Pope responds to cardinals on blessings for homosexuals, female priests

[Michie]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Catholic Church, in pursuit of “pastoral prudence,” should discern if there are ways of giving blessings to homosexual persons that do not alter the Church’s teaching on marriage, Pope Francis said.

Writing in response to a “dubia” letter delivered to him by five cardinals seeking clarification on doctrinal questions, the pope addressed issues surrounding the authority of the synod, women’s ordination and blessing homosexual unions in a letter made public Oct. 2.

Marriage is an “exclusive, stable and indissoluble union between a man and a woman, naturally open to conceiving children,” wrote the pope. “For this reason, the Church avoids all kinds of rites orsacramentals that could contradict this conviction and imply that it is recognizing as a marriage something that is not.”

But pastoral charity also is necessary, and “defense of the objective truth is not the only expression of that charity, which is also made up of kindness, patience, understanding, tenderness, encouragement,” he added. “For that reason, pastoral prudence must adequately discern if there are forms of blessing, solicited by one or various persons, that don’t transmit a mistaken concept of marriage.”

Pope Francis added that decisions made in specific circumstances should not necessarily become a norm regulated by a diocese or bishops’ conference, noting that “the life of the Church runs through many channels in addition to regulatory frameworks.”

The pope’s comments came in response to a “dubia” letter dated July 10 seeking clarification on doctrinal questions written by five retired cardinals: U.S. Cardinal Raymond L. Burke, German Cardinal Walter Brandmüller, Mexican Cardinal Juan Sandoval Íñiguez, Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah and Chinese Cardinal Joseph Zen.

Continued below.

Pope responds to cardinals on blessings for homosexuals, female priests

The Catholic Church, in pursuit of "pastoral prudence," should discern if there are ways of giving blessings to homosexual persons that do not alter the church's teaching on marriage, Pope Francis said.

www.oursundayvisitor.com

 

[chevyontheriver]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) — The Catholic Church, in pursuit of “pastoral prudence,” should discern if there are ways of giving blessings to homosexual persons that do not alter the Church’s teaching on marriage, Pope Francis said.

Writing in response to a “dubia” letter delivered to him by five cardinals seeking clarification on doctrinal questions, the pope addressed issues surrounding the authority of the synod, women’s ordination and blessing homosexual unions in a letter made public Oct. 2.

Marriage is an “exclusive, stable and indissoluble union between a man and a woman, naturally open to conceiving children,” wrote the pope. “For this reason, the Church avoids all kinds of rites orsacramentals that could contradict this conviction and imply that it is recognizing as a marriage something that is not.”

But pastoral charity also is necessary, and “defense of the objective truth is not the only expression of that charity, which is also made up of kindness, patience, understanding, tenderness, encouragement,” he added. “For that reason, pastoral prudence must adequately discern if there are forms of blessing, solicited by one or various persons, that don’t transmit a mistaken concept of marriage.”

Pope Francis added that decisions made in specific circumstances should not necessarily become a norm regulated by a diocese or bishops’ conference, noting that “the life of the Church runs through many channels in addition to regulatory frameworks.”

The pope’s comments came in response to a “dubia” letter dated July 10 seeking clarification on doctrinal questions written by five retired cardinals: U.S. Cardinal Raymond L. Burke, German Cardinal Walter Brandmüller, Mexican Cardinal Juan Sandoval Íñiguez, Guinean Cardinal Robert Sarah and Chinese Cardinal Joseph Zen.

Continued below.

Pope responds to cardinals on blessings for homosexuals, female priests

The Catholic Church, in pursuit of "pastoral prudence," should discern if there are ways of giving blessings to homosexual persons that do not alter the church's teaching on marriage, Pope Francis said.

www.oursundayvisitor.com

So is the pope saying 'yes' or 'no'? I can't tell.

And does the 'Magisterium of Francis' have some higher authority than the old 'Magisterium of the Church' which seems quite different?

 

[Michie]

So is the pope saying 'yes' or 'no'? I can't tell.

Neither can I. Seems he is trying to uphold current teaching while looking for loopholes to bless couples that want to live outside of those teachings.

Nevertheless, in our dealings with people, we must not lose the pastoral charity that must permeate all our decisions and attitudes. The defense of objective truth is not the only expression of this charity, which is also made up of kindness, patience, understanding, tenderness and encouragement. Therefore, we cannot become judges who only deny, reject and exclude.

