A new declaration from the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith appears to attempt to square the controversial issue of approving blessings for same-sex couples without undermining the Church’s traditional teaching on the sanctity of marriage.
The Declaration Fiducia supplicansissued by the Dicastery on 18 December, approved by Pope Francis, means “it will be possible to bless same-sex couples but without any type of ritualization or offering the impression of a marriage”, reportsVatican News. It emphasises that the “doctrine regarding marriage does not change, and the blessing does not signify approval of the union”.
Fiducia supplicans begins with an introduction by the prefect, Cardinal Victor Fernandez:
“This Declaration remains firm on the traditional doctrine of the Church about marriage, not allowing any type of liturgical rite or blessing similar to a liturgical rite that can create confusion,” Fernandez says.
“The value of this document, however, is that it offers a specific and innovative contribution to the pastoral meaning of blessings, permitting a broadening and enrichment of the classical understanding of blessings, which is closely linked to a liturgical perspective. Such theological reflection, based on the pastoral vision of Pope Francis, implies a real development from what has been said about blessings in the Magisterium and the official texts of the Church.”
The declaration itself says that it “remains firm on the traditional doctrine of the Church about marriage, not allowing any type of liturgical rite or blessing similar to a liturgical rite that can create confusion”.
It adds: “Precisely to avoid any form of confusion or scandal, when the prayer of blessing is requested by a couple in an irregular situation, even though it is expressed outside the rites prescribed by the liturgical books, this blessing should never be imparted in concurrence with the ceremonies of a civil union, and not even in connection with them. Nor can it be performed with any clothing, gestures, or words that are proper to a wedding. The same applies when the blessing is requested by a same-sex couple.”
Father James Martin, a prominent American Jesuit priest who administers to the LGBT community, called the document “a major step forward in the church’s ministry” to them, reports Reuters. On X, formerly know as Twitter, Fr Martin said that the declaration “recogni[s]es the deep desire in many Catholic same-sex couples for God’s presence in their loving relationships” and is “also a marked shift from the conclusion ‘God does not and cannot bless sin’ from just two years ago”.
He concludes that the “declaration opens the door to non-liturgical blessings for same-sex couples, something that had been previously off limits for bishops, priests and deacons”.
At this early stage after the release of the declaration, though, what remains unclear for many others—especially on social media, where the news is, not surprisingly, generating much interest and debate—is what or who exactly would be getting blessed: the couple as a couple only but not the “union”, or rather two individuals being bless individually while happening to be unified in an “irregular situation”.
“[In] a brief prayer preceding this spontaneous blessing, the ordained minister could ask that the individuals have peace, health, a spirit of patience, dialogue, and mutual assistance—but also God’s light and strength to be able to fulfil his will completely”, the declaration says.
It adds: “Even when a person’s relationship with God is clouded by sin, he can always ask for a blessing, stretching out his hand to God”.
Photo: An LGBT rainbow flag hangs from the steeple of the parish church in the Breitenfeld quarter of Vienna, 25 March 2021. This Catholic church was ‘one of many in Austria which decided to fly the rainbow flag in solidarity with the LGBT community after the Vatican ruled [earlier that year] that the Church couldn’t bless same-sex partnerships’. (Photo by ALEX HALADA/AFP via Getty Images.)
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