Entire Bishop’s Conferences throughout the world are rising up and crying “heresy”, prompting a “clarification” from the author of the document and the pope’s new righthand man, Cardinal “Tucho” Fernandez himself. The clarification reads like a patronizing and passive aggressive defense of the original statement, rather than an apology for and/or retraction of the scandalous idea that same-sex couples can and should be blessed by the Church.
The sections of Fernandez’s new doozy basically go like this:
Section 1. Doctrine: “We didn’t change the doctrine on MARRIAGE, remember? Get off our backs!”
Section 2. Practical reception: “The blessing for same-sex couples isn’t even ritualized yet, so you can do it however you want! My back… hello? You’re still on it.”
Section 3. The delicate situation of some countries: “The Africans are homophobes, anyway!”
Section 4. The real novelty of the document: “Maybe it’s just because the Declaration is new and you’re a bunch of old sticklers?”
Section 5. How do these “pastoral blessings” present themselves in concrete terms?: “The blessing for same-sex couples is super-short! [We are talking about something that lasts about 10 or 15 seconds –that’s a direct quote] So, what—you don’t have time for that? Give me a break!”
Section 6. Catechesis: “A blessing is not an endorsement, DUH!”
Sign-off: “Oh yeah, Happy New Year.”
Feel free to slog through the thing to check the breakdown, but don’t feel like you have to.
Obviously, this fixes nothing and rubs salt in the wound. Here’s hoping that Fernandez will be to the Vatican what Mulvaney was to Bud Light. Please, read the room!
Meanwhile, in the real world, people like Nancy Charles are confused and disheartened. Nancy is a reformed homosexual who now attends the traditional Latin Mass. She thanks God for her conversion and hopes to save her soul. She is understandably horrified by the latest Vatican pandering. Here’s her most recent tweet, in reply to a post by LGBT champion, Fr. James Martin, SJ:
I don’t understand this man. I try to be charitable, but as someone with same sex attraction, this is very personal for me. To know that God led me to the doors of his church almost 1 year ago, and showed me who he was. Instantly, I chose to follow him. I knew the sacrifices I would have to make in order to follow him fully, but I didn’t care. I had never felt more love in my entire life than in that moment at the Mass. There wasn’t a doubt in my mind that I would leave my entire life behind to follow Christ. Whatever it took! It would have been impossible for me to not say, YES to Him. But I had good priests to guide me. Priests who loved me and who were gentle with me. I had an incredible lay community that has done nothing but rally around me in love. This narrative that gays aren’t welcome in the church is not my experience.
God, I’m so grateful you led me to the doors of the traditional Latin Mass. I’m so grateful you lead me to good and decent priests who love me enough to tell me the truth. I can’t help but think… what if I would have walked into Fr. James Martins parish that morning…. Would I have ever met Our Lord there?
Would he have ever touched my heart and would I have ever repented?
Fr. Martin… do we not read from the same catechism? I want to understand, I really do. How can you be leading my brothers and sisters so astray? Why are you doing this to them?
Amen, and God bless Nancy! She is so fulfilled and happy in the Church, because she accepted its terms for membership and participation, which includes repentance, a little word you’ll never hear from Team Francis unless it has to do with new sins like climate crimes or WORSE—nationalism (the horror!).
Nancy, however, understood that her priests pastorally cared for her soul when they made it clear that her lifestyle was an obstacle to her eternal salvation, and she left it willingly. She responded to what she could tell was love and even—dare we say it—mercy, when she was absolved of her sins and given the chance to live the truly free life offered by the Church. Her story is not unique. It’s why the Church exists.
Maybe we should clarify for Fernandez: The Catholic Church is already founded, defined, codified and explained. Her doctrine is fixed and her magisterium does not evolve. There’s nothing left to be added or tweaked. But since you seem to believe that the question of homosexuality is still up for debate, please refer to the Catechism of the Catholic Church, paragraph 2357. Then jump back to 846 to refresh your memory.
Michael Matt’s latest video delves deeper into the Fiducia Supplicans fallout and includes a look at the powerful and heated episcopal opposition throughout the world. If you haven’t yet seen it, you don’t want to miss it! This is a huge moment for the remnant of faithful Catholic believers:
"HERESY!" African Bishops Denounce Vatican Same-Sex Blessings, Resist Pope to his Face
