NEWSWATCH | KAIROS GLOBAL | FEBRUARY 2024

Author: Sam Biju, Stuttgart,

The doctrinal declaration on ‘Pastoral meaning of blessings’ creates joy as well as alarm among Catholics

On December 18, 2023, the Declaration Fiducia supplicans on the pastoral meaning of blessings was published by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith after approval by Pope Francis. It addresses, above all, the question of blessing couples in irregular situations such as same-sex unions. Although the Church’s long standing teaching on marriage does not change, some critics point out that an intentional ambiguity exists in the document which can be grounds for confusion and misapplication. 

Background and contents of the document

The document addresses various questions on different blessings and their uses. In a preamble to the 5000-word text, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, said that the text marked ‘a specific and innovative contribution to the pastoral meaning of blessings.’ He also added that this is a real development from what has been said about blessings in the Magisterium and the official texts of the Church.

In 2021, the Vatican’s doctrinal office issued a document titled Responsum, addressing the question of the Church’s capacity to give blessing to unions of people belonging to the same sex. The answer then was strongly negative with an explanatory note. This generated protests among Catholics from countries where same-sex blessings were already a common practice. As bishops in these countries implemented practises contrary to this response, the issue gained attention among Catholics worldwide. Prior to the commencement of the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis had addressed the issue again in a response to the series of questions raised by five cardinals. He wrote that ‘pastoral prudence must adequately discern whether there are forms of blessing, requested by one or more persons that do not convey an erroneous conception of marriage.’

The Introductory section of the document explains why this theme is being addressed again. The main confusion centres around the formal and informal nature of blessing same-sex couples. While some were content with the answers provided in the 2021 Responsum, others did not share the negative response and held the reasons highlighted in the Explanatory note as unclear. The Dicastery thus decided to ‘take up the theme again and offer a vision that draws together the doctrinal aspects with the pastoral ones in a coherent manner.’

In its first section, ‘The Blessing in the Sacrament of Marriage,’ the text confirms the Church’s perennial doctrine of marriage and rules out any rites and prayers that could create confusion between marriage and other unions not recognised by the Church.

The second section, ‘The Meaning of the Various Blessings,’ addresses the meaning of blessings from a liturgical, biblical and ‘theological-pastoral’ perspective. Blessings are described here as among the most widespread and evolving sacramentals. From a liturgical perspective, the text says that what is blessed is required to be conformed to God’s will, as expressed in the teachings of the Church. ‘Since the Church has always considered only those sexual relations that are lived out within marriage to be morally licit, the Church does not have the power to confer its liturgical blessing when that would somehow offer a form of moral legitimacy to a union that presumes to be a marriage or to an extra- marital sexual practice.’ 

Concerning blessings in Scripture, the declaration notes a continuity in the meaning of blessings in the Old and New Testaments. A distinction between ascending and descending blessings are also made. Ascending blessings are those invoked from earth towards God, such as praising and thanksgiving. Descending blessings are those from God upon man, such as priestly blessing. In the New Testament, blessings can be ‘ascending,’ meaning they refer to God the Father, and ‘descending,’ in that they are ‘poured out on others as a gesture of grace, protection, and goodness.’ Addressing the ‘theological-pastoral’ understanding of blessings, the text highlights the importance of ‘the value of a more pastoral approach.’ From the perspective of pastoral care, blessings need to be seen as acts of devotion that are external to sacraments and the Holy Eucharist.

Citing Pope Francis’ 2013 apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, the text maintains that the Church must focus on evangelising and opening doors to grace instead of analysing and classifying or exhausting energy in inspecting and verifying. In this light, when people ask for a blessing, exhaustive moral analysis should not be a precondition to conferring it. The section concludes with recommendations on exercising pastoral prudence and wisdom that needs to be applied by the ordained minister when engaging in prayers for people in unions which, although not comparable to marriage, desire to entrust themselves to the Lord and his mercy, to invoke his help, and to be guided to a greater understanding of his plan of love of truth without causing any scandal and confusion among the faithful.

