In the press release, published in six languages, Cardinal Fernández provides a “concrete example” of what the spontaneous “blessed blessings” might look like in practice, explaining that they should only last “about 10 to 15 seconds.”
The Vatican's Doctrine Office issued a response Thursday to “clarify the inclusion of Fiducia Supplicans” amid widespread international backlash to the Vatican's recent statement on same-sex blessings.
Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF), issued a five-page press release on January 4 in which he calls Fiducia Supplicans a “permanent doctrine” and emphasizes that the pastoral blessing of couples should be in irregular situations not be an “affirmation of the life led by those who demand it.”
Cardinal Fernández said that the responses he received from bishops' conferences around the world to the declaration highlight “the need for a prolonged period of pastoral reflection” and that what is expressed in these bishops' declarations “is not to be taken as doctrinal opposition can be interpreted because the document is clear and unequivocal regarding marriage and sexuality.”
“There is no room to distance ourselves doctrinally from this declaration or to consider it heretical, contrary to the tradition of the Church or blasphemous,” the cardinal said, pointing to several paragraphs in the text of the original declaration that reaffirm the tradition of the Church Teaching about marriage. Read the full text of the press release here.
The clarification came two and a half weeks after Fiducia Supplicans was published on December 18, sparking strong backlash from bishops in several African and Eastern European countries, as well as confusion and division in other parts of the world.
Some bishops have welcomed the declaration, others are cautious about it and others are refusing to implement it.
In the press release published in six languages, Cardinal Fernández provides a “concrete example” of what the spontaneous “pastoral blessings” might look like in practice, explaining that they should only last “approximately 10 to 15 seconds.”
“Since some have raised the question of what these blessings might look like, let us look at a concrete example: Let us imagine that, among a large number of pilgrims, a couple of divorced people, now in a new union, say to the priest : “Please give us a blessing; We cannot find work, he is very sick, we have no home and life is becoming very difficult: may God help us!'” he said.
“In this case, the priest can say a simple prayer like this: 'Lord, look to your children, give them health, work, peace and mutual help.' Free them from everything that contradicts your gospel and allow them to live according to your will. Amen.' Then it ends with each person making the sign of the cross.”
Cardinal Fernández said priests who give such blessings should “not impose any conditions” or “ask about the intimate lives of these people.”
He added that “this non-ritualized form of blessing, with the simplicity and brevity of its form, has no intention of justifying anything that is morally unacceptable.”
“It remains clear, therefore, that the blessing must not take place in a prominent place within a sacred building or in front of an altar, as this would also cause confusion,” Cardinal Fernández added in the clarification.
The press release made no mention of cases in which priests have already violated the provisions of the Fiducia Supplicans Declaration, which requires that blessings be spontaneous and cannot be a “blessing similar to a liturgical rite, which may cause confusion.”
The cardinal emphasized that the “real novelty of this declaration” is “the invitation to distinguish between two different forms of blessing: 'liturgical or ritualized' and 'spontaneous or pastoral'.”
“The central theme…is to gain a fuller understanding of blessings and the proposal that these pastoral blessings, which do not require the same conditions as blessings in a liturgical or ritual context, flourish.” Polemics aside, the text therefore requires “Trying to reflect calmly, with a shepherd’s heart and free from any ideology,” he said.
The DDF press release states that the implementation of the same-sex blessing may take more time “depending on local circumstances and the judgment of each diocesan bishop towards his diocese.”
“In some places their immediate application will not cause any difficulties, while in others it will be necessary not to introduce them but to take the necessary time to read and interpret them,” said Cardinal Fernández.
The cardinal added that it was fine that some bishops, for example, have stipulated that priests only perform these blessings in private, as long as it is “expressed with due respect for a text signed and approved by the Pope himself, while.” one tries to bless it.” a way of accommodating the reflection in it.”
The clarification also states that in countries where there are “laws that condemn the mere act of declaring oneself as a homosexual with imprisonment and, in some cases, torture and even death, it goes without saying that a blessing would be unwise.” “
The press release was signed by Cardinal Fernández and Msgr. Armando Matteo, the secretary of the teaching department of the Dicastery.
“We must all get used to accepting the fact that a priest who gives such simple blessings is not a heretic; It does not ratify anything or deny Catholic teaching,” it said.
“We can help the people of God to discover that these kinds of blessings are just simple pastoral channels that help people express their faith, even if they are great sinners.” So when we see two people coming together, to spontaneously ask for it, to give a blessing, we do not consecrate them, we do not congratulate them, nor do we advocate this type of connection.”