Pope Francis, in a complex “declaration,” has stated the Catholic Church’s position on same-sex relationships.
These blessings, however, are not to be confused with approval of a marriage ceremony or same-sex relationships.
“There is no intention to legitimize anything, but rather to open one’s life to God, to ask for his help to live better, and also to invoke the Holy Spirit so that the values of the Gospel may be lived with greater faithfulness,” the document states.
President Joe Biden, a Catholic, was also in favor of the decision, according to White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre.
“The President, along with many Catholics around the world, welcomed the declaration from the Vatican, done with the approval of Pope Francis, that allows for the blessing of same-sex couples,” Ms. Jean-Pierre said during a White House press briefing on Dec. 19.
No Real Policy Change
If read carefully, however, it is clear that the missive titled “Fiducia Supplicans: On the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings,” makes no change in Catholic doctrine or practice regarding same-sex unions, said Michael Hichborn, founder and president of the Lepanto Institute, a Catholic research and education organization.But only some people will read it carefully, he added.
“It’s incredibly imprudent to even come up with conditions for blessing couples like this, because the optics give the impression that you’re doing the opposite of what the letter of the [Catholic] law says,” Mr. Hichborn told The Epoch Times.
If following the declaration as written, a priest can only bless a Catholic same-sex couple wishing to repent of the sin of homosexuality, Mr. Hichborn said.
However, the letter may leave many people with the impression that the church now blesses and approves of same-sex couples.
The Epoch Times contacted the Vatican but received no comment by publication time.
The Bible condemns homosexuality in several passages, and for centuries, church tradition has declared homosexual relationships sinful.
“[God] does not and cannot bless sin: He blesses sinful man, so that he may recognize that he is part of his plan of love and allow himself to be changed by him,” the pope wrote.
A Distinction That ‘Doesn’t Work’
Allowing priests to bless same-sex couples but not their relationship is a distinction that “doesn’t work,” Mr. Hichborn said.“You cannot give a blessing to an objectively evil condition.”
He compared the situation to a priest blessing tools of abortion but stopping short of blessing the act of abortion.
“You can’t separate those things,” he said.
The pope’s letter allows priests to bless same-sex couples if this blessing doesn’t create confusion on “what constitutes marriage” and if the blessing doesn’t “somehow offer a form of moral legitimacy to a union that presumes to be a marriage.”
“There is no intention to legitimize anything, but rather to open one’s life to God, to ask for his help to live better, and also to invoke the Holy Spirit so that the values of the Gospel may be lived with greater faithfulness,” the guidance states.
But liberal priests may loosely interpret his words, said Mr. Hichborn.
“Because of the ambiguity of the language, there is enough wiggle room for people like Father James Martin to say that he’s going to start blessing his same-sex couple friends in celebration of their unions,” he said.
The pope is the “guardian of the deposit of the faith of the Catholic Church,” but he cannot change church doctrine, Mr. Hichborn said.
He can, however, modify church practice, he said.
“It’s a very clever application of the authority and limits of the authority of the pope,” Mr. Hichborn said.
Pope Francis and Faith
The 86-year-old pope has been described as having a “progressive agenda.” He has signed petitions for climate change and called conservatives who oppose his political positions “backward.”He dismissed conservative Bishop Joseph Strickland of Tyler, Texas, after he spoke out against the pope’s welcoming LGBT people into the church.
Pope Francis punished Conservative Cardinal Raymond Burke by revoking his right to a subsidized Vatican apartment and salary. He justified the action to senior Vatican officials, saying the cardinal was a source of “disunity” in the church.
Still, some argue that the pope’s apparent embrace of positions championed by progressives doesn’t signal that he has abandoned church orthodoxy for left-wing doctrine.
The Rev. Brown, a Catholic priest with a background in church law, said the pope’s recent decisions show his commitment to loving flawed people. Mr. Brown agreed to be interviewed if he could use a pseudonym because he said it would give him more freedom to comment.
The Epoch Times has verified his position in the church.
When asked about the pope’s latest ruling on blessing same-sex couples, Mr. Brown wrote in a text message to The Epoch Times:
“This is another example of Pope Francis and Cardinal Fernandez trying to be as pastoral and loving as possible, this time specifically by ensuring that, without endorsing any particular behavior or lifestyle, anyone who seeks a blessing from God through the Church’s ministers can indeed receive that powerful support and grace.”
The pope has never provided an answer on why he seems to court controversy with announcements like this one, Mr. Hichborn said.
“The Devil loves ambiguity,” he said.
