Vatican newspaper publishes defense of Fiducia Supplicans

June 06, 2024

» Continue to this story on L'Osservatore Romano (Italian)

CWN Editor's Note: Father Angelo Lameri, dean of the faculty of theology of the Pontifical Lateran University in Rome, has written a defense of Fiducia Supplicans, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s declaration on the pastoral meaning of blessings, for the Vatican newspaper.

The document, said Father Lameri, “expresses with extreme clarity the distinction between marriage as a sacrament, as an exclusive, stable and indissoluble union between a man and a woman, open to procreation, and that which in fact is not, nor able to be.”

“Pastoral blessings have a very different structure” from a nuptial blessing, he continued. “The pastoral or spontaneous blessing does not intend to speak of the good present in man and in his life, but primarily speaks of the goodness of God toward each of his creatures. It is not a judgment on the actions of people, but instead expresses the Church’s invocation of intercession.”

“Jesus, even before inviting conversion, welcomes the sinner and draws him to himself,” Father Lameri added. “The Church moves in the same way in her pastoral action. And she cannot do otherwise if she wants to remain faithful to the mandate entrusted to her.”

The priest warned that “we cannot hide the risk inherent in these actions. Exploitation by people or organizations that pursue goals that are not strictly pastoral is always lurking. Facing the risk, however, is part of the pastoral action of the Church and her ministers.”

The above note supplements, highlights, or corrects details in the original source (link above). About CWN news coverage.

 

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