A Vatican Document That Undermines Itself, by Phil Lawler
The New Paganism, by Nathaniel Lamansky
December 19, 2023
Why the Radicals Need to Hide Their Real Agenda, by Michael Brown
December 19, 2023
Pope Francis meets with LGBT-activist Fr. James Martin in Rome, Sept. 30, 2019.James Martin / Twitter
By Phil Lawler, Catholic Culture, Dec 18, 2023
True, today’s declaration from the Vatican does not change Church teaching. Fiducia Supplicans earnestly insists on a distinction between giving a blessing to a homosexual couple and blessing their relationship. Good luck conveying that distinction to the world.
Anyone can ask a priest for a blessing; that has never been in question. But when two people ask a priest to confer a blessing on them as a couple, how can the Church avoid the impression that the priest, as representative of the Catholic faith, is blessing their union?
The blessing, the Vatican document cautions, cannot “be performed with any clothing, gestures, or words that are proper to a wedding.” The blessing should be spontaneous, not given in the sort of ritual form befitting of a liturgical prayer. Yes, but… …
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Phil Lawler has been a Catholic journalist for more than 30 years. He has edited several Catholic magazines and written eight books. Founder of Catholic World News, he is the news director and lead analyst at CatholicCulture.org.