There Is Absolutely Nothing Good In Fiducia Supplicans

(This is a supplemental follow-up to my 2/28/2024 Catholic365 article The Unconscionable Pastoral Malpractice of Fiducia Supplicans)

It continues to amaze and sadden me to see the gullibility of many people who defend Fiducia Supplicans and accept at face value the bogus claims within the document and those made elsewhere by Cardinal Fernandez and others that the document and what it authorizes ‘do not violate Church teaching on marriage, nor does the document tacitly accept in any way same sex couples living together in a Satanic mockery of true marriage between a man and a woman.’

The gullibility regarding Fiducia Supplicans comes in many forms. 

Some people actually claim that because the document and Fernandez make statements that it does not do X, therefore it doesn’t do X despite the reality that stands in stark contrast to the claims.

Others claim that the document is ambiguous in part, and so all it needs is some additional clarifications and it will be just fine.

Still others gullibly emphasize that since the document ‘makes very clear’ that such a blessing of people in ‘irregular unions cannot be joined to any sort of ritual’ or take place in a formal Church setting…in order to avoid possibly confusing people about what the Church teaches regarding marriage, that, too, makes it a legitimate action.  Alas, this red herring fools many who obtusely accept the notion that since these blessings are not to take place in a more formal Church setting, this makes them okay or at least more acceptable.

But I don’t care nor should anyone else care if the blessings take place in a closet (as ironic as that might be) or anywhere else in the universe.  It is the blessing itself in any setting that is the most serious problem because it does in fact do what defenders of the document obtusely claim it does not do: it blesses the couple who come for the blessing precisely as an active same sex couple and not as two individuals who are just pals stopping by for a blessing as individuals.

Now good people, ask yourselves the following: Why does the document include a would-be defense and would-be clarification of what it does or does not do?  How many Church documents throughout Church history include such a primer? Give all of the benefit of the doubt you care to give to the motivations of those behind the document, this has all of the makings of a classic snow job to try to knock down in advance legitimate criticisms of the document.  Alas, many gullible people have indeed been swayed by this disingenuous pre-emptive tactic, and they meekly accept what should be on its face totally unacceptable.

The good priest and canon lawyer Fr. Gerald Murray has also called BS on the document and its would-be rationalization by Cardinal Fernandez and all those who gullibly accept his bogus defense of Fiducia Supplicans.  In an interview with Diane Montagna, Fr. Murray thoroughly dismantles the error-filled document, and I wholeheartedly recommend reading a substantial portion of the entire interview that can be found at https://firstthings.com/fiducia-supplicans-should-be-revoked/. Here are a few gems in the interview from the insightful priest:

“It is impossible to bless a couple without blessing the relationship that constitutes the two persons as a couple. To claim otherwise is an exercise in doubletalk.”

“In the logic of FS, the sexual immorality of adultery and sodomy are portrayed as producing the human good of two people forming a couple. That notion is heretical.”

“This failed attempt at verbal engineering seeks to impose a change in the Church’s doctrine and practice without appearing to do so. It is a tactic that counts upon the predisposition of faithful Catholics to accept whatever comes from a Roman dicastery. In this case, such a predisposition must be displaced by the primordial duty to reject whatever is contrary to the faith handed down from the apostles.

FS wrongly claims that it represents an “act of fraternal charity” toward those who want their union as a same-sex “couple” to be blessed. In fact, no Christian charity is being shown when two people involved in a gravely immoral relationship are not told to terminate that relationship, but rather are instructed to come forward to be blessed as a “couple” by a priest.”

Once again, I highly recommend reading the highly substantive portion of the interview at https://firstthings.com/fiducia-supplicans-should-be-revoked/ in order to further understand why no defense of Fiducia Supplicans can be honestly justified by anyone. Along with Father Murray, I hope and pray that Pope Leo will set aside any deference to his immediate predecessor in this regard and completely revoke this pernicious and exceedingly dangerous document and all that it authorizes, because there is absolutely nothing good in it.