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A Blessing Is a Blessing
It is of the nature of blessings that they convey a message of approval and support simply by being blessings.

article by Russell Shaw
Blogs
January 9, 2024

Google The National Catholic Register of January 9, 2024, for this article.

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Christ is in our midst!!

Here is a video discussion of Fiducia Supplicans


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Originally Posted by theophan
Christ is in our midst!!

Here is a video discussion of Fiducia Supplicans

I saw that on EWTN last night. Good discussion, imo. I hope Fr. Murray isn't "sanctioned" for voicing his opinions on this and other topics I've heard him discuss with Raymond!

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In the video below, Mark Lambert gives a brief commentary on Cardinal Sarah's recent document concerning "Fiducia Supplicans."


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Pope defends decision to approve same-sex blessings

Pope Francis on Sunday (January 14) defended a landmark decision approving blessings for same-sex couples, suggesting that those in the Catholic Church who have resisted it have jumped to "ugly conclusions" because they do not understand it.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/peo...c64e781ea74eca9e25076aeaa5d977&ei=59

I think he misses the point that there is a "sense of the Faithful" that has risen here to oppose his recent teaching document. I remember reading the Circular Letter of the Oriental Patriarchs to Pio Nono in which the Orthodox patriarchs, invited to Vatican I, tell Pius the 9th that the people are the guardians of the Faith; the clergy are the guardians of the Mysteries.

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Originally Posted by theophan
Christ is in our midst!!

Quote
Pope defends decision to approve same-sex blessings

Pope Francis on Sunday (January 14) defended a landmark decision approving blessings for same-sex couples, suggesting that those in the Catholic Church who have resisted it have jumped to "ugly conclusions" because they do not understand it.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/video/peo...c64e781ea74eca9e25076aeaa5d977&ei=59

I think he misses the point that there is a "sense of the Faithful" that has risen here to oppose his recent teaching document. I remember reading the Circular Letter of the Oriental Patriarchs to Pio Nono in which the Orthodox patriarchs, invited to Vatican I, tell Pius the 9th that the people are the guardians of the Faith; the clergy are the guardians of the Mysteries.

Spot on, Bob!

Perhaps if Francis had himself engaged in some "fraternal discussions" with some of the more orthodox bishops of our Church BEFORE allowing for the release of "Fiducia Supplicans" as it currently reads-though I really can't see that happening, given the man- he wouldn't be facing the push-back, the "opposition", that he's created.

Others have, rightly or wrongly, characterized Pope Francis as a "dictator". A dictator has little use for any kind of "sense of the Faithful."

The more I hear from and of this man, the less I like him, and the greater my feeling that he is truly demeaning the Chair of St. Peter by his words and actions. When one has little respect for the man, it makes it difficult, though not impossible, to respect the office he holds.

And yes...I know..."...the gates of hell will not prevail...". Another Pope, Paul VI, said this, "“… We would say that, through some mysterious crack—no, it’s not mysterious; through some crack, the smoke of Satan has entered the Church of God. There is doubt, uncertainty, problems, unrest, dissatisfaction, confrontation.

“The Church is no longer trusted. We trust the first pagan prophet we see who speaks to us in some newspaper, and we run behind him and ask him if he has the formula for true life. I repeat, doubt has entered our conscience. And it entered through the windows that should have been open to the light: science.”


Though he was, at the time, referring to "science", his words today could have a much broader meaning. Seems to me that Satan's smoke is getting thicker and more toxic the more we progress through this current papacy. But, that's just my opinion...

Last edited by J Michael; 01/15/24 06:29 PM.
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The response to Fiducia supplicans should be, object, reject and remain. A bold and needed voice is that of Bishop Robert Gerardus Mutsaerts, Dutch Bishop Says ‘Fiducia Supplicans’ is ‘Not Pastoral, Nor is it Merciful’ [catholicvote.org] and Dutch bishop blasts ‘cowardly’ ...candalized Catholics not to leave Church [lifesitenews.com].

