POPE FRANCIS, BY WAY OF CARDINAL FERNANDEZ, PREFECT FOR THE DICASTERY OF THE DOCTRINE OF THE FAITH, ANWERS THE FIVE CARDINALS DUBIA!

The Dubia Cardinals were not satisfied by Pope Francis gracious answers and thus demand a “yes” or “no” response, which more than likely will not be answered, nor should the pope be boxed into doing so. Just my most humble opinion.

The Pillar has an English summary of Pope Francis’ gracious answers, which in the original response is in Spanish. The pillar has a link to the Spanish text of Pope Francis:

The Vatican released the pope’s seven-page response to the initial dubia following their publication Oct. 2.

1. The response, which opened “Dear brothers,” addressed the five July dubia one by one, beginning with the first question, “about the claim that we should reinterpret Divine Revelation according to the cultural and anthropological changes in vogue.”

Answer: The pope offered an eight-part reply, in Spanish, which began: “The answer depends on the meaning you give to the word ‘reinterpret.’” If it is understood as ‘to interpret better’ the expression is valid.” 
It continued, citing the Vatican II document Dei Verbum: “In this sense, the Second Vatican Council affirmed that it is necessary that with the work of exegetes — I would add of theologians — ‘the judgment of the Church may mature.’” 

2. In response to the second question, on “the claim that the widespread practice of the blessing of same-sex unions would be in accord with Revelation and the Magisterium,” the pope wrote: 

Answer: “The Church has a very clear conception of marriage: an exclusive, stable and indissoluble union between a man and a woman, naturally open to the begetting of children. Only this union is called ‘marriage’”

He went on: “For this reason the Church avoids any kind of rite or sacramental that could contradict this conviction and give the impression that something that is not marriage is recognized as marriage.”

“In dealing with people, however, we must not lose pastoral charity, which must permeate all our decisions and attitudes. The defense of objective truth is not the only expression of this charity, which is also made up of kindness, patience, understanding, tenderness and encouragement. Therefore, we cannot become judges who only deny, reject, and exclude.”

“Therefore, pastoral prudence must adequately discern whether there are forms of blessing, requested by one or more persons, that transmit a mistaken conception of marriage. Because when a blessing is requested, one is expressing a request for help from God, a plea to be able to live better, a trust in a Father who can help us to live better.”

 Concluding his answer with reference to his 2016 apostolic exhortationAmoris laetitia, the pope said: 

“Decisions which, in certain circumstances, can form part of pastoral prudence, should not necessarily become a norm. That is to say, it is not appropriate for a Diocese, an Episcopal Conference or any other ecclesial structure to constantly and in an official way enable procedures or rites for all kinds of matters, since everything that ‘is part of a practical discernment in particular circumstances cannot be elevated to the level of a rule’, because this ‘would lead to an unbearable casuistry.’” 

“Canon Law should not and cannot cover everything, nor should the Episcopal Conferences claim to do so with their various documents and protocols, because the life of the Church runs through many channels in addition to the normative ones.”

3. Responding the third question, about whether synodality is a “constitutive element of the Church,” 

Answer: The pope wrote: “Although you recognize that the supreme and full authority of the Church is exercised either by the Pope because of his office or by the college of bishops together with its head, the Roman Pontiff …, nevertheless with these dubia you yourselves manifest your need to participate, to give your opinion freely and to collaborate, and thus you are claiming some form of ‘synodality’ in the exercise of my ministry.”

He went on: “The Church is ‘mystery of missionary communion,’ but this communion is not only affective or ethereal, but necessarily implies real participation: that not only the hierarchy but all the People of God in different ways and at different levels can make their voices heard and feel part of the Church’s journey. In this sense we can say that synodality, as a style and dynamism, is an essential dimension of the life of the Church.”

But he said this was quite different to trying “to sacralize or impose a particular synodal methodology that pleases one group, to make it the norm and obligatory channel for all.”

4. Replying to the fourth question, about support among pastors and theologians that priestly ordination can be conferred on women following a change in the Church’s theology, 

Answer: The pope stressed that “when St. John Paul II taught that it is necessary to affirm ‘definitively’ the impossibility of conferring priestly ordination on women, he was in no way belittling women and giving supreme power to men.”

Referring to Pope John Paul II’s 1994 apostolic letter Ordinatio sacerdotalis, Francis added: “On the other hand, to be rigorous, let us recognize that a clear and authoritative doctrine about the exact nature of a ‘definitive statement’ has not yet been exhaustively developed. It is not a dogmatic definition, and yet it must be adhered to by all. No one can publicly contradict it and yet it can be the subject of study, as is the case with the validity of ordinations in the Anglican Communion.”

5. In answer to the fifth question, about whether repentance is a necessary condition for sacramental absolution, 

Answer: Pope Francis wrote: “Repentance is necessary for the validity of sacramental absolution, and implies the intention not to sin. But here there is no mathematics and once again I must recall that the confessional is not a customs house.” 

“We are not owners, but humble stewards of the Sacraments that nourish the faithful, because these gifts of the Lord, more than relics to be guarded, are aids of the Holy Spirit for people’s lives.”