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| From the net |
The eighteenth day of the twelfth month of the
year of the Lord 2023 will forever remain in the hearts of the same sex relationship
activists worldwide.
It is on this day that, through the Dicastery of
the Doctrine of the Faith, in the document named Fiducia Supplicans,
on the pastoral meaning of blessings, Pope Francis made clear the
possibility of blessing the same sex relationships.
It is to be understood that Fiducia
Supplicans is a prolongation of the papal negative response vis-à-vis
a Responsium ad dubium regarding the blessing of unions of
persons of the same sex published on 15th March 2021 by the
Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith.
Fiducia Supplicans states in its thirty first paragaraph that
:
“Within
the horizon outlined here appears the possibility of blessings for couples
in irregular situations and for couples of the same sex…”
What should not escape all of us are the
conditions sine qua non the declaration gives so as to receive
such a blessing. There are two fundamental conditions in the validity of any
blessing, for the latter is a sacramental.
First is the Form.
As it is known, in the understanding of the sacraments, the Form is immaterial aspect of the ceremony. In other words it’s the formula or the words or even the gestures involved.
In this case, the
declaration insists that “the form… should
not be fixed ritually by ecclesial authorities” n.31.
This indeed, leaves the
ordained minister the liberty of the use of appropriate words of blessings, on
the one hand, but also restricts him neither to use the Liturgical outlined
blessings imparted on the couples just towards the end of the Sacrament of
Matrimony, nor to “provide for (or) promote a ritual for the blessings of
couples in an irregular situation” n.38, on the other hand.
Therefore, it leaves a first
fundamental question unanswered. What if the ordained minister after cramming
the words and the rite as it is in the Liturgical book of blessing proceeds to
use the exact formula without physically referring to the book, will it still
remain a blessing?
Second is the Matter.
This refers to the material. In this case it is
the persons themselves to be blessed.
Primo: The recipients, couples in irregular
situations and same sex unions need to admit that they are in a disordered
union, “recognizing themselves to be destitute
and in need of his help” n.31.
This opens a second fundamental
question unanswered. Do they really admit that they are in a disordered union
and in need of help from God, whose grace works through nature?
Secundo: they should express
the “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 and of
truth.” N.30.
This leads to a third fundamental question unanswered.
Is this desire expressed through writing? If not, how will the ordained
minister know the recipients’ desire?
Tertio: the recipients of this
blessing should not be dressed or perform any gesture in a manner that suggests
it is a wedding or a civil union ceremony. Dress code is cultural and at times
hard to decipher.
This concludes a fourth fundamental
question unanswered. How will the ordained minister understand the dress code
of the matter to be blessed?
We are not in any manner
animated by a judgmental spirit, but are in the path of understanding the
truth, hence pastorally profess our faith.
