HOTSPOT
A day after his 87th birthday, Pope Francis surprised the world on Dec. 18 by sending a gift to millions of lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgender, queer and intersex (LGBTQI) persons. He gave them the gift of Catholic blessings.
The historic declaration titled Fiducia Supplicans: On the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings “offers a specific and innovative contribution to the pastoral meaning of blessings, permitting a broadening and enrichment of the classical understanding of blessings,” according to the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
The Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines immediately released an advisory on the matter. While saying that “the document speaks for itself, and therefore does not require much explanation,” the CBCP highlighted several paragraphs, including the following:
“…Pope Francis urged us not to close pastoral charity, which should permeate all our decisions and attitudes and to avoid being judges who only deny, reject, and exclude. Let us then respond to the Holy Father’s proposal by developing a broader understanding of blessings.”
“…when people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral analysis should not be placed as a precondition for conferring it. For, those seeking a blessing should not be required to have prior moral perfection.”
“For this reason, one should neither provide for nor 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.”
Exactly how bishops and priests would bless same-sex couples, we still do not know. The declaration left it to pastors on how to impart their blessing, and that there would be no formal rite for this purpose.
What the declaration makes certain is that same-sex couples may now ask to be blessed, and the Catholic Church sees no theological impediment to granting such a request. In fact, the declaration and the Pope’s many statements on blessings stress that imparting blessings are a pastoral duty of the church.
If the Catholic Church finds merit in blessing “persons; objects of worship and devotion; sacred images; places of life, of work, and suffering; the fruits of the Earth and human toil; and all created realities,” and even has a Book of Blessings for countless purposes, there is now scarcely any reason to deny blessings to same-sex couples who seek them.
The Catholic Church should catch up with other more progressive and more inclusive Christian churches.
Same-sex couples are either blessed or solemnized in church by ministers or priests in the Metropolitan Community Church, Episcopal Church in the USA, Presbyterian Church USA, Quakers, Alliance of Baptists, Church of England, Church of Scotland, Scottish Episcopal Church, Old Catholic Church of The Netherlands, the Christian Catholic Church of Switzerland, Catholic Diocese of the Old Catholics of Germany, Methodist Church of Great Britain, Mennonite Church, Unitarian Universalists, Federation of Swiss Protestant Churches, Church of Sweden, Church of Norway, United Protestant Church of France, Lutheran Evangelical Church in Italy, Anglican Church in New Zealand, Uniting Church in Australia, Episcopal Anglican Church in Brazil, Church of Iceland, and 20 Lutheran, United and Reformed churches in Germany.
Locally, many mainline Protestant churches have declared themselves inclusive and welcoming of LGBTQI persons. A number of them have asked for forgiveness for offending, disowning, judging and marginalizing Christians who happen to be LGBTQI.
Sure, there are some pushbacks from some Catholic bishops and priests scandalized by Pope Francis’ efforts to open up the church in the 21st century. It is for the traditionalists and anti-reform forces to justify continuing to exclude and to marginalize LGBTQI people and same-sex couples.
In Catholic-majority Philippines, the new declaration is welcome news. This is further affirmation for our brothers, sisters, cousins, aunts, uncles, friends, neighbors, classmates, officemates, even parents and grandparents, who may happen to be LGBTQI. We say “further affirmation” because by their own existence, their dignity, their rights, their economic, social and social responsibilities, and their desire to enter into loving relationships, they themselves also bless us.
To everyone: May we have a blessed Christmas and may we be a blessing to others.