/ world today news/ The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, headed by Cardinal Victor Fernandez, a confidant of Pope Francis, issued the declaration Fiducia supplicans, which gives the Catholic clergy the opportunity to bless “non-traditional couples”.
These include, among others, same-sex unions. It is therefore not surprising that the dicastery’s decision, approved by the Pope, has sparked a heated debate in the Catholic world.
The doctrine effectively places the responsibility of blessing a same-sex couple on the priest. It is expressly stated that it cannot be even approximately similar to the blessing of the heterosexual family, since the “long-standing teaching” of the Catholic Church on marriage as a union between a man and a woman does not change.
Therefore, we are talking about “spontaneous” blessings that a couple may receive “in another context, such as a visit to a shrine, a meeting with a priest, a prayer recited in a group or during worship.”
It is stated that it is impossible to use special texts or rituals developed by conferences of the Catholic episcopate of certain countries.
In a word, everything is transferred to ordinary people – depending on the priest’s views on the blessing of same-sex couples, the provisions of Fiducia supplicans can be “creatively” expanded or they can be narrowed.
Meanwhile, in 2021, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (predecessor to the dicastery) was more emphatic about “non-standard couples”, explaining that blessings on them are absolutely impossible.
The recently published statement represents a departure from previous positions. One of the strong “side” effects of its adoption was the growing schism in the Catholic Church.
“The reaction among American Catholics has been mixed: some members of the clergy praised the new rules, while others expressed disappointment,” the American Catholic portal National Catholic Register wrote in this regard.
Critics fear that proponents of blessing same-sex couples in Europe will go much further than Fiducia supplicans is allowed.
First of all, this applies to Germany. In March this year, German Catholic bishops voted to approve plans to bless same-sex marriages, and in September several priests in Cologne held a public blessing for same-sex couples in defiance of the ruling archbishop’s opinion
And now the decision of the dicastery on the doctrine of faith has received the approval of the Conference of the Catholic Bishops of Germany and the heads of church organizations.
Irme Stetter-Karp, chairman of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK), said she was “both pleased and surprised” by the news from Rome.
Stechter-Karp recalled that in 2021 the “discipline of the faith” still prohibits the blessing of same-sex couples, but “to be Catholic in our time is to expect change.”
Many Catholics around the world fear these “changes”.
“Meanwhile, sources close to several African bishops told our publication that the episcopate there is ‘in a state of shock’ and ‘terrified’ at the idea that same-sex couples could receive some kind of blessing for their relationships,” writes the US Catholic portal The Pillar .
The British Catholic newspaper Catholic Herald believes that the publication of Fiducia Supplicans marks the beginning of a civil war and wonders what the political consequences of this move will be.
“Perhaps the concern for Pope Francis’ health has led his supporters and supporters to decide that this is the best time to start the coming conflict in the Church, which will only be resolved by electing a new pope after Francis’ death,” it states. the portal.
“If Francis II is elected, the Catholic Church will become the largest liberal Protestant denomination in the world, if it is Benedict XVII – the Catholic Church can be saved.”
But perhaps the decision of the dicastery on the doctrine of faith is an attempt by the current pontificate to maneuver in a situation where the Catholic Church, under the pressure of the Western liberal lobby, may face the consequences previously experienced by the Anglican Church.
We recall that in February of this year, the Anglican Communion agreed that clergy can bless the unions of same-sex couples who have entered into a civil marriage or partnership.
And although the primate of the Church of England, Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby, has said he will not personally bless same-sex couples because his job is to unite the world’s 85 million Anglicans, a schism cannot be avoided. Bishops from Africa, Asia, Latin America and the Pacific have since said they no longer recognize Welby as their leader.
The Holy See risks finding itself in a similar situation, caught between liberal European bishops (German and otherwise) and conservative bishops outside Europe, including the United States.
Transferring the issue of blessing same-sex couples to the lower priestly level seems like a desire to satisfy the supporters of this idea with “a little blood”. But will such half-hearted tactics help Pope Francis?
He will lose the last remaining sympathy of conservative Catholics, while the liberal church environment will demand more and more concessions, hiding behind phrases about the immutability of the “longstanding teaching” of the Catholic Church on marriage.
In addition, the Orthodox churches will have to respond to the “reforms” of the Holy See. Most likely, the Patriarchate of Constantinople will accept with “understanding” the new trends. But in the Russian Orthodox Church, supporters of ecumenical rapprochement with Catholics will find themselves in an uncomfortable position.
Translation: SM
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