As long as it does not feed confusion? Kind of clear as mud.

And does the 'Magisterium of Francis' have some higher authority than the old 'Magisterium of the Church' which seems quite different?

It appears that he has the final say.

 

[mourningdove~]

But pastoral charity also is necessary, and “defense of the objective truth is not the only expression of that charity, which is also made up of kindness, patience, understanding, tenderness, encouragement,” he added.

And with that, the Vatican is potentially placing a 'target' ... for the radical left ...
on those parishes where the pastor does not demonstrate the kind of 'charity' described in the pope's responses.

In the days ahead, I don't see it being easy for those priests and their parishes that continue to stand for holiness ...

 

[Michie]

And with that, the Vatican is potentially placing a 'target' ... for the radical left ...
on those parishes where the pastor does not demonstrate the kind of 'charity' described in the pope's responses.

In the days ahead, I don't see it being easy for those priests and their parishes that continue to stand for holiness ...

I’ll just post this: A Pope's Dubious Response To The Latest Dubia

Chevy and I were discussing this muddled response in the Dubia thread.

 

[mourningdove~]

I’ll just post this: A Pope's Dubious Response To The Latest Dubia

That is a very good article!

( ... And thanks for the stuff you are finding, to help keep us apprised of things.)

 

[Michie]

That is a very good article!

( ... And thanks for the stuff you are finding, to help keep us apprised of things.)

You are very welcome.

 

[Michie]

Disgraceful Response from Cardinal Fernandez to Fellow Cardinals

Five cardinals challenge the Pope and ask him to publicly declare that he will not modify the doctrine on homosexuals

Continued below.

Never in the whole history of the Church has someone so utterly unsuitable risen to such high rank. Disgraceful response from Cardinal "Tucho" Fernandez to his fellow Cardinals.

cathcon.blogspot.com

 

[Michie]

Vatican Releases Pope Francis’ Responses to Pre-Synod ‘Dubia,’ Criticizes Cardinals

Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, the new head of the Vatican’s doctrine office, sharply criticized the five cardinals.

www.ncregister.com

 

[JimR-OCDS]

Pope Francis was clear to me. From the article he said "Marriage is an “exclusive, stable and indissoluble union between a man and a woman, naturally open to conceiving children,” wrote the pope. “For this reason, the Church avoids all kinds of rites or sacramentals that could contradict this conviction and imply that it is recognizing as a marriage something that is not.”

Being pastoral toward homosexuals isn't something new, it's in the Catechism of the Catholic Church. In other words, being kind while
upholding Catholic Doctrine is what being pastoral is about.

 

[Michie]

Will the Synod on Synodality Move the Needle on Evangelization or the Vocations Crisis?

ANALYSIS: Hot-button doctrinal matters draw the headlines, but local Catholic leaders in the U.S. are waiting to see how the synod will impact bread-and-butter issues that need fresh energy.

www.ncregister.com

 

[Michie]

Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

We, members of the Sacred College of Cardinals, in accord with the duty of all the faithful “to manifest to the sacred pastors their opinion on matters which pertain to the good of the Church” (can. 212 § 3) and, above all, in accord with the responsibility of Cardinals “to assist the Roman Pontiff … individually … especially in the daily care of the universal Church” (can. 349), in view of various declarations of highly-placed Prelates, pertaining to the celebration of the next Synod of Bishops, that are openly contrary to the constant doctrine and discipline of the Church, and that have generated and continue to generate great confusion and the falling into error among the faithful and other persons of good will, have manifested our deepest concern to the Roman Pontiff. By our letter of July 10, 2023, employing the proven practice of the submission of dubia[questions] to a superior to provide the superior the occasion to make clear, by his responsa[responses], the doctrine and discipline of the Church, we have submitted five dubia to Pope Francis, a copy of which is attached. By his letter of July 11, 2023, Pope Francis responded to our letter.

Having studied his letter which did not follow the practice of responsa ad dubia[responses to questions], we reformulated the dubia to elicit a clear response based on the perennial doctrine and discipline of the Church. By our letter of August 21, 2023, we submitted the reformulated dubia, a copy of which is attached, to the Roman Pontiff. Up to the present, we have not received a response to the reformulated dubia.

