Cardinal Fernandez states in his damage control document that African Bishops are so opposed to blessing homosexual or same sex couples because it is illegal in many countries in Africa and they (the bishops) fear that couples asking for blessings and priests offering them might incur the wrath of the state and be thrown into prison.
That shows the moral bankruptcy of Fernandez thinking. He, the pope and the bishops should be more concerned about the wrath of God and His divine judgments and ability to cast into hell, those leaders who lead Catholics and others astray.
Pope Francis was right the first time under Cardinal Ladaria. The Church has no authority to bless sin and thus cannot bless couples or whatever stripe who live in sin. Individuals, yes, they can be blessed to ask God to assist them with repentance and reconciliation and a new moral life.
9 comments:
Cardinal Fernandez has a solid point in that that bishops in Africa have expressed concern that the implementation of Fiducia Supplicans would lead to charges that they had broken anti-homosexual laws.
For example, the Zambia Conference of Catholic Bishops referenced their concern "not to break the law of our country which forbids same-sex unions and activities" as a key reason that helped to form their response to Fiducia Supplicans.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Mt, anyone can agree with the severity of African laws and even American laws, back in the day, that criminalized homosexual acts or sodomy. But those laws were based on the Holy Bible, and having evolved from a Christian culture. This especially true in Africa and it was certainly true in the Bible Belt south.
What the Africans are decrying, and rightfully so, is the dechristianization of culture when it comes to sexuality, abortion and the nature of human sexual relationships. That should do so and loudly and prophetically for Rome and the rest of the Church!
Father McDonald said..."What the Africans are decrying, and rightfully so, is the dechristianization of culture when it comes What the Africans are decrying, and rightfully so, is the dechristianization of culture when it comes to sexuality, abortion and the nature of human sexual relationships."
Father McDonald, I am thankful for the Church in Africa's holy witness in regard to "sexuality, abortion and the nature of human sexual relationships."
As I have noted here on many occasions, the Church in Africa, bolstered by Vatican II, as well as the liturgical reform, has, for decades, boomed in holy fashion.
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Prelature in Peru unanimously (over 4 dozen priests) backs their orthodox bishop after he rejects Fiducia Supplicans, demands that it be revoked.
African bishop accuses Fiducia Supplicans of being heresy and blasphemy (with obvious implications).
From CNA: "Bishop Martin Mtumbuka of Karonga Diocese issued a strong condemnation of the document, alleging both heresy and blasphemy. '[It] looks to us like a heresy; it reads like a heresy; and its effects a heresy,' the bishop said."
We have been told that the Catholic bishops of Africa are orthodox. Some of them are accusing the pope's document as being heresy.
Pope Francis has a tremendous desire to lead his spiritual children out of irregular situations. He desires to strengthen spiritually those who need to move toward God.
But he is far alone in that regard among our holy Popes. In 1997 A.D., Pope Saint John Paul II had made clear his holy and tremendous desire to accommodate his spiritual children who lived in irregular situations.
Pope Saint John Paul II declared: "It is first of all urgently necessary to establish a pastoral plan of preparation and of timely support for couples at the moment of crisis."
"Pastors, especially parish priests, must with an open heart guide and support these men and women, making them understand that even when they have broken the marriage bond, they must not despair of the grace of God, who watches over their way."
"The Church does not cease to “invite her children who find themselves in these painful situations to approach the divine mercy by other ways...until such time as they have attained the required dispositions.”
"Pastors “are called to help them experience the charity of Christ and the maternal closeness of the Church, receiving them with love, exhorting them to trust in God’s mercy and suggesting, with prudence and respect, concrete ways of conversion and participation in the life of the community of the Church.”
"The Lord, moved by mercy, reaches out to all the needy, with both the demand for truth and the oil of charity."
Pax.
Mark Thomas
With Father McDonald's permission: To add to my previous post — that Pope Francis has a tremendous desire to lead his spiritual children out of irregular situations, but he is not alone in that regard.
In 2014 A.D., then-Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI had manifested in merciful fashion his desire to assist Catholics who had founded themselves in irregular situations.
Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI declared:
"I would like to add another practical suggestion. In many countries it has become customary for persons who are not able to receive communion (for example, the members of other confessions) to approach the altar with their hands folded over their chests, making it clear that they are not receiving the sacrament but are asking for a blessing, which is given to them as a sign of the love of Christ and of the Church."
"This form could certainly be chosen also by persons who are living in a second marriage and therefore are not admitted to the Lord’s table."
