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Friday, December 22, 2023

Statement from Dignity/USA on Blessings for LGBTQIA+ Catholics

 


Reflecting on our shared journey this year fills me with gratitude for the strides we've taken. This week’s events mark a significant milestone for DignityUSA and the LGBTQIA+ Catholic community worldwide. The Vatican’s announcement is a profound recognition: same-sex couples can now receive blessings from priests—the first official acknowledgement that our relationships can be holy that we’ve seen from the Catholic Church hierarchy.

While we acknowledge that this is a small step, we can’t downplay the importance of this shift. It is a stark reversal from a past practices which denied us these blessings and caused significant pastoral harm. It symbolizes a willingness to reconsider discriminatory theology. It's also a validation of the tireless efforts by LGBTQIA+ Catholics and allies to affirm that our identities align with our faith. This statement signals progress towards full equality, reflecting the growing belief among many Catholics that LGBTQIA+ identities and relationships are sacred.

We encourage pastors to embrace this opportunity, offering blessings to same-sex couples seeking affirmation. This support from our Church matters deeply and can make a profound difference in the lives of LGBTQIA+ individuals, fostering a space for celebration and acceptance of our lives and our relationships.

In this time of Advent anticipation, we support this declaration welcoming couples from our community into the Church. We realize that there is still much more work to be done. Your donations to DignityUSA's Advent Appeal propel us forward in our mission. Will you help us continue to foster dialogue promoting a more inclusive Church and world?

Together, we are creating a future where everyone within our Catholic family is embraced and celebrated.

With sincere gratitude,

Marianne Duddy-Burke

Executive Director, DignityUSA

Thursday, December 21, 2023

More signs of hope from the synod synthesis report by Thomas Groome

 


More signs of hope from the synod synthesis report by Thomas Groome and my response :

Kudos to Thomas Groome for digging into the gems of hope within the Synodal document.

As we engage in this ongoing Synodal journey, may all our voices be heard including Roman Catholic Women Priests who have been creating a  spiritual home for everyone by welcoming everyone to celebrate sacraments including those who are most marginalized. Pope Francis’s affirmation:”Todos, Todos,” has been our vision for the past 21 years since 7  courageous Catholic women were ordained on the Danube . Let’s hope Francis’s words of welcome includes all of us!


More signs of hope from the synod synthesis report


Members of the assembly of the Synod of Bishops pray with Pope Francis before a working session in the Vatican's Paul VI Audience Hall Oct. 16. (CNS/Lola Gomez)

Members of the assembly of the Synod of Bishops pray with Pope Francis before a working session in the Vatican's Paul VI Audience Hall Oct. 16. (CNS/Lola Gomez)

BY THOMAS GROOME

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In a recent and typically fine essay, Tom Reese elaborated on "15 hidden gems in the synod on synodality report." With this, Reese was inviting us to a second and more in-depth reading after the initial and mixed responses to "A Synodal Church in Mission," the synthesis report issued promptly after the close of the XVI Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in Rome Oct 4-29.

Note first that most see the move toward synodality as a renewed impetus for the vision of the Second Vatican Council (1962-65) as epitomized in Lumen Gentium, the Dogmatic Constitution on the Church. There, the council portrays the church as first a mystery and then "the people of God," before reflecting on its "hierarchical structure" — in a sense, turning the church upside down from its hierarchical pyramid. 

Synodality now is the way forward that can engage the whole people of God as active agents of their faith, moving along together.

Yet there was serious disappointment with the synod's synthesis report on at least two crucial fronts: It did not endorse the ordination of women to the diaconate, and it made no explicit mention of full inclusion in the church for LGBTQ+ people.

Synodality now is the way forward that can engage the whole people of God as active agents of their faith, moving along together.

TWEET THIS

As a sign of hope, however, the report notes that while there was opposition, there was also a strong sentiment that admitting women to the diaconate would "restore the practice of the Early Church" and thus would be "faithful to the tradition." This prompts the reasonable cry of "What are we waiting for?"

