Divorce: The death of pledged love, a dark, dark place to be. Because the death of pledged love involves people so personally, so deeply, it is seldom looked at without blame, without trying to blame somebody.

At the very start of life the Church invites us to Baptism following the directive of Christ. There is something truly shocking in the Rite of Baptism for infants – a prayer of exorcism! Why?

Well, because from its earliest days the Church has taught that all human nature is fallen; wounded is the actual word used in the documents. It does not mean we’re corrupt but that the human nature we receive at conception is “weakened in its powers” and “inclined to sin.” This is the Catholic doctrine of Original Sin and I believe Vatican II quite rightly observed that “what revelation makes known to us is confirmed by our own experience.”

Again the words of Vatican II reflect human experience: “The whole of man’s history has been the story of dour combat with the powers of evil, stretching, so our Lord tells us, from the very dawn of history until the last day. Finding himself in the midst of the battlefield man has to struggle to do what is right, and it is at great cost to himself, and aided by God’s grace, that he succeeds in achieving his own inner integrity.”

But Catholic teaching goes further believing that through Original Sin “the devil has acquired a certain domination over man, even though man remains free.” This is a radical statement suggesting that humankind cannot succeed without God.

It is therefore:

A wounded nature that marries …

A wounded nature that becomes a politician …

A wounded nature that becomes a priest …

A wounded nature that joins An Garda Siochana (Police) …

A wounded nature that becomes a banker!

And this wounded nature cannot and will not be fully overcome without Gods grace. Is it any wonder we’re in the state we’re in?

That’s what the Church teaches – take it or leave it – but never be surprised by corruption; without God we can’t win!