On the eve of a synod on the future of the Church, five conservative cardinals publicly asked Pope Francis to reaffirm Catholic doctrine on gay couples and the ordination of women.
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In an official document published by two Vatican specialist blogs, the German Walter Brandmüller, the American Raymond Burke, the Mexican Sandoval Íñiguez, the Guinean Robert Sarah and the former bishop of Hong Kong Joseph Zen question the pope on the blessing of same-sex couples, the ordination of women or even the conditions of absolution. In their series of questions, the five cardinals express in particular their concern that the blessing of homosexual couples by the Church is considered as “ a possible good “. For these five prelates, on the contrary, the state of life of these people is considered “ objectively sinful situations “.
The Church has a very clear conception of marriage, Francis replies, namely the union of a man and a woman. While reminding that she must not forget “ pastoral charity “. And to warn pastors against the temptation to be “ judges who only deny, reject, exclude “. The Pope thus shows himself open to LGBT+ couples being able to be blessed by clerics, without this becoming a norm. In all cases, explains the Jesuit Pope, we must know how to discern.
These words from the sovereign pontiff remind us how the view of homosexual couples remains a divisive subject for the Catholic Church, observes our correspondent at the Vatican, Eric Senanque. They also recall this sentence pronounced in 2016 by Pope Francis: “ If a person is gay and seeks the Lord who am I to judge them? » asked the sovereign pontiff.
This publication comes on the eve of the opening of the 16th Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, during which more than 450 members – bishops, women and lay people – will debate behind closed doors for a month on a series of social issues, following an extensive two-year consultation of Catholics around the world. Welcoming LGBT+ people and divorced people, polygamy, married priests, place of women, sexual violence: the subjects raised by the faithful include a series of sensitive questions and have given rise to fears of a distortion of the doctrine among a conservative fringe of the Church. For the first time in the history of the Catholic Church, Francis also opened the right to vote to women and non-consecrated laity, a decision described as ” revolution » by observers.
This Ordinary General Assembly, which has a consultative role, will be followed by a second session in October 2024, following which the Pope could possibly take into account the conclusions of this work in an official document. Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has repeatedly aroused the ire of conservatives, notably by restricting the use of the traditional Latin mass in 2021.
Read alsoPope’s remarks on homosexuality spark controversy
(And with AFP)