The third section, ‘Blessing of Couples in Irregular Situations and of Couples of the Same Sex,’ is perhaps the most controversial. Paragraph 31 of the text says that there is a possibility of blessing for couples in irregular situations and for couples of the same sex. ‘In such cases,’ it says, ‘a blessing may be imparted that not only has an ascending value but also involves the invocation of a blessing that descends from God upon those who — recognising themselves to be destitute and in need of his help— do not claim a legitimation of their own status, but who beg that all that is true, good, and humanly valid in their lives and their relationships be enriched, healed, and elevated by the presence of the Holy Spirit.’ The text says that Pope Francis wants these blessings to remain spontaneous and non-ritualised, so as not to become liturgical or semi-liturgical, similar to a sacrament. The text also suggests that prior to the blessing, the minister could ask the individuals to have peace, health, a spirit of patience, dialogue, mutual assistance and God’s light and strength to fulfil his will. There is a caution to avoid confusion or scandal blessings which are imparted in concurrence with ceremonies of a civil union in the case of couples in irregular situations. ‘Nor can it be performed with any clothing, gestures, or words that are proper to a wedding. The same applies when the blessing is requested by a same-sex couple,’ it says.

In the fourth and final section on ‘The Church is the Sacrament of God’s Infinite Love,’ the declaration says that all forms of blessing are an opportunity for proclaiming the love of Christ. The text concludes by stressing the importance of offering blessings, so that ‘every brother and every sister will be able to feel that, in the Church, they are always pilgrims, always beggars, always loved, and, despite everything, always blessed.’

Newswatch

The doctrinal declaration on ‘Pastoral meaning of blessings’ creates joy as well as alarm among Catholics

On December 18, 2023, the Declaration Fiducia supplicans on the pastoral meaning of blessings was published by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith after approval by Pope Francis. It addresses, above all, the question of blessing couples in irregular situations such as same-sex unions. Although the Church’s long standing teaching on marriage does not change, some critics point out that an intentional ambiguity exists in the document which can be grounds for confusion and misapplication. 

Background and contents of the document

The document addresses various questions on different blessings and their uses. In a preamble to the 5000-word text, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, the prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, said that the text marked ‘a specific and innovative contribution to the pastoral meaning of blessings.’ He also added that this is a real development from what has been said about blessings in the Magisterium and the official texts of the Church.

In 2021, the Vatican’s doctrinal office issued a document titled Responsum, addressing the question of the Church’s capacity to give blessing to unions of people belonging to the same sex. The answer then was strongly negative with an explanatory note. This generated protests among Catholics from countries where same-sex blessings were already a common practice. As bishops in these countries implemented practises contrary to this response, the issue gained attention among Catholics worldwide. Prior to the commencement of the Synod on Synodality, Pope Francis had addressed the issue again in a response to the series of questions raised by five cardinals. He wrote that ‘pastoral prudence must adequately discern whether there are forms of blessing, requested by one or more persons that do not convey an erroneous conception of marriage.’

The Introductory section of the document explains why this theme is being addressed again. The main confusion centres around the formal and informal nature of blessing same-sex couples. While some were content with the answers provided in the 2021 Responsum, others did not share the negative response and held the reasons highlighted in the Explanatory note as unclear. The Dicastery thus decided to ‘take up the theme again and offer a vision that draws together the doctrinal aspects with the pastoral ones in a coherent manner.’

In its first section, ‘The Blessing in the Sacrament of Marriage,’ the text confirms the Church’s perennial doctrine of marriage and rules out any rites and prayers that could create confusion between marriage and other unions not recognised by the Church.

The second section, ‘The Meaning of the Various Blessings,’ addresses the meaning of blessings from a liturgical, biblical and ‘theological-pastoral’ perspective. Blessings are described here as among the most widespread and evolving sacramentals. From a liturgical perspective, the text says that what is blessed is required to be conformed to God’s will, as expressed in the teachings of the Church. ‘Since the Church has always considered only those sexual relations that are lived out within marriage to be morally licit, the Church does not have the power to confer its liturgical blessing when that would somehow offer a form of moral legitimacy to a union that presumes to be a marriage or to an extra- marital sexual practice.’ 

