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Wednesday, December 20, 2023

THE UKRAINIAN BISHOPS SHOW COMMON SENSE AND ARE COURAGEOUS, A GIFT OF THE HOLY SPIRIT!

Father James Martin, S.J., friend of Francis (FOF) blesses a same sex couple, as they hold hands, symbolizing their sexual union. Fortunately, neither are wearing wedding gowns which the pope’s document on blessings forbids:


I copy this translation from Rorate Caeli:

BISHOPS OF UKRAINE: THERE IS NO BLESSING FOR LIVING IN SIN


December 19, 2023


Communiqué of the Ukrainian Bishops' Conference on the Declaration of the Dicastery of the Faith "FIDUCIA SUPPLICANS" on the Pastoral Significance of Blessings.


The document of the Vatican's Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith examines the different types of blessings that can be given by clergy outside the liturgy. The document also emphasizes that only those who want to live a life pleasing to God and ask for a blessing can be blessed liturgically. Instead, it expands the understanding of extra-liturgical blessing, which is usually given to all people, by introducing the possibility of "blessing same-sex couples." It is this possibility that has caused a storm of reactions and misunderstandings about the moral and doctrinal issues in the Catholic Church regarding this kind of blessing.


And this is because the concept of "blessing" is perceived by many as "permission", especially as "permission to sin". While the entire document makes it clear that there is no "permission" or "blessing" for homosexual cohabitation or any life of sin, nor any change in the Church's traditional teaching on marriage, the notion of blessing same-sex couples, or sacramentally unregulated couples, can be perceived as legalizing these relationships.


The document seeks to emphasize the boundless love of God for all people, sinners included, and in this regard to show that the Church does not reject these people, namely, persons with homosexual tendencies or even actions. However, it seems that the text does not clearly distinguish between a person and his or her situation, mercifully accepting this person and expressing disagreement with his or her sin. [emphasis added]


At the same time, the document focuses mainly on two categories of people: those living in sacramentally unregulated relationships (men and women) and same-sex couples. Thus, the document treats the situation of sacramentally unregulated male-female couples and same-sex couples equally. Both situations are in a state of grave sin, but they should be treated separately. [emphasis added]


We see the danger in ambiguous wording that causes divergent interpretations among the faithful. What we missed in the document is that the Gospel calls sinners to conversion, and without a call to leave the sinful life of homosexual couples, the blessing may look like an approval. However, we emphasize that the document repeatedly emphasizes that the blessing of same-sex couples is in no way a legalization of such cohabitation, and the teaching of the Catholic Church on the Sacrament of Matrimony, which is the union of a man and a woman, remains unchanged.


Conference of Roman Catholic Bishops of Ukraine

14 comments:

qwikness said...

This whole business about "Couples in Irregular Situations," is so ambiguous and could mean literally anything.

Mark Thomas said...

"What we missed in the document is that the Gospel calls sinners to conversion, and without a call to leave the sinful life of homosexual couples, the blessing may look like an approval."

"However, we emphasize that the document repeatedly emphasizes that the blessing of same-sex couples is in no way a legalization of such cohabitation, and the teaching of the Catholic Church on the Sacrament of Matrimony, which is the union of a man and a woman, remains unchanged."

======================

"...the blessing may look like an approval."

But via the next sentence, the Ukrainian bishops acknowledged that the Declaration "repeatedly emphasizes that the blessing of same-sex couples is in no way a legalization of such cohabitation, and the teaching of the Catholic Church on the Sacrament of Matrimony, which is the union of a man and a woman, remains unchanged."

Anybody who would view the blessing as "an approval" of "the sinful life of homosexual couples" would misrepresent the Declaration's clear teaching.

Pax.

Mark Thomas

the Egyptian said...

MT and the "other" long form explainers can chatter on and on but
PERCEPTION IS REALITY

https://www.breitbart.com/politics/2023/12/20/austrian-archbishop-says-catholic-priests-cannot-refuse-blessing-to-gay-couples/

Salzburg Archbishop Franz Lackner said Monday evening in an interview with Austrian television that at this point priests have no excuse for refusing a blessing to a gay couple that asks for it.