Likewise, while it does not use the term LGBTQ+, the synthesis report repeatedly uses the word "welcome" as defining the imperative posture of the church toward all peoples. 

Pope Francis' constant chant of "todos" is generally heard as highlighting a particular welcome for LGBTQ+ people. In his sermon on Sunday, Oct. 29, the day after this synod gathering closed, Francis called for — as he has so often — "a church with open doors that is a haven of mercy" for all.

There is also fresh hope for the church to develop a truly "catholic" (inclusive) stance toward its LGBTQ+ members in the repeated insistence in the synthesis report that, when addressing such social issues, theology needs to be in dialogue with the sciences. 

For example: "It is important to deepen the dialogue between the human sciences, especially psychology and theology, for an understanding of human experience that does not merely situate these approaches side by side but integrates them into a more mature synthesis." 

Visitors gather in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican to pray the Angelus with Pope Francis Oct. 29. (CNS/Lola Gomez)

Visitors gather in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican to pray the Angelus with Pope Francis Oct. 29. (CNS/Lola Gomez)

Dialogue with the sciences, then, will help the church recognize the wide spectrum and the natural givenness of sexual orientation — rather than by choice — with all equally reflecting the image and likeness of God.

The Reese essay, however, invites us to look beyond such critiques of the synthesis report and to highlight the many positive aspects of the document that could be overlooked or skewed by its shortcomings. He found 15 "hidden gems" in all; I would like to elaborate on a few of them and add a few more.

Relocating priestly formation

The synod report often blames the current priesthood's "culture of clericalism" for many of its woes. For example: "Clericalism, a chauvinist mentality and inappropriate expression of authority continues to scar the face of the Church and damage its communion." 

For this reason, "a thorough review of formation for ordained ministry in view of the missionary and synodal dimensions of the Church is called for," the report says.

The synthesis proposes that the church move the education of future priests out of the all-male environment of the traditional seminary and relocate to a more inclusive context that would engage "the whole ecclesial community," including women faculty.

Pope Francis accepts the offertory gifts as he celebrates Mass marking the end of the first session of the assembly of the Synod of Bishops on synodality in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Oct. 29. (CNS/Lola Gomez)

Pope Francis accepts the offertory gifts as he celebrates Mass marking the end of the first session of the assembly of the Synod of Bishops on synodality in St. Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican Oct. 29. (CNS/Lola Gomez)

More people to preach

This hopeful nugget is cast within what is a present ecclesial reality, namely that "pastoral practice at the parish, diocesan, and, recently, even universal levels, increasingly entrusts lay people with tasks and ministries within the Church itself." 

Wanting to encourage such breaking open of formal functions of ministry to the nonordained, the report recommends "expanding responsibilities assigned to the existing ministry of lector" to "become a fuller ministry of the Word of God, which in appropriate contexts could also include preaching." 

Taking preaching out of the exclusive hands of the ordained and opening it to laypeople with the requisite gift and theological background would surely expand the diversity of perspectives and spiritual resources represented in the preaching of our parishes. 

Optional celibacy for priesthood

On this issue, the synod's lack of courage ranks with its avoidance on women in the diaconate, designating both as requiring "further study." Yet it reflects some hope that this is still an open question.

The report asks whether "for priestly ministry should [celibacy] necessarily translate into a disciplinary obligation in the Latin Church." The latter note recognizes implicitly that Eastern Orthodox Catholic Churches — as well as the Orthodox Church in general — maintain the option for their priests between the celibate life or being married. Indeed, the Roman church did likewise for its first 1,200 years or so, and more recently has admitted hundreds of married priests from Anglican and other high church traditions. 

The possibility of married priests in the Catholic communion, and especially in cultures where priests are scarce, would bring a whole new breath of life to the church and its pastoral ministries. Let's hope the "further study" won't take long — like not beyond the next synodal assembly in fall 2024.

