Turning to what he saw as another point of confusion, he said that in a subsequent Jan. 4 clarification, Fernández strongly denied that the declaration was “contrary to ecclesiastical reasoning” but “on the other hand, recognizes that bishops and bishops’ conferences have reason to have certain doubts about it” and will need “a longer period of time to study it.”
Zen said that is “tantamount” to saying that Fiducia Supplicans “is not valid for the time being.”
Other problems
The cardinal then set about discussing what he sees as other serious specific problems with the declaration.
He noted that the document says couples who ask for a blessing “may” also ask for God’s grace to conform fully to his will, but he also observed that the declaration states the priest is not supposed to examine them to see if they have such an intention. “How can a priest bless him or her if they are not sure they have such an intention, or if there is reason to suspect they do not have such an intention at all?” Zen asked.
On another point, he recalled that Scripture says pastors are to “protect the sheep, heal the wounded, and lead back the lost” but added that the declaration appears to say that individuals could obtain a blessing as a “couple” and leave as a “couple” after the blessing. “Doesn’t that mean that they can, at least for the time being, continue to live in the ‘wrong,’ i.e. sinful way?” he asked.
Zen noted that the declaration frequently stresses the need to avoid confusion, but the blessings encouraged by the declaration “do in fact create confusion.”
He further mentioned how secular media “intentionally” adds to the confusion and wondered why Church figures such as Jesuit Father James Martin, homosexual rights advocate Sister of Loretto Jeannine Gramick, and the German bishops are allowed to “create confusion” or fail to follow “some of the rules” in the declaration. “Is it consistent with pastoral principles to create confusion on this important issue?” he said.
The cardinal closed by saying that the matter of blessing same-sex couples and others in unions that contradict Church teaching should be freely discussed at the upcoming synodal assembly in October in order to reach conclusions on the issue. Fiducia Supplicans is a “preemptive” declaration, the cardinal said, which showed “grave contempt for the office of the bishops — the successors of the apostles, the brothers of the pope!”
This story was first published by the National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, and is reprinted here on CNA with permission.
Edward Pentin began reporting on the pope and the Vatican with Vatican Radio before moving on to become the Rome correspondent for EWTN's National Catholic Register. He has also reported on the Holy See and the Catholic Church for a number of other publications including Newsweek, Newsmax, Zenit, The Catholic Herald, and The Holy Land Review, a Franciscan publication specializing in the Church and the Middle East. Edward is the author of “The Next Pope: The Leading Cardinal Candidates” (Sophia Institute Press, 2020) and “The Rigging of a Vatican Synod? An Investigation into Alleged Manipulation at the Extraordinary Synod on the Family” (Ignatius Press, 2015).