A Few Thoughts on Pope Francis & Blessings on Same-Sex Couples

Right before Christmas, the Church issued a document called Fudicia supplicans, which is about the pastoral meaning of blessings. It heavily focuses on the blessing of people in “irregular relationships.” The document has triggered strong reactions! Many people think that the Pope is paving the way to validating same-sex relationships; some are happy about this, and some are very angry.

The biggest issue I have about this whole situation is that many people are not reading the document, but rather forming opinions based on headlines from various news outlets. It seems to me that this is not uncommon, and it leads to people not being able to think for themselves. In one of the first paragraphs, Fiducia supplicans explicitly states that the church is not changing her teaching on marriage. The document makes clear that blessings are not to be given to the union between a same-sex couple, but rather to them as individuals who are seeking God.

My belief is that Pope Francis, by issuing this document, is trying to be pastoral to people in the peripheries of the Church. The document is an invitation for those in irregular relationships to be blessed through the Church. I think it is good that the document brings up that it is right and good to bless people, even though they are living in a way contrary to God’s will.

Being pastoral requires both faithfulness to God and faithfulness to the human person. It is about teaching the truth with charity, and I think Fiducia supplicans does both:

“One should neither provide for not promote a ritual for the blessings of couples in an irregular situation. At the same time, one should not prevent or prohibit the Church’s closeness to people in every situation in which they might seek God’s help through a simple blessing” (38).

It does make me sad to see many negative things being said of the Holy Father. I think it’s okay and healthy to question him but, as Fr. Ed has said, the papacy is to be approached with faith. One may not like what Pope Francis is doing, but he is the pope, the Vicar of Christ, chosen by the Holy Spirit. He must be spoken of with charity and respect. He needs prayers just like everyone else.

For me, the bottom line is that the Holy Father has a duty to unite the Church. It seems like Fiducia supplicans is an attempt to do so. Pope Francis is very pastoral and might have insights that others don’t about what the Church needs right now.

“And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it” (Matthew 16: 18).