"The fact that this would make possible an intense spiritual communion with the Lord, with his whole Body, with the Church, could be a spiritual experience that would strengthen and help them."
Pax.
Mark Thomas
Group of orthodox Spanish priests rejects Fiducia Supplicans, promoting petition to have it revoked.
From "Firmes en la fe": "2- We adhere to revealed truth, gathered in the Bible and in Tradition and interpreted by the current Magisterium of the Church. 3- Blessing couples in an irregular situation or in homosexual cohabitation, even if it is extra-liturgical, contradicts God's plan. In conscience we cannot accept the recognition of this kind of blessing."
Group of orthodox German priests rejects Fiducia Supplicans, alleges blasphemy.
From Priesterkreis Communio Veritatis:
"In view of the Vatican's pamphlet 'Fiducia supplicans,' which by a sophistical trick propagates the extra-liturgical possibility of 'being able to bless couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples,' we declare the following:
"6. Sin cannot be blessed. That would be an abuse of God's most holy name. Therefore, we will never perform blasphemous blessings that are in stark contradiction to the order of creation and divine revelation."
31 December 2023
Feast of the Holy Family
There is no evidence that either the Pope or his CDF (or many of the fellas wearing red hats) care about the sin that cries out to Heaven or God's disapproval of it.
Sophia Here: From day one, it was very difficult not to see this document as a back door - no pun intended- effort to circumvent solid perennial Church Teaching which is grounded in Biblical Teaching and “ bless”, “regularize “ same sex “unions” the most egregious of the “ irregular unions”, because it is intrinsically disordered! Not only do Cardinal Fernandez, Pope Francis and the other Modernists/ Relativists now in power, foist this change in the Church’s practice upon our already beleaguered faithful shepherds but they insist that nothing has changed since the doctrine has not- clearly “a distinction without a difference”, but they have the gall to impugn the motives of those who courageously stand against it! In fact they are the ones catering to cultural factors not only in this instance but in many others - as mentioned and already discussed numerous times in this blog!
I was thrilled but not surprised when the fearless, uncompromising, Canon Lawyer, Fr. Gerald Murray immediately condemned this, stating unequivocally that we “cannot bless sin”. By the following day, I saw the faithful warrior, Bishop Athanasius Schneider’s similarly clear, orthodox response, calling it exactly what it was- “deceitful, double talk”! Additional Faithful, orthodox shepherds, from all over the world were finding their courage and their voices and standing up against this Modernist/ Relativist attack on the Teaching of Holy Mother Church ( via its practice). This document gives cover to those bishops and priests who actively support same sex unions, have no problem with same sex activity/ equate it with heterosexual activity. It even allows for those “in the middle”, aspiring for promotions, or just afraid of vicious retaliation from the Pope and his allies, to keep a low profile, not take a stand against this insidious attack on the church’s moral teaching, or twist themselves into pretzels to try to give it the most benign interpretation they can, while dodging the essential premise which is the “ Blessing “ of the “couple-ing”!
Yes, Jerome Merwick, Incrementalism is likely in play here.- we have only to look back at the recent evidence of how that approach was used to crush the TLM. Yes Fr. Mc Donald, “ the nose of the camel is under the tent” - actually his entire head and neck are already brazenly inside the tent!
Pope, St. Pius X accurately declared Modernism to be “the synthesis of all heresies “! Thanks be to God that faithful courageous clergy do not have to stand alone against it-like that towering example of fidelity to the Church’s Teaching, rooted in God’s Word, St. Athanasius of Alexandria who at one time stood alone against Arianism and the whole world- “Contra Mundum “-including Popes and Emperors, who had been swayed by it.
“Withdraw the document and apologize….”. That would be a step in the right direction but given the incredible damage inflicted on the Church during the leadership of Pope Francis- of which this is just the most recent- maybe “apologize” should be replaced by “repent, ask for forgiveness and do penance” !
Pope St. Pius X, St. Joseph, Mary Mother of the Church, all you other Saints and Holy Angels, please intercede for Holy Mother Church before the Throne of Our All Powerful, All Merciful God!
A Healthy, Peaceful and Hopeful New Year! And as the Feast of the Epiphany approaches may we who have been so richly Blessed through an unshakable Faith in the Incomprehensible Gift of The Incarnation and therefore the Crucifixion and Resurrection continue to bring our most precious gift - ourself -to God in return!
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