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Without enforcement to correct high-profile abuses of the Vatican guidance, observers say the threat of schism over same-sex blessings looms.
VATICAN CITY — If the Vatican is serious about not allowing its recent controversial guidance on blessings for same-sex couples to lead to further confusion and division in the Catholic Church, experts worry that a vital element is still missing from its approach: enforcement.
Since Fiducia Supplicans was released on Dec. 18, several priests have apparently defied the guidance. While the declaration allows for the possibility of spontaneous, nonliturgical blessings that don’t cause confusion about the Church’s teaching on sexuality and marriage, some priests have offered pre-planned blessings that have been highly publicized, while others have blessed same-sex couples in liturgical settings.
Furthermore, Church leaders in Germany have indicated that they don’t see Fiducia Supplicansas an impediment to their plans to push for doctrinal changes nor to offer formalized blessings of same-sex couples.
However, while Vatican leadership has issued an unprecedented “clarification” of the declaration, and has continued to issue words of warning to Germany, no public actions to correct high-profile abuses of the guidance have been made.
Continued below.
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VATICAN CITY — If the Vatican is serious about not allowing its recent controversial guidance on blessings for same-sex couples to lead to further confusion and division in the Catholic Church, experts worry that a vital element is still missing from its approach: enforcement.
Since Fiducia Supplicans was released on Dec. 18, several priests have apparently defied the guidance. While the declaration allows for the possibility of spontaneous, nonliturgical blessings that don’t cause confusion about the Church’s teaching on sexuality and marriage, some priests have offered pre-planned blessings that have been highly publicized, while others have blessed same-sex couples in liturgical settings.
Furthermore, Church leaders in Germany have indicated that they don’t see Fiducia Supplicansas an impediment to their plans to push for doctrinal changes nor to offer formalized blessings of same-sex couples.
However, while Vatican leadership has issued an unprecedented “clarification” of the declaration, and has continued to issue words of warning to Germany, no public actions to correct high-profile abuses of the guidance have been made.
Continued below.
‘Fiducia Supplicans’ Signals Further Divisions Within Catholic Church
Without enforcement to correct high-profile abuses of the Vatican guidance, observers say the threat of schism over same-sex blessings looms.
