I want to address Pope Francis’ announcement that priests can now bless gay couples. The document called Fiducia Supplicans, has caused a lot of upset and confusion and I would just like to explain what it does and does not mean.
What most people heard, was that priests can now bless gay marriage, which is not what was said. In fact, in the same document the pope expressly states that under no circumstances can a priest bless a gay marriage, or union, since we believe that marriage is a life-long commitment between a man and a woman, open to life. The Church’s teaching has not changed on that, but that is what many people are misunderstanding.
What it means is that if a couple spontaneously came to me and asked for a blessing, I am allowed to give it to them. The thinking is, that I shouldn’t have to know that their background is morally sound before I give a blessing. It is the same if it is a couple in an irregular union where they are waiting on annulments. However, I am not allowed to do it if it gives the impression that I am blessing a union, or marriage, so it would not be a formal blessing, or ritual.
If you think about what a blessing is. To ask for a blessing is to ask for God’s help, strength and mercy, to live the right way and do what is right before God. It makes sense that anyone should be able to receive such a blessing, so long as it doesn’t give the impression that it is condoning their union that we don’t believe as right.
Also someone mentioned that Pope Francis invited some transgender people to the Vatican. Jesus deliberately went to the homes of tax-collectors and prostitutes and all the religious leaders of the time complained and were scandalized. He was reaching out to them and that is what the pope is doing too.
Pope Francis is certainly a very different kind of pope from Pope Benedict XVI and John Paul II, but that doesn’t mean the Lord isn’t working through him. Remember that it is the Lord’s Church.
‘You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church. And the gates of the underworld shall never prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the Kingdom. Whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven. Whatever you lose on earth shall be loosed in heaven’ (Matt 16:18-19).
When Napoleon was taking over Europe, he met the cardinal of Paris. He told him that he was going to destroy the Vatican. The cardinal replied, ‘You won’t be able. We priests have been trying to destroy it for the last 1800 years and we haven’t been able.’
Think of all the scandals that have happened down through the centuries and there have been many and serious ones, especially in recent years. The Church would not have survived them if it were of human origin. It is still here because it is the Lord’s Church and the Lord is still guiding the Church. That doesn’t mean that people in the Church can’t make mistakes, but the Lord still works through weak human instruments. If I thought for a second that the Church was of human origin, I wouldn’t be part of it, but I am convinced that it is and that is why I am not afraid when we are presented with things that are confusing. We are going through turbulent times, but don’t be afraid of that. It never comes down to what one person says.
At one point, St. Paul publicly challenged St. Peter, because he was clearly in the wrong. He had been eating with the Gentiles, but then when some Jews turned up, he stopped and only ate with them. He was afraid of criticism, but what he did was wrong and Paul pointed this out. Peter then realized his mistake and corrected what he was doing. So human bishops and priests are not above reproach.
2:11 But when Peter came to Antioch, I had to oppose him to his face, for what he did was very wrong. 12 When he first arrived, he ate with the Gentile believers, who were not circumcised. But afterward, when some friends of James came, Peter wouldn’t eat with the Gentiles anymore. He was afraid of criticism from these people who insisted on the necessity of circumcision. 13 As a result, other Jewish believers followed Peter’s hypocrisy, and even Barnabas was led astray by their hypocrisy. (Gal 2:11-13)
It is easy to think of the Church as God’s Church, but that God is just observing it from a distance. We forget that the Lord is constantly working through his Church and will continue to. ‘The gates of the underworld shall not prevail against it.’ Throughout the world the Spirit continually inspires people to act. God doesn’t just wait until we decide it is the right time to do something. The Spirit acts when the time is right, not when we are ready. And so people continue to be inspired.
There is the story of a young man who was interested in becoming a priest. He was being guided by a local priest, but wanted to go Rome to see the Vatican before he started his studies for the priesthood. When he left for his trip, the priest said to himself that that was the end of his vocation once he saw the Vatican and the corruption. When the young man returned, he said ‘Now I am ready to start my studies.’ The priest asked him, ‘What did you think of the Vatican? He said there was so much corruption, but that just affirmed to him that the Church had to be from God.
So don’t be put off by things like this document. It is still the Lord’s Church and always will be.
‘You are Peter and on this rock I will build my Church…and the gates of the underworld shall not prevail against it.’
You can also find the US Bishop’s official statement on the Pope’s decree here:
Doctrinal dicastery explains how, when gay couples can be blessed | USCCB
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