I have waited to comment on this for a few days to let the facts shake out. It seems that they have shaken out to the maximum degree that the Pope will allow.

Is it true that we cannot know for sure what the Pope said on the phone call? Yup, that is true.

Does that mean there is nothing to worry about? Well, let’s see.

So let’s stick with what we do know and see if there is anything to worry about.

We know that the phone call took place and the topic was divorce/remarriage and communion since that is the topic of the letter that prompted the call.

We know what the woman alleges that the Pope said, namely that it is OK for her to return to Communion.

We know that as a result, many many people now think, rightly or wrongly, that the Pope has signaled that it is legitimate for the divorced and remarried to return to communion.

We know that the Holy See knows this and we know that the Holy See refuses to comment, to confirm or deny, the context of the situation thus leaving in place suppositions of many as a result of the call.

We know that the Holy See has done nothing to re-iterate in anyway the Church’s doctrine on this matter in the wake of the scandal caused by the reporting on the call.

We know that at the invitation of the Pope, Cardinal Kasper proposed just such a solution to the consistory.

We know the Pope effusively praised Cardinal Kasper for his proposals.

Is this sufficient to form an opinion or to be a source of worry for a faithful Catholic?

You decide.

*subhead*What do we know?.*subhead*