The 17-page document, titled Fiducia supplicans (i.e. the faith of the faithful who beg to be blessed…), written by the new and young Argentine Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith of the Vatican, and signed by the Pope on December 18, 2023, now authorizes Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples and those in an irregular situation (divorced and remarried, couples living together, etc.). What is it really ?
This seems surprising, innovative and positive, certainly, but it still hides a fairly deep unease, if not contempt, regarding the fair and equitable recognition of the rights of these couples, described several times as irregular in this declaration.
Despite this semblance of naive openness, Fiducia supplicans immediately warns pastors by forbidding them from making such a gesture in a liturgical context or linked to the sacraments in order to avoid any confusion (this word occurs six times) and any scandal (this word occurs twice). This is absolutely not a marriage blessing. No ! Especially not ! In fact, there must be, for the occasion, no ritual, no priestly vestments, no prepared text. Furthermore, “this gesture does not claim to sanction or legitimize anything” (point 34). It in no way modifies “the perennial teaching of the Church on marriage” (point 4).
Apart from any official procedure, this simple blessing (point 38) is done unexpectedly, spontaneously (this word occurs six times), therefore in an only unofficial way, for example, during a pilgrimage , a passage in a sanctuary or even in the street (point 28)!
This “symbolic” blessing, invoked only out of pastoral concern, outside of any liturgy, is only a benign and secondary attention, given to the irregular faithful, which is intended to be identical to that of the benevolent shepherd. It is only popular pastoral care (point 24), offered hastily, without conditions (point 27) and without morally validating the status of those who receive it.
The text compares this new blessing to that granted to school bags at the start of the school year (point 30)! He insists, on several occasions, on the absence of modus operandi. One requirement: it will be carried out “in a form which must not be ritually fixed by the ecclesial authorities so as not to create confusion with the blessing specific to the sacrament of marriage” (point 31). The care given to the schoolbags is therefore equivalent to that taken to the faith and soul – objectified – of gay couples and those in an irregular situation, who deserve no better.
This non-ritualized blessing, not even “semi-liturgical” (point 36), offends contemporary sensibilities concerned with equality and respect for the dignity of people. This false opening hides, unfortunately, a recurring rigidity.
Everything must happen spontaneously: gay or irregular couples spontaneously ask for a blessing, the pastor blesses them spontaneously, as if on the sly, with lip service, without pomp or celebration, especially without the slightest appearance of “ceremony”. Isn’t that a cavalier way to proceed?
This document compares the “minimized” or “minimalist” blessing of gay and irregular couples to that of objects (rosaries, medals, point 6), perhaps so as not to offend the ultra-reluctant conservative wing ready to create a schism if we were to a centimeter further.
According to the blessing ritual of the Church institution, animals have long been entitled to an official blessing and a sprinkling of holy water. Gay couples and all those in an irregular situation will have to wait a little longer to enter this famous ritual. They have reached the temple grounds, but not yet at the temple.
It is true that, according to Genesis, animals were created before human beings. So they have priority. We have a long way to go in the spiritual paths!