2023-10-02 20:54:36
The Vatican has published the Pope’s answers to a critical letter with controversial questions that five cardinals sent him. The head of the Catholic Church commented on blessings for homosexual couples and the role of women in the church. The so-called Dubia letter from the conservative cardinals from July became public on Monday – a little later the Vatican religious authority made Francis’ answers public.
In a dubia letter, theological questions are framed as doubts, to which the pope usually responds in a “yes or no” format. In the letter that has now become known, in which the German Cardinal Walter Brandmüller was also involved, the churchmen wanted to know whether blessing ceremonies for homosexual couples and the ordination of women should remain banned. The cardinals are critical of the Pope’s reform approaches.
Francis’ response to blessings for homosexual couples was particularly striking because he did not fundamentally reject them. Anyone who asks for a blessing, trusting in God, asks for God’s help in order to be able to live better. One must therefore assess whether there can be forms of blessing without conveying a false idea of marriage. However, the Pope rejected official regulations on this by dioceses or bishops’ conferences. He reiterated that marriage is a union between a man and a woman.
As far as women’s ordination is concerned, i.e. the calling of women to ordination offices, the pontiff remained vague. Although he did not make a clear statement, he hinted that the current strict ban could at least be reviewed again.
The fact that the Vatican – and especially the powerful Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith – published the Pope’s answers is seen as a remarkable step among Vatican experts. His reply, like the letter, was written in July. The five conservative churchmen published their letter two days before the start of the highly anticipated world synod, which is seen as one of Francis’ biggest reform projects.
The Pope had informed them that it was not always advisable to answer questions asked of him directly. However, given the proximity to the Synod, he thought it appropriate to do so in this case.
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