Fiducia supplicans

Fiducia supplicans ("Supplicating Trust")[1] is a 2023 declaration on Catholic doctrine that allows Catholic priests to bless couples who are not considered to be married according to church teaching, including same-sex couples.[2][3] Subtitled "On the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings", the document is dated 18 December 2023 and was released on the same day. Fiducia supplicans was issued by the Holy See's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) and approved with a signature by Pope Francis.[4][5] It was the first declaration issued by the DDF since Dominus Iesus in 2000.[6]

Fiducia supplicans has been widely interpreted.[7] Francis advised that the Holy See's bureaucrats should avoid "rigid ideological positions" three days after the document was issued.[8] Prefect of the DDF Víctor Manuel Fernández later said in an interview that the declaration did not permit blessing the unions, with a DDF press release in January 2024 repeating this. While most coverage reported that Fiducia supplicans reversed a 2021 responsum ad dubium from the DDF's predecessor,[8][9][10][11] which ruled that the Church does not have the "power to give the blessing to unions of persons of the same sex",[12] other commentators said that the 2021 ruling was still effective.[13][14] In its introduction, Fiducia supplicans describes itself as "offering new clarifications" on the 2021 responsum.[15]

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference Wooden was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Flynn, JD (22 December 2023). "Is the 'false narrative' narrative a false narrative?". The Pillar. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  3. ^ Liedl, Jonathan (18 December 2023). "Vatican Says Priests Can Bless Same-Sex Couples Without Condoning Their Lifestyles". Catholic News Agency. Archived from the original on 20 December 2023.
  4. ^ Faiola, Anthony; Pitrelli, Stefano (18 December 2023). "Pope Francis allows blessings of same-sex couples, shifting Vatican guidance". The Washington Post. Retrieved 19 December 2023.
  5. ^ Pinedo, Peter (21 December 2023). "More bishops voice criticism—and support—for Vatican document on blessing same-sex couples". Catholic News Agency. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  6. ^ Coppen, Luke (18 December 2023). "'Fiducia supplicans': What does it say?". The Pillar. Archived from the original on 19 December 2023. Retrieved 20 December 2023.
  7. ^ Pinedo, Peter (21 December 2023). "More bishops voice criticism – and support – for Vatican document on blessing same-sex couples". Catholic News Agency. Archived from the original on 23 December 2023. Retrieved 23 December 2023.
  8. ^ a b Winfield, Nicole (21 December 2023). "After approving blessings for same-sex couples, Pope asks Vatican staff to avoid 'rigid ideologies'". AP News. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  9. ^ Cite error: The named reference :10 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  10. ^ Cite error: The named reference :3 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  11. ^ Cite error: The named reference :14 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  12. ^ Ladaria Ferrer SJ, Luis; Morandi, Giacomo (15 March 2021). "Responsum of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith to a dubium regarding the blessing of the unions of persons of the same sex". Holy See Press Office. Retrieved 30 January 2024.
  13. ^ Cite error: The named reference :16 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  14. ^ Cite error: The named reference :17 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  15. ^ Cite error: The named reference :5 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).