(Vatican City) Five conservative cardinals publicly asked Pope Francis to reaffirm Catholic doctrine on gay couples and the ordination of women, two days before the opening of a major meeting at the Vatican on the controversial subjects.
In this official document published by two Vatican specialist blogs and consulted by AFP, these cardinals question the pope on the blessing of same-sex couples, the ordination of women and the conditions of absolution.
When questioned, the Vatican referred to a seven-page response where the pope affirms that “Divine Revelation” is “immutable”, while affirming that the Church “needs to grow in its understanding”.
Not being satisfied with this response, the signatories reformulated their “Doubts” (“Dubia” in Latin) and published an open letter to Catholics, distributed by these blogs. They explain that they have, “faced with the gravity of the matter”, the “duty to inform” the faithful “so that[ils] not be subject to confusion, error and discouragement.”
These five cardinals, appointed by Benedict XVI and John Paul II and known for their conservative positions, are the German cardinal Walter Brandmüller, the American Raymond Burke, the Mexican Sandoval Íñiguez, the Guinean Robert Sarah and Cardinal Joseph Zen, former bishop of Hong Kong. None has any function in the government of the Holy See.
PHOTO ANDREW MEDICHINI, ASSOCIATED PRESS ARCHIVES
Cardinals Raymond Leo Burke (left) and Robert Sarah
This publication comes two days before the opening of the 16e Ordinary general assembly of the Synod of Bishops, during which more than 450 members — bishops, women and laity — will debate behind closed doors for a month on a series of social issues, following a vast two-year consultation of Catholics of the whole world.
Welcoming LGBT+ people and divorced people, polygamy, married priests, place of women, sexual violence: the subjects raised by the faithful include a series of sensitive questions and have given rise to fears of a distortion of the doctrine among a conservative fringe of the Church.
For the first time in the history of the Catholic Church, Francis also opened the right to vote to women and non-consecrated laity, a decision described as a “revolution” by observers.
This Ordinary General Assembly, which has a consultative role, will be followed by a second session in October 2024, following which the Pope could possibly take into account the conclusions of this work in an official document.
Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has repeatedly aroused the ire of conservatives, notably by restricting the use of the traditional Latin mass in 2021.