THE CATHOLIC CHURCH ON THE BLESSING OF SAME-SEX UNIONS
The Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith says "No" to the blessing of same-sex unions. The CDF document exposes both some of the limitations of the church's pastoral approach to LGBTQ Catholics and of Pope Francis' Reform
The Vatican Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith says "No" to the blessing of same-sex unions. The CDF document exposes both some of the limitations of the church's pastoral approach to LGBTQ Catholics and of Pope Francis' Reform
Although the document and the commentary give three reasons to support this decision, the primary and ultimate reason is based upon the Catholic Church’s traditional understanding of the relationship and connection between human sexuality and marriage. According to the teaching of the church, marriage can only be a union between a man and a woman and sexual relations can only be morally acceptable within the context of such a union. For this reason, the CDF states that “it is not licit to impart a blessing on relationships, or partnerships, even stable, that involve sexual activity outside of marriage (i.e., outside the indissoluble union of a man and a woman open in itself to the transmission of life), as is the case of the unions between persons of the same sex.” (CDF Document, 1). The commentary states that the source for the church’s teaching on marriage and human sexuality is found in the design of God inscribed in creation and God’s revelation in Jesus Christ. (CDF Commentary, 2). Although the CDF does not say it this way, the church is clearly affirming that its teaching on marriage and human sexuality is supported by both the natural law and divine revelation and, as such, it is an absolute and immutable teaching of the church. Consequently, not only do same-sex unions violate this norm, but all unions that involve sexual activity outside of marriage do so as well. What the church is saying is that it is God who set things up this way, not the church. As a result, the church does not have the power to bless same-sex unions. (CDF Commentary, 2).
Given the reaction to the CDF document and commentary by the Catholic LGTBQ community and the Catholic bishops, priests, religious sisters, and laity who minister to them, it does not seem that the church has adequately dealt with the pastoral question or offered any hope or encouragement to Catholic LGBTQ persons. To tell an LGTBQ Catholic that one’s own self-understanding and sexual orientation is basically unnatural, against God’s law for the order of creation, and against divine revelation does not offer much room for a positive pastoral approach. The positive and loving aspect of the relationship of persons in a same-sex union is totally cancelled out by condemning them to a state of objective sin from which they cannot escape unless they renounce their own self-understanding and give up the fulfillment of their sexual orientation. The Catholic Church is asking LGBTQ Catholics to commit psychological suicide.
The church’s present teaching on marriage and human sexuality correlates an abstract philosophy of the natural law which evaluates the morality of human sexuality on the basis of the physical completion of the sexual act with a literal interpretation of the scriptural statements on marriage and human sexuality. In such a framework element like personal identity, sexual orientation, and loving personal relationships are not considered relevant to the moral evaluation of marriage human sexuality. In fact, all of these aspects, and others, are seen as extraneous to the morality of marriage and human sexuality.
What makes the recently released Vatican document, along with the pope’s apparent approval, even more perplexing is that is appears so inconsistent with Pope Francis’ overall effort to reforming the church according to a more pastoral, kerygmatic, and less dogmatic approach. His typical approach has not been to issue dogmatic statements that attempt to totally solve an issue and leave no room for further reflection. At the same time, Francis also has been reluctant to directly challenge any core Catholic doctrines, or to call for reform of doctrinal teachings that present intrinsic obstacles to pastoral reforms in some areas, like giving the church’s blessing to same-sex unions. His approach has been to try to find some resolution in what he calls the “overflow.” Although Francis accepts doctrinal diversity and the possibility of the development of doctrine, he does not seem to want to take on the thorny issue of something like reforming the church’s teaching on marriage and human sexuality. Yet, the release of the recent Vatican document makes it painfully apparent that the church’s pastoral outreach to LGBTQ Catholics is doomed to failure unless there is a church-initiated effort to engage in a renewed theological reflection on the church’s present formulation of its teaching on marriage and human sexuality in light of contemporary Catholic theological studies and more positive theological developments in contemporary Catholic theology. (John Connolly, see article)
Although the document and the commentary give three reasons to support this decision, the primary and ultimate reason is based upon the Catholic Church’s traditional understanding of the relationship and connection between human sexuality and marriage. According to the teaching of the church, marriage can only be a union between a man and a woman and sexual relations can only be morally acceptable within the context of such a union. For this reason, the CDF states that “it is not licit to impart a blessing on relationships, or partnerships, even stable, that involve sexual activity outside of marriage (i.e., outside the indissoluble union of a man and a woman open in itself to the transmission of life), as is the case of the unions between persons of the same sex.” (CDF Document, 1). The commentary states that the source for the church’s teaching on marriage and human sexuality is found in the design of God inscribed in creation and God’s revelation in Jesus Christ. (CDF Commentary, 2). Although the CDF does not say it this way, the church is clearly affirming that its teaching on marriage and human sexuality is supported by both the natural law and divine revelation and, as such, it is an absolute and immutable teaching of the church. Consequently, not only do same-sex unions violate this norm, but all unions that involve sexual activity outside of marriage do so as well. What the church is saying is that it is God who set things up this way, not the church. As a result, the church does not have the power to bless same-sex unions. (CDF Commentary, 2).
Given the reaction to the CDF document and commentary by the Catholic LGTBQ community and the Catholic bishops, priests, religious sisters, and laity who minister to them, it does not seem that the church has adequately dealt with the pastoral question or offered any hope or encouragement to Catholic LGBTQ persons. To tell an LGTBQ Catholic that one’s own self-understanding and sexual orientation is basically unnatural, against God’s law for the order of creation, and against divine revelation does not offer much room for a positive pastoral approach. The positive and loving aspect of the relationship of persons in a same-sex union is totally cancelled out by condemning them to a state of objective sin from which they cannot escape unless they renounce their own self-understanding and give up the fulfillment of their sexual orientation. The Catholic Church is asking LGBTQ Catholics to commit psychological suicide.
The church’s present teaching on marriage and human sexuality correlates an abstract philosophy of the natural law which evaluates the morality of human sexuality on the basis of the physical completion of the sexual act with a literal interpretation of the scriptural statements on marriage and human sexuality. In such a framework element like personal identity, sexual orientation, and loving personal relationships are not considered relevant to the moral evaluation of marriage human sexuality. In fact, all of these aspects, and others, are seen as extraneous to the morality of marriage and human sexuality.
What makes the recently released Vatican document, along with the pope’s apparent approval, even more perplexing is that is appears so inconsistent with Pope Francis’ overall effort to reforming the church according to a more pastoral, kerygmatic, and less dogmatic approach. His typical approach has not been to issue dogmatic statements that attempt to totally solve an issue and leave no room for further reflection. At the same time, Francis also has been reluctant to directly challenge any core Catholic doctrines, or to call for reform of doctrinal teachings that present intrinsic obstacles to pastoral reforms in some areas, like giving the church’s blessing to same-sex unions. His approach has been to try to find some resolution in what he calls the “overflow.” Although Francis accepts doctrinal diversity and the possibility of the development of doctrine, he does not seem to want to take on the thorny issue of something like reforming the church’s teaching on marriage and human sexuality. Yet, the release of the recent Vatican document makes it painfully apparent that the church’s pastoral outreach to LGBTQ Catholics is doomed to failure unless there is a church-initiated effort to engage in a renewed theological reflection on the church’s present formulation of its teaching on marriage and human sexuality in light of contemporary Catholic theological studies and more positive theological developments in contemporary Catholic theology. (John Connolly, see article)