Cardinal Parolin distances himself from Pope Francis on the blessings of gay couples
Sensational from the Vatican. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, goes against Pope Francis on the issue of the blessing of gay couples and the related controversies it has brought with it, starting with the discovery that the creator of it all, Cardinal Fernandez, was – at least in his youth – an expert “pornographer” and now heads the dicastery of the Holy Office. We talked about it here yesterday
The incredible thing is that in the climate of silence regarding certain topics, a sort of self-censorship, the newspapers said little about it while the Pope did not feel the need to clarify how a person like Fernandez manages to lead the most delicate department of the Catholic Church. Let's hope that on Sunday evening Fazio finally has some courage and asks the question, even if Gino Cecchettin's precedent leaves many doubts.
But let's go back to Parolin. For the first time the cautious diplomat clarifies, but his words are very harsh translated into soft language: «If these ferments serve to walk according to the Gospel to give answers to today, these ferments are also welcome. The document aroused very strong reactions, this means that a very delicate, very sensitive point was touched; further investigation will be needed.”
The presentation takes place after a conference at the Accademia dei Lincei.
A journalist insists: “Was it a mistake?” “I won't go into these considerations, the reactions tell us that he touched a very sensitive point,” replies the head of Vatican diplomacy. Which means that this time the omelette is of colossal proportions. The conservatives shouted “blasphemy, heresy and sacrilege” while the progressive group rejoiced at yet another blow to Catholic doctrine which is transforming the Gospel into something completely different, if not exactly the opposite.
But this time Pope Francis seems to have made a big deal because the reactions of the Catholic Churches worldwide were, as Parolin says, very strong. For example, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Head of the African Churches and Archbishop of Kinshasa, wrote a public letter after consulting all the bishops in which he says that the decision to bless gay couples has produced “a shock wave, has sown confusion and restlessness in the souls of many lay faithful, consecrated people and even pastors and has aroused strong reactions”.
In the first letter, the high prelate secures his backside: «In their various messages, the Episcopal Conferences of the Family Church of God in Africa begin by reaffirming their unshakable attachment to the Successor of Peter, their communion with Him and their fidelity to the Gospel»” and then criticizes: «The African pastors believe that the extraliturgical blessings proposed in the Declaration Fiducia supplicans cannot be implemented in Africa without exposing themselves to scandal. Episcopal Conferences generally prefer – each Bishop remaining free in his diocese – not to impart blessings to same-sex couples. This decision arises from concern for potential confusion and scandal within the ecclesial community.”
Vatican, Parolin attacks the Pope for the first time. It took a black cardinal to say that: “The King is naked”. Which is evident even to a “priest from Voghera”
And then the final summary: “The blessing of gay couples in our context would cause confusion and would be in direct contradiction to the cultural ethos of African communities.” The point is that not only in Africa but also in Europe and throughout the world, even to the man in the street and the “priest of Voghera”, the blessing of gay couples would cause bewilderment and confusion.
It took a bishop from black Africa to state that “the King is naked”. Returning to Parolin, his clarification is a very important signal addressed to Pope Francis. Of course, the Secretary of State is angry with Bergoglio for having completely marginalized him in his position which in fact was taken by the progressive Cardinal Matteo Zuppi, a direct expression of Sant'Egidio, but his words are of absolute common sense for the stability of the Church universal Catholicism which could sooner or later suffer a schism.
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