Concerning blessings in Scripture, the declaration notes a continuity in the meaning of blessings in the Old and New Testaments. A distinction between ascending and descending blessings are also made. Ascending blessings are those invoked from earth towards God, such as praising and thanksgiving. Descending blessings are those from God upon man, such as priestly blessing. In the New Testament, blessings can be ‘ascending,’ meaning they refer to God the Father, and ‘descending,’ in that they are ‘poured out on others as a gesture of grace, protection, and goodness.’ Addressing the ‘theological-pastoral’ understanding of blessings, the text highlights the importance of ‘the value of a more pastoral approach.’ From the perspective of pastoral care, blessings need to be seen as acts of devotion that are external to sacraments and the Holy Eucharist.

Citing Pope Francis’ 2013 apostolic exhortation Evangelii Gaudium, the text maintains that the Church must focus on evangelising and opening doors to grace instead of analysing and classifying or exhausting energy in inspecting and verifying. In this light, when people ask for a blessing, exhaustive moral analysis should not be a precondition to conferring it. The section concludes with recommendations on exercising pastoral prudence and wisdom that needs to be applied by the ordained minister when engaging in prayers for people in unions which, although not comparable to marriage, desire to entrust themselves to the Lord and his mercy, to invoke his help, and to be guided to a greater understanding of his plan of love of truth without causing any scandal and confusion among the faithful.

The third section, ‘Blessing of Couples in Irregular Situations and of Couples of the Same Sex,’ is perhaps the most controversial. Paragraph 31 of the text says that there is a possibility of blessing for couples in irregular situations and for couples of the same sex. ‘In such cases,’ it says, ‘a blessing may be imparted that not only has an ascending value but also involves the invocation of a blessing that descends from God upon those who — recognising themselves to be destitute and in need of his help— do not claim a legitimation of their own status, but who beg that all that is true, good, and humanly valid in their lives and their relationships be enriched, healed, and elevated by the presence of the Holy Spirit.’ The text says that Pope Francis wants these blessings to remain spontaneous and non-ritualised, so as not to become liturgical or semi-liturgical, similar to a sacrament. The text also suggests that prior to the blessing, the minister could ask the individuals to have peace, health, a spirit of patience, dialogue, mutual assistance and God’s light and strength to fulfil his will. There is a caution to avoid confusion or scandal blessings which are imparted in concurrence with ceremonies of a civil union in the case of couples in irregular situations. ‘Nor can it be performed with any clothing, gestures, or words that are proper to a wedding. The same applies when the blessing is requested by a same-sex couple,’ it says.

In the fourth and final section on ‘The Church is the Sacrament of God’s Infinite Love,’ the declaration says that all forms of blessing are an opportunity for proclaiming the love of Christ. The text concludes by stressing the importance of offering blessings, so that ‘every brother and every sister will be able to feel that, in the Church, they are always pilgrims, always beggars, always loved, and, despite everything, always blessed.’

Newswatch (Contd)

Bishop Raphael Thattil succeeds Cardinal George Alencherry as head of the Syro-Malabar Catholic Church

At the conclusion of the synod of bishops which met at St Thomas Mount, Kakkanand, Kochi, Mar Raphael Thattil was elected as the new Major Archbishop of the Syro-Malabar Church on January 10, 2024. Following the resignation of Cardinal George Alencherry, the synod of bishops which began on Monday, January 8th, arrived at a decision by secret vote on the second day, which was approved and declared by the Vatican that Wednesday. Following the declaration, social media posts with the caption Ees lan MarThoma which means ‘We have a MarThoma’ were seen to circulate congratulating the bishop.

Mar Raphael Thattil was born on 21 April 1956 in Thrissur, Kerala. He was ordained as a priest in 1980 and been a bishop since 2010. In 2018 he took charge as the first bishop of the Diocese of Shamshabad. On 27 September 2018, Mar Thattil was chosen as the Ecclesiastical Advisor of the Jesus Youth movement. Since then, he has formally guided the movement and has always been close to the youth.