Given the gravity of the matter of the dubia, especially in view of the imminent session of the Synod of Bishops, we judge it our duty to inform you, the faithful (can. 212 § 3), so that you may not be subject to confusion, error, and discouragement but rather may pray for the universal Church and, in particular, the Roman Pontiff, that the Gospel may be taught ever more clearly and followed ever more faithfully.

Yours in Christ,

Walter Cardinal Brandmüller
Raymond Leo Cardinal Burke
Juan Cardinal Sandoval Íñiguez
Robert Cardinal Sarah
Joseph Cardinal Zen Ze-kiun
Rome, 2 October 2023
Enclosures: 2

Notification to Christ’s Faithful (can. 212 § 3) Regarding Dubia Submitted to Pope Francis – Cardinal Raymond Burke

www.cardinalburke.com

 

[Michie]

Pope Francis, the Church learned Monday, answered the dubia.

Not — to be clear — the questions posed to him after the 2016 publication of Amoris laetitia — questions so long unanswered that “answer the dubia” has become a meme in some Catholic circles.

But the pope answered this summer another set of dubia — questions asked and answered back in July, pertaining to the synod on synodality, and released Monday in a kind of piecemeal fashion, with two sets of questions asked by five cardinals first reported by Italian journalist Sandro Magister, and then the Vatican taking the unusual step of releasing the pope’s answers to the first set of questions.

When he did so, the pope set off international headlines — and a great deal of controversy — regarding the prospect that he might permit the liturgical blessing of same-sex couples.

Of course, it’s a matter of debate whether Francis actually said something to merit that speculation. But on this issue, it’s worth looking beyond what Francis has said, to what he has done, and what he has chosen not to do.

Continued below.

Pope Francis answers a dubia — Does inaction speak clearer than words?

While observers debate the pope’s response on same-sex blessings, the practice is gaining ground in parts of Europe.

www.pillarcatholic.com

 

[Jesse Dornfeld]

The Evangelical world has been going through something very similar. A prominent, once thought, Biblically-based pastor, who has a large church, recently held a conference that all but affirmed same-sex unions/marriage. Of course, it is up for debate in both the case of Andy Stanley and the Pope whether there is room to "bless homosexual practice" or not, meaning, they both say marriage is between one man and one woman, but say nothing about same-sex unions, which is very disappointing.

If anyone cares here:

Spoiler: Andy Stanley and LGBTQ+

 

[Michie]

Vatican bars same-sex union blessing, says God 'can't bless sin'

The Vatican's orthodoxy office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued a formal response Monday to a question about whether Catholic clergy can bless gay unions. Its conclusion was "negative."

www.pbs.org

 

[Jesse Dornfeld]

Vatican bars same-sex union blessing, says God 'can't bless sin'

The Vatican's orthodoxy office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued a formal response Monday to a question about whether Catholic clergy can bless gay unions. Its conclusion was "negative."

www.pbs.org

I was like, "Okay, good." Right up to the end. Then it was like, "Huh?"

 

[Michie]

I was like, "Okay, good." Right up to the end. Then it was like, "Huh?"

He believes in the secular sphere, gay couples should have the same rights and protections as heterosexual married couples.

 

[Jesse Dornfeld]

He believe in the secular sphere, gay couples should have the same rights and protections as heterosexual married couples.

Thanks, that makes it much more clear.

 

[chevyontheriver]

The Evangelical world has been going through something very similar. A prominent, once thought, Biblically-based pastor, who has a large church, recently held a conference that all but affirmed same-sex unions/marriage. Of course, it is up for debate in both the case of Andy Stanley and the Pope whether there is room to "bless homosexual practice" or not, meaning, they both say marriage is between one man and one woman, but say nothing about same-sex unions, which is very disappointing.

If anyone cares here:

Spoiler: Andy Stanley and LGBTQ+

Kind of an ‘of course not … but then yes … depending’.

I think things have become much more slippery in the Church now.

It’s prayer time big time.

 

[Michie]

Could I get my Pride or Kleptomania Blessed? Asking for a Friend.

What does the term "pastoral" mean? I see this word bandied about and can only come to the conclusion that it means something akin to "be nice." But is being ni

creativeminorityreport.com