To reengage resigned priests in some functions of ministry

In the wake of Vatican II, literally thousands of priests in the Western church requested permission to resign from priesthood, the vast majority in order to marry. Many were granted a formal dispensation, but on the explicitly stated condition that they refrain from all functions and forms of ministry. For example, they (we) were forbidden to serve as lectors or eucharistic ministers. 

Apart from the punitive attitude of such disbarment, it robbed the church of a huge pool of highly trained and talented ministers. How sad that they were not simply granted a dispensation from their promise of celibacy with permission to marry — and to carry on with their priestly ministry.

A concelebrating priest dips the host into consecrated wine during Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Oct. 29, marking the conclusion of the first session of the Synod of Bishops on synodality. (CNS/Vatican Media)

A concelebrating priest dips the host into consecrated wine during Mass in St. Peter's Basilica at the Vatican Oct. 29, marking the conclusion of the first session of the Synod of Bishops on synodality. (CNS/Vatican Media)

Though brief in its statement, it seems that the synod was at least open to some flexibility to reengage resigned priests in some active ministerial capacity. It states: "On a case-by-case basis, and in accordance with the context, the possibility should be considered of re-inserting priests who have left the ministry in pastoral services that recognize their formation and experience." And why not to preside at Eucharist?

Some possibility of shared Eucharist

In many cultures, marriage between Catholics and people from other Christian traditions is very common. Non-Catholic Christians are currently "prohibited by law" (Canon 912) from receiving the Eucharist. But might it be pastorally wise to welcome to the table Christian partners whose faith affirms the "real presence" of the risen Christ? 

Without offering a decision, the synod appeared to be open to this possibility. It states: "We need to examine the issue of Eucharistic hospitality ... from theological, canonical and pastoral perspectives. ... This issue is of particular importance to inter-church couples."

An afterthought

The dominant scholarly opinion now is that admitting women to the diaconate would "restore the practice of the Early Church" and thus would be "faithful to the tradition." Theological logic suggests that they be admitted to priesthood and episcopacy as well. Note that we have always spoken of "holy orders" (plural) and yet have counted seven rather than nine sacraments.

Participants in the assembly of the Synod of Bishops walk through the ancient Catacombs of St. Sebastian in Rome after praying at the Basilica of St. Sebastian as part of a pilgrimage Oct. 12. (CNS/Lola Gomez)

Participants in the assembly of the Synod of Bishops walk through the ancient Catacombs of St. Sebastian in Rome after praying at the Basilica of St. Sebastian as part of a pilgrimage Oct. 12. (CNS/Lola Gomez)

In other words, these three orders are all mediations of one and the same sacramental grace, albeit each ordered for three particular functions of service to the Christian community. 

Sadly, the synod doesn't even mention this logical possibility regarding women in priesthood and episcopacy. Perhaps in the interest of first reaching wider pastoral consensus, this synod gathering thought it wise to "take one step at a time." Yet while waiting for women to be admitted to all three holy orders, it seems appropriate to cry out with the psalmist, "How long, oh God, how long?"

On a personal note, it may surprise that I was confirmed in my conviction that women be admitted to all three holy orders from my repeated praying of the Hail Mary (which I do 50 times a night — unless I fall asleep first). As I meditated on "Holy Mary, Mother of God," I began to recognize that Mary was the first to mediate the "body and blood" presence of God in human history with the conception and birth of Jesus. 

Recognizing this theotokos role of Mary in the work of our salvation — as Mother of God — I became all the more convinced that no sacramental function can be validly denied to women. And as long as we deny their full inclusion in all orders of ministry we are well advised to ask Mary to "pray for us sinners."

This story appears in the Synod on Synodalityfeature series. View the full series.

