SYDNEY, Australia, SEPT. 14, 2007 (Zenit.org).- A booklet released by the episcopal conference in Australia is an attempt to explain the Church's approach to the issues of divorce, remarriage and the Eucharist, said Bishop Eugene Hurley.
Bishop Hurley of Darwin and chairman of the Australian bishops' conference commission for pastoral life said this about "Divorce and the Catholic Church: Frequently Asked Questions."
The guide is an effort by Australia's bishops to reach out to those who have suffered the distress of marital breakdown and divorce. It outlines the Church's teaching in this difficult area while offering pastoral care and support.
It also clearly explains the possibilities and the process of annulment and questions about divorced people and reception of Communion.
Bishop Hurley said: "Marriage breakdown is always terribly sad and distressing for all involved and none of us are untouched by the deep pain experienced by family members or friends whose marriage has broken down.
"As a Church we have a responsibility to develop the great way of life to which we are all called while at the same time responding with all our hearts to the complexities of human relationships and actions.
"It is not easy, and being human, we sometimes fail."
It is our hope that the booklet, Bishop Hurley concluded, will provide "encouragement and guidance to all who are grappling with the pain of divorce and, in particular, with its implications for their life as members of the body of Christ, the Church."
ZE07091406 - 2007-09-14