POPE FRANCIS: DID HE MAKE THIS EXTRAORDINARY PHONE CALL?

Pope Francis 'phones divorced woman' to say she can receive Communion. This is potentially a huge story

By Damian Thompson Religion Last updated: April 23rd, 2014

Pope Francis: did he makes this extraordinary phone call?

Pope Francis has phoned a divorced and remarried Catholic woman in Argentina to tell her that she could "safely receive Communion", according to an extraordinary report in La Stampa.

The woman's husband, writing on Facebook, claims that the Pope – introducing himself as "Father Bergoglio" – spoke to his wife, who'd been divorced before marrying him and told her that men or women who were divorced and received Communion weren't doing anything wrong. He apparently added that this matter is under discussion at the Vatican. (Quick health warning: given the complexity of this subject, we need much more clarity on what Francis reportedly said. I find it hard to believe that he would make such an unqualified statement.)

The conversation with Jacquelina Sabetta is supposed to have taken place on Easter Monday. She had written to the Pope asking if, after 19 years of a marriage that had produced two daughters, she could be readmitted to Communion. He rang her directly – as is his habit – and during a 10-minute conversation apparently gave her a clear "yes".

Or so we're told. We need to investigate this story – but, if it's true, the implications are huge. In most cases, divorced and remarried Catholics are currently barred from receiving the Sacrament – but for how much longer?

PS: Read this post by Fr Z, in which Francis seems completely orthodox: divorced people can receive communion, divorced and remarried can't. We really need to discover the full truth about this phone call.
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