By Kristina Millare
Rome Newsroom, Jan 26, 2025 / 06:00 am
Welcome to the final day of the Jubilee of the World of Communications, coinciding with the one-year anniversary of Pope Francis’ meeting with participants of the plenary session of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) after the release of Fiducia Supplicans — the Vatican’s declaration on the pastoral meaning of blessings.
While the initial controversy surrounding Fiducia Supplicans has subsided, the Vatican’s document on “pastoral and spontaneous blessings” has left many confused about the Church’s teachings on human sexuality, morality, and marriage.
As we conclude the special jubilee for communicators, it is essential to reflect on the impact of Fiducia Supplicans and Vatican communications, especially in delivering sensitive messages related to Catholic doctrine to individuals in diverse global contexts.
North America
The National Catholic Register, CNA’s sister news partner, reported that Fiducia Supplicans did not significantly disrupt Catholic priests in the United States. According to the Register’s survey of all 177 Latin-rite dioceses in the U.S., “virtually none reported receiving either complaints or comments from priests or other people regarding practices stemming from the document,” the Register stated.
A spokesperson for Father Peter Karalus, vicar general of the Diocese of Buffalo, New York, mentioned that after initial discussions on the Vatican document with the diocese’s presbyteral council and other consultative bodies, there had been “no follow-up discussions or requests for discussion.”
The 21 dioceses that responded to the Register’s inquiry also noted that blessings offered by priests are not monitored.
In Mexico, the Mexican Episcopal Conference (CEM) urged priests and parishioners to uphold the pastoral significance of blessings as outlined by Pope Francis.
Welcome, Clarity, and Discernment: Navigating the Path to God’s Will
The recent statement from the bishops’ conference emphasizes the importance of approaching individuals with an attitude of welcome, closeness, and discernment. They highlight the need for delicacy, firmness, and clarity in accompanying people on their journey to fulfill the will of God in their lives.
Exploring Perspectives in Europe
In Germany, a significant number of dioceses had already implemented formal blessings for same-sex couples before the release of Fiducia Supplicans. An analysis conducted by CNA Deutsch revealed that 21 out of Germany’s 27 dioceses offer some form of “queer pastoral care,” with several even conducting structured blessing ceremonies that go beyond the guidelines outlined in the DDF declaration.
To provide further clarity on the intentions behind Fiducia Supplicans, the Vatican’s press office issued a press release on January 11, 2024. The release explicitly stated that only “pastoral and spontaneous blessings” are allowed, while any rituals implying an equivalence to marriage were deemed unacceptable.
In contrast, the Dutch bishops’ conference took a different stance by rejecting nonliturgical blessings for same-sex couples as suggested in Fiducia Supplicans, as reported by CNA Deutsch. Bishop Rob Mutsaerts criticized the declaration for potentially compromising on Church teaching in pursuit of harmony with secular society.
Similarly, Archbishop José Sanz Montes of Oviedo in Spain expressed concerns about the DDF declaration, stating that it reflects the infiltration of gender ideology within the Church, according to ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner.