A defensive tactic of advocates and defenders of Fiducia s. is to avoid the actual heterodox proposal by seemingly commenting on it but actually with something related that is orthodox. So we bless everyone -- every-ONE. Here is Pope Francis himself:

Quote
Rome Newsroom, Jan 15, 2024 / 09:37 am

Pope Francis responded publicly to questions about the Vatican’s declaration on blessings for same-sex couples for the first time in a television interview on Sunday night.
...
The pope underlined that “the Lord blesses everyone” and that a blessing is an invitation to enter into a conversation “to see what the road is that the Lord proposes to them.”

“The Lord blesses everyone who is capable of being baptized, that is, every person,” Francis repeated.

Subterfuge at its best. Bait and switch: everyone therefore couples.

It is possible to get lost in all the correct and pertinent critiques and objections to Fiducia s. and its subsequent "Press release" theology. The correct doctrine in the document is made irrelevant by the one word that should be the primary theological focus: couple(s). What needs to be simply said in response is that the Church has not and does not bless couples other than has been done already within the deposit of faith: those who are married or espoused/betrothed in the Church. Theologically, what other legitimate couples are there?


Quote
The Declaration [Fiducia supplicans] contains a proposal for short and simple pastoral blessings (neither liturgical nor ritualised) of couples in irregular situations (but not of their unions)...
. Press release concerning the reception of Fiducia supplicans [vatican.va]

No need to get to the parenthetical and moronic qualification "not of their unions;" the problem is already wiith the word "couples."

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Another aspect pointing to the questionable theology in Fiducia supplicans is that it presumes to be authoritative teaching, rather, it a "vision" and all but exclusively references only Pope Francis:
Quote
Such theological reflection, based on the pastoral vision of Pope Francis, implies a real development from what has been said about blessings in the Magisterium and the official texts of the Church.
No reference to Responsum of the Congregation for t...of the unions of persons of the same sex [press.vatican.va], of 2021, and its:
Quote
At the same time, the Church recalls that God Himself never ceases to bless each of His pilgrim children in this world, ... But he does not and cannot bless sin: he blesses sinful man, so that he may recognize that he is part of his plan of love and allow himself to be changed by him.

And even more so, going back further, something that Pope Francis and, it seems, many Catholics have forgotten:
Quote
Those who would move from tolerance to the legitimization of specific rights for cohabiting homosexual persons need to be reminded that the approval or legalization of evil is something far different from the toleration of evil.

In those situations where homosexual unions have been legally recognized or have been given the legal status and rights belonging to marriage, clear and emphatic opposition is a duty. One must refrain from any kind of formal cooperation in the enactment or application of such gravely unjust laws and, as far as possible, from material cooperation on the level of their application. In this area, everyone can exercise the right to conscientious objection. [emphasis added]
CONSIDERATIONS REGARDING PROPOSALS TO GIVE LEGAL RECOGNITION TO UNIONS BETWEEN HOMOSEXUAL PERSONS [vatican.va], 2003.

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Christ is in our midst!!

The Dutch Bishops Conference publicly rejects the new teaching about blessing people in same sex relationships.

Quote
The Dutch bishops have rejected the Vatican’s recent opening to the blessing of same-sex couples, emphasizing the distinction between blessing individual believers living in irregular relationships and blessing the relationship itself.

They have reverted to the prior Vatican teaching that individual persons can be blessed but irregular relationships cannot.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...261e3514a44d4096804d578e502790&ei=90

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Originally Posted by theophan
Christ is in our midst!!

The Dutch Bishops Conference publicly rejects the new teaching about blessing people in same sex relationships.

Quote
The Dutch bishops have rejected the Vatican’s recent opening to the blessing of same-sex couples, emphasizing the distinction between blessing individual believers living in irregular relationships and blessing the relationship itself.

They have reverted to the prior Vatican teaching that individual persons can be blessed but irregular relationships cannot.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...261e3514a44d4096804d578e502790&ei=90

And here's the statement of the USCCB....hmmm...."WASHINGTON - In response to the Declaration “Fiducia supplicans” issued by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith today, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) offered the following statement from its spokesperson, Chieko Noguchi, executive director of public affairs.