Tuesday, December 19, 2023

"Pope Approves Blessings for Same-Sex couples that Must Not Resemble Marriage "by Nicole Winfield and David Crary, Response by Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWP

 https://apnews.com/article/vatican-lgbtq-pope-bfa5b71fa79055626e362936e739d1d8



A representative of Dignity USA, a group of LGBTQ+ Catholics, wears pins on the lanyard of his pilgrim credential, outside the Sao Vicente de Paulo Parish Social Center, after Pope Francis visited it, in the Serafina neighbourhood of Lisbon, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023. (AP Photo/Armando Franca, 


My Response: Pope Francis has taken compassionate pastoral steps to open hearts to LGBTQ+ individuals and communities by listening to their lived experiences on same-sex love. The next step will be correcting the Church's toxic teaching that labels homosexual acts as morally disordered. What is needed now is for the hierarchy to affirm a theology of sexual ethics that teaches just love. God is love and all committed loving relationships reflect divine love-whether heterosexual or homosexual.
I hope that Pope Francis takes another courageous step forward by initiating a conversation with the most marginalized women in the Church:Roman Catholic Women Priests. We have been unjustly excommunicated by the Vatican for ordaining women and all genders to create inclusive ecclesial communities and ministries.  For example, ordained Catholic women have been blessing LGBTQ+ unions and presiding at same-sex marriages for over 20+ years. The Synod on Synodality provides a wonderful time to build bridges of understanding and open dialogue about our common mission of creating a church for everyone. One such opportunity is offered by People's Catholic Seminary from January- March 2024 at the three forums.See this link for more information on  engaging in conversations about the Synodal Response Documenthttps://bridgetmarys.blogspot.com/2023/12/peoples-catholic-seminary-presents.htmlRoman Catholic Women Priests have requested a meeting with Pope Francis a number of times. I hope that in 2024 we will be invited to share our loving experiences of inclusive diverse sacramental and justice ministries in a people-empowered Church of equals! Bridget Mary Meehan ARCWPAssociated Press, Dec. 19, 2023 article below:ROME (AP) — Pope Francis formally approved letting Catholic priests bless same-sex couples, the Vatican announced Monday, a radical shift in policy tthat aimed at making the church more inclusive while maintaining its strict ban on gay marriage.

But while the Vatican statement was heralded by some as a step toward breaking down discrimination in the Catholic Church, some LGBTQ+ advocates warned it underscored the church’s idea that gay couples remain inferior to heterosexual partnerships.

The document from the Vatican’s doctrine office elaborates on a letter Francis sent to two conservative cardinals that was published in October. In that preliminary response, Francis suggested such blessings could be offered under some circumstances if the blessings weren’t confused with the ritual of marriage.

The new document repeats that condition and elaborates on it, reaffirming that marriage is a lifelong union between a man and a woman. And it stresses that blessings in question must not be tied to any specific Catholic celebration or religious service and should not be conferred at the same time as a civil union ceremony. Moreover, the blessings cannot use set rituals or even involve the clothing and gestures that belong in a wedding.

But it says requests for such blessings for same-sex couples should not be denied. It offers an extensive and broad definition of the term “blessing” in Scripture to insist that people seeking a transcendent relationship with God and looking for his love and mercy shouldn’t be held up to an impossible moral standard to receive it.

“For, those seeking a blessing should not be required to have prior moral perfection,” it said.

“There is no intention to legitimize anything, but rather to open one’s life to God, to ask for his help to live better, and also to invoke the Holy Spirit so that the values of the Gospel may be lived with greater faithfulness,” it added.

The document marks the latest gesture of outreach from a pope who has made welcoming LGBTQ+ Catholics a hallmark of his papacy. From his 2013 quip, “Who am I to judge?” about a purportedly gay priest, to his 2023 comment to The Associated Press that “Being homosexual is not a crime,” Francis has distinguished himself from all his predecessors with his message of welcome.

“The significance of this news cannot be overstated,” said Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which supports LGBTQ+ Catholics. “It is one thing to formally approve same-gender blessings, which he had already pastorally permitted, but to say that people should not be subjected to ‘an exhaustive moral analysis’ to receive God’s love and mercy is an even more significant step.” 

