today, is not something that happens only to the Pope, or to priests. Every one of us has been entrusted with a small part of Jesus’ Kingdom. For some of you, that is upholding Christ’s reign in your family, as you work, or among the people you are friends with. For all of us, Christ has given us the responsibility, and dignity, of caring for and protecting His Kingdom in our own hearts. One of the ways that we do this happens every Sunday when we profess our faith by praying the Creed. For Saint Peter Himself, it was only after his profession of faith in Jesus as “the Christ, the Son of the Living God” that he was made leader of the Church. Today, in a special way, all of us, with your new pastor, will recite the Creed, professing individually and together our common faith in Christ. By that profession, I officially ask your pastor to take on the responsibilities of this parish with the heart of Christ. But every time we profess the Creed, every time we pray those words that billions of Christians have prayed down through the centuries, we each renew our own commitment to Jesus! Does He reign over our hearts? Is He the Lord of our time? Of our bank accounts? Of those He has entrusted to our care? If Jesus is truly “Christ the King” as the title of this parish proclaims, then He must be the only king of our lives, and that should be evident in the way we live. Father Tracy will serve you now as pastor as we continue forward into this Third Millennium of Christianity, so I think it is fitting to call to mind a theme suggested by our late Holy Father, the Great Pope Saint John Paul II, in his Apostolic Letter, Novo Millennio Ineunte, “On Entering the New Millennium,” which I quote as follows (nos. 30-31): “First of all, I have no hesitation in saying that all pastoral initiatives must be set in relation to holiness.” I always mention that quote in my homily at the Installation Mass for every new Pastor that I have appointed. Even if you have heard it before, it is worth repeating because it is so basic and essential: All pastoral initiatives must be set in relation to holiness. If we forget that, it will not take long to stray off course from what we should be doing in parish ministry and why we are doing it. Holiness consists of following Jesus as His disciples, as people who listen and learn from Him, and who put Him first in our lives. In a real relationship with Christ, we discover that everything we have was first a gift from our Heavenly Father.
Happy 19th Sunday of Ordinary Time! I want to say thank you to everyone for your support at the Pastor Installation last weekend. It is a great joy and honor to serve here at CTK as Pastor. I am deeply thankful to everyone who assisted with the Mass and Reception. It was a celebration for our Parish, and my parents enjoyed their first visit to Christ the King. It is hard to believe that the school year is right around the corner. Next weekend August 16 and 17 at 4:30pm and 10am Mass, we will have a backpack tag blessing at the end of Mass. Any school children will be invited forward to receive the blessing and backpack tag. I pray as they begin this school year, they grow in their relationship with Jesus Christ and His Church. The ladies of the Altar & Rosary Society have graciously offered to host a donut Sunday after the 10am Mass over in the Parish Hall. I am excited to begin the school year here at CTK. The first day of school is August 18. I plan on doing some Q and A sessions with the school in September as a way of getting to know staff and students better. Dennis Trickey will also be teaching a bit in 2nd grade, assisting with the junior high Made for More faith program, and assistant coach for baseball. I am excited for him to be in the school. As Dennis settles in more, we will look for more opportunities for him to be involved in the Parish and School.
Happy 18th Sunday of Ordinary Time! As a Parish family, we welcome Bishop Paprocki this weekend for the 4:30pm Mass on August 2. It is an honor and joy to be installed as Pastor here at Christ the King. I am humbled to serve as Pastor of CTK and pray for strength and guidance from the Holy Spirit to serve our Parish Family well. I take the responsibility of Pastor very seriously and will strive to do my best. But do not worry, I do not take myself seriously, just my responsibilities! The role of the Pastor is to provide pastoral care for a parish in 3 major functions: sanctifying, preaching/teaching, and governing. The Pastor has the responsibility of overseeing these 3 important functions of the Parish. The sanctifying function is especially connected to the Sacraments. The Pastor is to ensure that parishioners have access to all of the Sacraments either celebrated by the Pastor or delegated to other ministers. The preaching/teaching function is connected to the word of God in Scripture and Tradition being passed down by the Pastor to faithful. This passing down of the faith is done directly by the Pastor in his own preaching, but the Pastor also oversees other clergy and lay ministers the in parish and school in preaching/teaching the Catholic faith. Finally, the Pastor also oversees the governing function of the Parish. The Pastor is responsible for the spiritual and temporal affairs of the Parish and must give an account for them to God. The Pastor works with the parish and school staff to be stewards of what God entrusted us with and to carry on the mission of Jesus by forming His disciples in His Church. Again, it is a honor and joy to serve as your Pastor at CTK. These 3 functions of a Pastor serve to assist each person to grow in holiness through a deeper relationship with Jesus and His Church. Please pray for me in this role and know of my prayers for each of you. Before school starts, I am going to take a mini-vacation again. I will be gone Aug. 4-7. If you need something, just reach out to the Parish Office.
