LETTER FROM FR JOHN DALEY IC 

PUBLISHED IN THE CATHOLIC HERALD: 28 FEB 2014

Sir,

 Thank you for Timothy Buckley’s fine feature article on marriage and his consequent letter. He writes with clarity and compassion. We must bring healing where there has been hurt in broken marriages and lives, and the whole tenor of his writing reflects that compassionate understanding.

 From St Paul until now the Church has framed the ideals of married love that Jesus speaks of in the Gospel with laws to guide towards living those ideals. Laws have been introduced, modified and changed down the centuries. I remember our lectures on the Pauline privilege and how startled we were to hear of the power latent in the Petrine privilege – which claims to be able to dissolve all non-sacramental marriages, effectively  most marriages in our world. I quote from my notes: “ In 1924 Pope Pius XI dissolved the marriage of a Protestant and an unbaptised person for the Portestant to marry a Catholic. In 1947 Pope Pius XII dissolved the marriage of a Catholic and an unbaptised person (dispensation had been given) for the unbaptised person to marry another Catholic. In 1957 Pope Pius XII dissolved a Muslim marriage for one to marry a Catholic.”

 Fr Timothy is asking what the Church may do in our age. He was a wise choice by the bishops of England and Wales when they asked him to undertake his research some years ago. When people need healing you don’t tell them their wounds are self-inflicted, you help heal. That healing is clearly what inspires Fr Timothy. I write to support a fine pastoral priest.

 Yours faithfully,

 Fr John Daley IC