The unrest in the Catholic ranks is far from over, as Globalist Pope Francis tries to deal with widespread international backlash to the Vatican’s recent declaration on same-sex blessings contained in the Fiducia Supplicans document.
The Vatican’s doctrine office (also called the Holy Office) issued a press release to ‘clarify the reception’ of the new directives.
We have written here about how Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, the prefect of the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, is a controversial prelate, author of books like ‘The Art of Kissing,’ and target of accusations (by victims groups) of covering up sexual assault allegations in his diocese.
Many see him as a very wrong person to lead a ‘fine-tuning’ of pastoral directives that were received instead of widely perceived dogma and doctrine.
Cardinal Fernández published a five-page press release underlining that pastoral blessings of couples in irregular situations should not be ‘an endorsement of the life led by those who request them.’
National Catholic Register reported:
“Cardinal Fernández said that the responses he has received from bishops’ conferences around the world to the declaration highlight ‘the need for a more extended period of pastoral reflection’ and that what is expressed in these bishops’ statements ‘cannot be interpreted as doctrinal opposition because the document is clear and definitive about 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 a few paragraphs in the text of the original declaration that affirms the Church’s doctrine on marriage.”
Eighteen days after the publication of Fiducia… the Holy Office finds itself having yet again to ‘relitigate’ its validity – something that shows just how much Pope Francis has eroded his authority.
The text prompted intense backlash from bishops in several African and Eastern European countries and generated confusion and division in most other parts of the world.
“[Fernández] added that ‘this non-ritualized form of blessing, with the simplicity and brevity of its form, does not intend to justify anything that is not morally acceptable’.
‘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 also would create confusion’, Cardinal Fernández added in the clarification.”
From the official Vatican press release:
“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 making a pilgrimage 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 ill, we do not have a home and life is becoming very difficult: May God help us!’ he said.
In this case, the priest can recite a simple prayer like this: ‘Lord, look at these children of yours, grant 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 concludes with the sign of the cross on each of the two persons.”
The press release admits that same-sex blessing declaration ‘may require more time for its application’.
“’In some places, no difficulties arise for their immediate application, while in others it will be necessary not to introduce them, while taking the time necessary for reading and interpretation’, Cardinal Fernández said.”
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