Happy 17th Sunday of Ordinary Time! Hard to believe that July is wrapping up. Before long, school will be back in session. Some exciting news for our Parish is below. On August 2 at the 4:30pm Mass, Bishop Paprocki will celebrate Mass and install me as Pastor. There will be a reception afterwards in the Parish Center. This reception will serve also as a welcome reception. Everyone is welcome to attend. Before school starts, I am going to take a mini-vacation again. I will be gone Aug. 4-7. If you need something, just reach out to the Parish Office. Details on the reception and the rite of Pastor Installation: RITE OF PASTOR INSTALLATION AFTER THE GOSPEL IN MASS The Bishop commends Fr. Mark Tracy as CTK’s new Pastor WELCOME BY THE PEOPLE The Bishop invites the people to express their approval HOMILY The Bishop will explain the meaning of the celebration PRESENTATION OF THE PARISH CLERGY, STAFF AND PARISH TRUSTEES Staff is presented to the new Pastor by the Bishop Trustees come forward and the Bishop presents them to the new Pastor PROFESSION OF FAITH AND OATH The Pastor leads the Nicene Creed, then pledges his oath to the Bishop Christ the King Pastor Installation August 2 at 4:30 pm Mass Welcome Reception After Mass in the Parish Center All are Welcome to Attend
Happy 16th Sunday of Ordinary Time! I wanted to offer a quick word of thank you to all of the Vacation Bible School volunteers. Thanks for your sacrifice to make the week very enjoyable for the kids and help them grow in their relationship with God! As I mentioned last week, no word yet on Army Reserves unit assignment. Not sure when I’ll receive word, but I will keep you in the loop. When I receive a unit, I will be away at times. In National Guard, I was gone one weekend a month and 2 weeks in the summer. In Reserves, I am going to try to work out being gone once a quarter for 4-5 days and 2 weeks in summer. Some folks have also asked what my other priestly assignment in the Diocese is. Bishop Paprocki, when he assigned me to be Pastor of Christ the King, also assigned me to be Episcopal Vicar for Catholic Schools in the Springfield Deanery. The best way to explain this assignment is that I represent the Bishop and am delegated authority to act in his name in this new role. Basically, I oversee all the Catholic Schools in the Springfield Deanery for the Bishop. Those Catholic Schools would include the Springfield area, Decatur area, Jacksonville area, Taylorville, and Pana. Please pray for me as I begin this role and carry out the work of Bishop Paprocki in furthering Catholic Identity, financial stability, and evangelization of our Catholic Schools. This role and priestly assignment will take roughly 10-15 hours per week. I will be working in this role from Christ the King and will travel to schools or the diocesan pastoral center about once a week. In Christ’s Mercy, Fr. Mark Tracy
Thank you for the warm welcome to Christ the King. It is good to be here and settling in one step at a time, just takes time. Thanks for your patience as we continue the transition process of a new Pastor. Thank you as well for your warm welcome to Dennis. Dennis Trickey will be spending the whole year with us through June of 2026. For analogy’s sake, the pastoral year serves as an internship/apprenticeship for him. He gets to spend the year seeing how a school year works at a parish school plus seeing the life of a priest more fully during the year as opposed to summer life in a parish. Fr. Alex and I basically work with him on priestly skills like sacraments, preaching/teaching, and overseeing a parish and school. We are putting together a teaching schedule for the school and will be looking at some teaching opportunities in the Parish as well. He will assist with liturgy and sacraments like Mass, baptisms, funerals, marriages, etc. Basically, this pastoral year gives him a hands-on experience of what priestly life looks like as he approaches his final years of seminary and ordination. Dennis will be ordained a transitional Deacon in the spring of 2027 and Priest in the May of 2028. It is a great blessing to have him with us for this year. Finally, a couple of folks have asked about my other priestly assignments that the Bishop has assigned me, Episcopal Vicar of Catholic Schools for the Springfield Deanery and Military Chaplain for the Army Reserves. I will address both more fully in the coming weeks. For now, I concluded my time with the Army National Guard back in February. I served in the Guard for 6 years in 2 units. I served as a Battalion Chaplain in an Engineering Unit and a Chemical Unit. I greatly enjoyed both experiences. I have been accepted into the Army Reserves; just waiting to be assigned a unit. With Uncle Sam, who knows when that will be, but I will keep you informed. Fr. Mark Tracy
