Current:Home > reviewsSurpassing:Africa’s Catholic hierarchy refuses same-sex blessings, says such unions are contrary to God’s will -Prime Capital Blueprint
Surpassing:Africa’s Catholic hierarchy refuses same-sex blessings, says such unions are contrary to God’s will
Charles Langston View
Date:2025-04-10 23:45:05
VATICAN CITY (AP) — In the greatest rebuke yet to Pope Francis,Surpassing the Catholic bishops of Africa and Madagascar issued a unified statement Thursday refusing to follow his declaration allowing priests to offer blessings to same-sex couples and asserting that such unions are “contrary to the will of God.”
The statement, signed by Congolese Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo on behalf of the symposium of African national bishops conferences, marked the closest thing to a continent-wide dissent from the declaration Francis approved Dec. 18 allowing priests to offer such blessings.
That declaration from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith has sent shock waves through the Catholic Church, thrilling LGBTQ+ Catholics as a concrete sign of Francis’ message of welcome but alarming conservatives who fear core doctrines of the church are being ignored or violated.
The controversy has deepened a growing chasm between Francis’ progressive, reform-minded papacy and the conservative church in much of the world, especially Africa, where the number of Catholics is growing at a faster rate than anywhere else.
The Vatican declaration restated traditional church teaching that marriage is a lifelong union between a man and woman. But it allowed priests to offer spontaneous, non-liturgical blessings to same-sex couples seeking God’s grace in their lives, provided such blessings aren’t confused with the rites and rituals of a wedding.
In his statement, Ambongo said it wasn’t appropriate for African priests to offer such blessings because of the scandal and confusion it would create. He cited biblical teaching condemning homosexuality as an abomination and the African cultural context, where he asserted that LGBTQ+ unions “are seen as contradictory to cultural norms and intrinsically corrupt.”
“Within the church family of God in Africa, this declaration has caused a shockwave, it has sown misconceptions and unrest in the minds of many lay faithful, consecrated persons and even pastors, and has aroused strong reactions,” he wrote.
While stressing that African bishops remain in communion with Francis, he said they believed such blessings cannot be carried out because “in our context, this would cause confusion and would be in direct contradiction to the cultural ethos of African communities.”
A few weeks ago, Burundi’s President Evariste Ndayishimiye said “people of the same sex who marry in this country should be taken to a stadium to be pelted with stones, once discovered.” In a radio broadcast Dec. 29, he asked Burundians living abroad who practice homosexuality “not to return home.”
Ambongo said the symposium statement was a “consolidated summary” of the positions adopted by individual national bishops conferences, and said it had received the “agreement” of Francis and the doctrine office’s new prefect, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández.
The botched rollout of the Dec. 18 declaration has heightened conservative criticism of Fernández, whom Francis appointed to the office over the summer. Fernández apparently published the text with little consultation inside the Vatican and no forewarning to bishops in the rest of the world.
Usually, when such sensitive Vatican documents are being prepared, there is an attempt to at least not blindside local church leaders. Often they are released with an accompanying letter or explanatory note published by Vatican Media, and are given to journalists ahead of time under an embargo to ensure the reporting is accurate and thought through.
No such extra documentation or preparation accompanied Fiducia Supplicans, as the text is known, and its rollout was marked by individual bishops and entire national conferences voicing confusion and opposition.
Others have welcomed it. France’s bishops conference, for example, said in a statement Wednesday that the declaration encourages pastors to “generously bless the people who come to them humbly asking for God’s help.”
The document “reminds us that those who are not in a position to commit themselves to the sacrament of marriage are not excluded from the love of God or of his church,” the French bishops said.
After its initial publication, Fernández was forced to issue a second explanatory note a few weeks later, insisting there was nothing “heretical” in the document but acknowledging the opposing views. He acknowledged that it may not be applicable to some parts of the world and that further “pastoral reflection” might be necessary.
veryGood! (3918)
Related
- Costco membership growth 'robust,' even amid fee increase: What to know about earnings release
- Okta says security breach disclosed in October was way worse than first thought
- Franklin Sechriest, Texas man who set fire to an Austin synagogue, sentenced to 10 years
- Paste Magazine acquires Jezebel, plans to relaunch it just a month after it was shut down by G/O Media
- Arkansas State Police probe death of woman found after officer
- Massachusetts lawmakers consider funding temporary shelter for homeless migrant families
- AP Week in Pictures: Europe and Africa
- Daryl Hall accuses John Oates of 'ultimate partnership betrayal' in plan to sell stake in business
- EU countries double down on a halt to Syrian asylum claims but will not yet send people back
- New York punished 2,000 prisoners over false positive drug tests, report finds
Ranking
- Finally, good retirement news! Southwest pilots' plan is a bright spot, experts say
- Russia’s Lavrov faces Western critics at security meeting, walks out after speech
- Rather than play another year, Utah State QB Levi Williams plans for Navy SEAL training
- Missouri prosecutor accuses 3 men of holding student from India captive and beating him
- Why we love Bear Pond Books, a ski town bookstore with a French bulldog 'Staff Pup'
- Where to watch 'Home Alone' on TV, streaming this holiday season
- Government watchdog launches probe into new FBI headquarters site selection
- Pickleball played on the Goodyear Blimp at 1,500 feet high? Yep, and here are the details
Recommendation
Justice Department, Louisville reach deal after probe prompted by Breonna Taylor killing
Report: Belief death penalty is applied unfairly shows capital punishment’s growing isolation in US
Congressmen ask DOJ to investigate water utility hack, warning it could happen anywhere
Missouri prosecutor accuses 3 men of holding student from India captive and beating him
The Grammy nominee you need to hear: Esperanza Spalding
House on Zillow Gone Wild wins 'most unique way to show off your car collection'
Stock market today: Asian shares slip after Wall Street ends its best month of ’23 with big gains
Southern Charm's Olivia Flowers Details Difficult First Holidays 10 Months After Brother's Death