The Vatican holds that marriage is an indissoluble union between man and woman. As a result, it has long opposed same-sex marriage and considers homosexual acts to be “intrinsically disordered.” Nothing in the new document changes that teaching.

And in 2021, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said flat-out that the church couldn’t bless the unions of two men or two women because “God cannot bless sin.”

That 2021 pronouncement created an outcry and appeared to have blindsided Francis, even though he had technically approved its publication. Soon after it was published, he removed the official responsible for it and set about laying the groundwork for a reversal.

In the new document, the Vatican said the church must avoid “doctrinal or disciplinary schemes especially when they lead to a narcissistic and authoritarian elitism whereby instead of evangelizing, one analyzes and classifies others.”

It said ultimately, a blessing is about helping people increase their trust in God. “It is a seed of the Holy Spirit that must be nurtured, not hindered,” it said.

It stressed that people in “irregular” unions of extramarital sex — gay or straight — are in a state of sin. But it said that shouldn’t deprive them of God’s love or mercy. “Even when a person’s relationship with God is clouded by sin, he can always ask for a blessing, stretching out his hand to God,” the document said.

“Thus, when people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral analysis should not be placed as a precondition for conferring it,” the document said.

The Rev. James Martin, who advocates for a greater welcome for LGBTQ+ Catholics, praised the new document as a “huge step forward” and a “dramatic shift” from the Vatican’s 2021 policy.

“Along with many Catholic priests, I will now be delighted to bless my friends in same-sex marriages,” he said in an email.

Traditionalists, however, were outraged. The traditionalist blogger Luigi Casalini of Messa in Latino (Latin Mass) blog wrote that the document appeared to be a form of heresy.

“The church is crumbling,” he wrote. 

University of Notre Dame theologian Ulrich Lehner was also concerned, saying it would merely sow confusion and could lead to division in the church.

“The Vatican’s statement is, in my view, the most unfortunate public announcement in decades,” he said in a statement. “Moreover, some bishops will use it as a pretext to do what the document explicitly forbids, especially since the Vatican has not stopped them before. It is — and I hate to say it — an invitation to schism.”

Ramón Gómez, in charge of human rights for the Movement for Homosexual Integration and Liberation group in Chile, said the statement was a step toward breaking down discrimination in the church and could help LGBTQ+ people in countries where even civil unions aren’t legal. 

But he said the document was “belated” and “contradictory” in specifying a non-ritualized blessing that cannot be confused with marriage. Such a mixed message, he said, “thus once again gives the signal that same-sex couples are inferior to heterosexual couples.”

The Vatican admonition to refrain from codifying any blessing or prayer appeared to be a response to Flemish-speaking bishops in Belgium, who last year proposed the text for a prayer for same-sex couples that included prayers, Scriptural readings and expressions of commitment.

In Germany, individual priests have been blessing same-sex couples for years, as part of a progressive trend in the German church. In September, several Catholic priests held a ceremony blessing same-sex couples outside Cologne Cathedral to protest the city’s conservative archbishop, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki.

The head of the German Bishops Conference welcomed the document.

“This means that a blessing can be given to couples who do not have the opportunity to marry in church, for example due to divorce, and to same-sex couples,” Bishop Georg Baetzing said in a statement. “The practice of the church knows a variety of forms of blessing. It is good that this treasure for the diversity of lifestyles is now being raised.”

In the United States, the Rev. John Oesterle, a Catholic priest and hospital chaplain in Pittsburgh, said many priests would probably not be open to offering such a blessing, but he welcomed Francis’ action.

“I think the pope has learned to accept people as God made them,” he said on Monday. “When I was growing up, the assumption was that God made everyone straight. What we have learned is that is not true. In accepting people as God made them, and if Jesus’ primary teaching is we should love and serve one another in the community, I think that’s what gives Pope Francis the openness to God’s presence in those relationships.”

The Church of England on Sunday announced a similar move allowing clergy to bless the unions of same-sex couples who have had civil weddings or partnerships, but it still bans church weddings for same-sex couples.