When asked how a priest should react when a same-sex couple requests a blessing, the 67-year-old archbishop said: “Basically, you can no longer say no.

Fr. Allan J. McDonald said...

Did you see the photo of Fr. Martin blessing a homosexual couple as they hold hands, staged for the New York Times? Martin who gloats that he is Francis’ buddy and a synod voting member. This is grooming Catholics to publicly live out their sin which an atheist could see as a result of this document. It is called duplicity. Say one thing that enables another. It is the spirit that counts not the letter. Just remember, Sacrosanctum Concilium stated clearly that some vernacular could be allowed but Latin must be preserved in the reform of the Mass. How did that work out? At SC is a far higher degree of a document than this silly blessing document is. The spirit of Vatican II long ago trumped what Vatican II taught clearly. The same is true now and Martin did it on day two!

Mark Thomas said...

"What we missed in the document is that the Gospel calls sinners to conversion..."

My bishop has stated otherwise. One Cardinal and bishop throughout the world has stated otherwise.

======================

National Catholic Register's commentary on the Declaration stated that the document issued an explicit call to embrace the Gospel/holiness.

As the National Catholic Register noted, the Declaration declared:

-- "And Paragraph 40 makes clear that “there is no intention to legitimize anything, but rather to open one’s life to God, to ask for his help to live better, and also to invoke the Holy Spirit so that the values of the Gospel may be lived with greater faithfulness.”

-- "And that, explains Paragraph 27, is the purpose of a nonliturgical blessing. It “disposes man’s heart to be changed by God."

-- "Such a blessing, Paragraph 31 continues, “descends from God upon those who — recognizing themselves to be destitute and in need of his help — do not claim a legitimation of their own status” but rather believe “that human relationships may mature and grow in fidelity to the Gospel."

-- "In giving the blessing, Paragraph 40 makes clear that the blessing’s purpose is “to invoke the Holy Spirt so that the values of the Gospel may be lived with greater faithfulness."

============

The National Catholic Register's commentary noted that the Declaration has made the following clear:

"In sum, Fiducia Supplicans makes two things absolutely clear. First, the Church has not changed — nor can it change — the Bible’s beautiful teaching that marriage is between one man and one woman."

"Second, a nonliturgical blessing’s purpose is not to encourage irregular relationships but to call the individuals in those relationships to live out the Gospel more faithfully and abandon sinful choices."

Pax.

Mark Thomas

Mark Thomas said...

Bishop Barron has just issued a statement in praise of the Declaration.

Pax.

Mark Thomas

the Egyptian said...

bishop Barron wishes to keep his job, no more no less.
To disagree has nasty consequences, you know, no home, no income

Mark Thomas said...

Father McDonald said..."Did you see the photo of Fr. Martin blessing a homosexual couple as they hold hands, staged for the New York Times?"

Yes.

Father McDonald, leaving Father James Martin aside, we know that the Declaration will be (already has been) mispresented by certain folks within, and without the Church. But that does not validate their views in regard to the Declaration.

For a long time within the Church, Popes have been misrepresented. Church documents have been misrepresented. Vatican II has been misrepresented.

Sacred Scripture has been misrepresented for centuries.

The Declaration has been misrepresented...and that will continue.

As Pope Benedict XVI declared: The is the real Vatican II, as well as the fake Vatican II (the Council of the news media).

If an Ecumenical Council has been misrepresented, as is the case with Vatican II, then anything within the Church can be misrepresented.

Pax.

Mark Thomas

Catechist Kev said...

Meanwhile, the bishops of Nigeria reject the... document from the DDF:

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GB0dDXlXAAAMUAd?format=jpg&name=large

Mark Thomas said...

the Egyptian said..."MT and the "other" long form explainers can chatter on and on but
PERCEPTION IS REALITY."

Perception is reality?

From yesterday's Jerusalem Post:

"Pope Francis is repeating “the sins of Pius XII” and “surreptitiously colluding with the forces of evil,” Chief Rabbi of South Africa, Dr. Warren Goldstein, said in an opinion video he shared on social media on Tuesday."

