After their bold attempt to approve blessing same sex relationships (as I posted two weeks ago), the Vatican responded with a letter. Not a personal visit, but a letter suggesting a face to face meeting. The letter spends most of its ink on rejecting the ordination of women, but adds this short note to what is considered "a proposal of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith."
From Rorate Caeli and Die Tagespost
b) Another issue on which a local Church has no possibility of taking a different view concerns homosexual acts. For even if one recognizes that from a subjective point of view there may be various factors that call us not to judge people, this in no way changes the evaluation of the objective morality of these acts.
The constant teaching of the Church emphasizes that "the objective moral evaluation of sexual relations between persons of the same sex is precisely and certainly established. Another question, which is not under discussion here, is the degree of subjective moral imputability of such relationships in each individual case." *
* Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, Notification concerning certain writings of Fr. Marciano Vidal, C.Ss.R. (February 22, 2001).
Note that this letter is not a denunciation, but more of a "Let's talk about it" message to an intimate friend, and it does not come from Pope Francis, but instead was sent by Cardinal Secretary of State Pietro Parolin.
Not exactly as harsh as the being removed from office which is what happened to the conservative Archbishop Joseph Strickland in Texas a few weeks ago.
Addendum: Cardinal Raymond Burke also may get unequal treatment (From Fox News),
"During a meeting last week with the heads of Vatican offices, Francis said he was taking action against Burke because of his disunity, one of the Nov. 20 meeting participants told the Associated Press. The participant spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not in a position to reveal the details of the meeting."
"The second participant who spoke out on condition of anonymity said the pontiff was revoking Burke’s salary as a retired cardinal, as well as his privilege of having a subsidized Vatican apartment because he used the resources against the Catholic church."
Was Parolin's letter just a wrist slap with a wet noodle?
Time will tell.
Posts
It looks to me like Francis would like to authorize same-sex blessings but dares not, yet. The next pope, elected by the stacked College of Cardinals, may take the plunge.
ReplyDeleteWhat is puzzling is that since Francis has said plainly that women cannot be ordained, it sounds like at least he recognizes the biological reality of male and female -- but on the other hand he recently hosted transsexuals for lunch.
Ross Douthat points out in his NY Times opinion piece (no link, I got it secondhand and don't subscribe) that German bishops pushing heresy get a letter, while bishops holding to the traditional faith (Strickland, Burke) get fired. Draw your own conclusions.
ReplyDeleteI'm sure Douhat got that idea from this blog.
Delete