“The Declaration issued today by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) articulated a distinction between liturgical (sacramental) blessings, and pastoral blessings, which may be given to persons who desire God’s loving grace in their lives. The Church’s teaching on marriage has not changed, and this declaration affirms that, while also making an effort to accompany people through the imparting of pastoral blessings because each of us needs God’s healing love and mercy in our lives.”

https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/statement-usccb-vaticans-document-addressing-pastoral-blessings

No mention of the distinction between blessing individuals and blessing relationships. Is the USCCB really as wishy-washy (or lost?) as this seems to imply? Or am I misunderstanding something?

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Is the USCCB really as wishy-washy (or lost?) as this seems to imply?

Let me suggest an answer by a slight rearrangement of the grammar in your question.

" the USCCB Is really as wishy-washy (and lost) as this seems to imply." The USCCB is divided between the bishops appointed by Popes St John Paul 2 and Benedict XVI and those appointed and promoted by Pope Francis. The latter are those who publicly backed these recent policies and have made cardinal, in some cases, as a result.

Bob

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Originally Posted by theophan
Quote
Is the USCCB really as wishy-washy (or lost?) as this seems to imply?

Let me suggest an answer by a slight rearrangement of the grammar in your question.

" the USCCB Is really as wishy-washy (and lost) as this seems to imply." The USCCB is divided between the bishops appointed by Popes St John Paul 2 and Benedict XVI and those appointed and promoted by Pope Francis. The latter are those who publicly backed these recent policies and have made cardinal, in some cases, as a result.

Bob

I've long thought that the USCCB was sorely deficient in both cojones and orthodoxy. You, or rather they, have further confirmed that.

Lord, have mercy!

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J Michael,

I can't blame the bishops too much. Being appointed bishop is a political event, even when it is supposed to be an ecclesial one. Look at what happened to Bishop Strickland. Like the proverbial trout which jumps above the water and is caught by a passing eagle, it pays to keep one's head down and go quietly about one's work. Now there are brave bishops. The bishop of Cleveland is under fire because he has issued strict new guidelines for addressing LGBTQ and transgender issues in his Catholic schools. He's done this despite the document we have been discussing and he has no intention to backtrack.

There is an organization that claimed to be Catholic that provided 12,500 signatures calling for Bishop Strickland to be removed. Turns out that is a mix of all stripes of Christian and others. It's a Leftist front group that made a lot of noise and finished with the head of a Catholic bishop. So it's not a bed of roses for these guys.

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Christ is in our midst!!

It's okay for the Africans to protest, but not the rest of us. We'll eventually "understand."

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...851aff13424baeb92c40db8824d643&ei=44

_______________________________________________________
The mistaken definitions are now being published by the mainstream media. Here is a quote taken from an article whose link is included.

Quote
The Pope officially approved the blessings of same-sex couples

In December 2023, Pope Francis officially approved the blessing of same-sex unions.

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/worl...a591ac4bb14f5fb8d5f2da1a34a54b&ei=34

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This is a worsening situation that may just dissolve into a status quo unless a voice that cannot be dismissed comes forth. Those who remain diplomatically neutral are just the lukewarm of Revelation 3:16. But because thou art lukewarm, and neither cold, not hot, I will begin to vomit thee out of my mouth.

Quote
silence means consent proverbial saying, late 14th century; translation of a Latin tag, ‘qui tacet consentire videtur [he who is silent seems to consent]’, said to have been spoken by Thomas More (1478–1535) when asked at his trial why he was silent on being asked to acknowledge the king's supremacy over the Church. The principle is not accepted in modern English law.
The Oxford Dictionary of Phrase and Fable [oxfordreference.com]

But there is a greater concern: Beware of the "ecumenical" initiatives with the Anglicans.
Pope Francis Commissions Two Female Anglican Bishops [youtube.com]
Anglican, Catholic bishops travel, pray, work together [usccb.org]

Archbishop of Canterbury celebrates Anglican liturgy in a Catholic basilica in Rome [catholicnewsagency.com]

This article puts it in context and provides background.
Archbishop Welby’s liturgical Roman holiday [pillarcatholic.com]

And as is being pointed out by concerned Catholics:

December 17, 2023: Church of England blesses same-sex couples for the first time, but they still can’t wed in church [apnews.com]
December 18, 2023: Fiducia Supplicans [press.vatican.va]

Coincidences or the future of Catholicism?

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