======

Perception: Popes Francis, as well as Venerable Pius XII, colluded with anti-Jewish "forces of evil."

Therefore, perception is reality. Okay, the Egyptian. Yeah. Sure.

===================

Perception: Jesus Christ was a drunkard who favored prostitutes.

Therefore, perception is reality. Okay, the Egyptian. Yeah. Sure.

====================

Perception: Summorum Pontificum was a muddled, confused document that Pope Benedict XVI had packed with lies, according to such folks as Peter Kwasniewski.

Therefore, perception is reality. Okay, the Egyptian. Yeah. Sure.

=====================

Pax.

Mark Thomas

Mark Thomas said...

In 2006 A.D. Pope Benedict XVI elevated Father José Ignacio Munilla Aguirre of Spain to the rank of bishop.

Bishop Munilla (Aguirre) has, in beautiful fashion, likened the Declaration, Fiducia Supplicans, to the radical mercy and compassion that Jesus Christ had shown to the woman accused of adultery.

The bishop noted that "pastoral charity is a call for all sinners to be blessed, but not to bless our sin" and, in this sense "this was the behavior of Jesus of Nazareth, who 'said- of the sinful woman whom they wanted to stone, but that did not mean that he blessed their relationships ("Neither do I condemn you, go and sin no more")."

Certain folks have always focused upon "go and sin no more." But said folks ignore that Jesus Christ first emphasized to the woman in question: "Neither do I condemn you."

On April 7, 2014 A.D., the Holy See reported upon the following morning meditation that Pope Francis had offered in regard to the above:

“Jesus forgives. But there is something more here than forgiveness. For as a confessor Jesus goes beyond the law, for “the law said that she had to be punished”.

"Indeed, as the Pope noted, Jesus “was pure and could have throne the first stone”. But he “went beyond this."

"He doesn’t tell her that adultery is not a sin, but he doesn’t condemn her with the law”. T

This, the Pope explained, is “the mystery of Jesus’ mercy ... in being merciful Jesus” goes beyond “the law which commanded that she be stoned”.

“Mercy,” the Pope explained, “is something which is difficult to understand: it doesn’t eliminate sin”, for “it is God’s forgiveness” that does this . “Mercy is the manner in which God forgives”.

For “Jesus could have said: ‘I forgive you, go!’ as he had said to the paralytic: your sins are forgiven!”. In this situation, however, “Jesus goes further” and counsels the woman “to sin no more”.

==============

Bishop Munilla (Aguirre) has noted the holy, profound, tremendous Christ-like mercy and compassion that the Declaration, Fiducia Supplicans, offers to sinful man.

Pax.

Mark Thomas

Jerome Merwick said...

When you go to Mass this Sunday, be sure to thank some of your fellow parishioners.

Make sure you thank all of the elderly liberals still receiving Communion in the hand...you know, the same people you will never see in line for Confession, the same people who sing loudly off key to all the crappy songs in the Glory and Praise book, the same people who clap at Mass, the same people who claim they are Vatican II Catholics, while unable to tell you anything specific about one single document from Vatican II.

And don't forget to thank certain priests too. No, don't thank that younger parochial vicar wearing the cassock. Thank the pastor or perhaps the pastor emeritus who makes this young priest's life a living hell. Thank those older priests who barely allow 10 minutes per week for Confessions and rarely allow anyone to confess anonymously. Thank those priests who stock the vestibule with U.S. Catholic and Our Sunday Visitor. Thank the priests who promote the Catholic Campaign for Human Development. Thank those priests who preach about how these new synods are part of God's plan for our Church.

Yes, be sure to thank them. The weak, lazy, lax, liberal boomer laity. The flimsy, secularized, defender of every other faith except Catholic priests. Thank them all. They wanted this pope for years. They worked relentlessly to create a Church the demanded such a pope. They made sure we got such a pope. And thanks to these fine Catholics the rest of us have to live with this pope.


Gee guys, thanks a lot.

TJM said...

If Bishop Barron did so, we now know he is a fake Catholic not to be trusted and he likely is a pervert like Mark Thomas

TJM said...

Mark Thomas is obviously in love with perverts!