Prefect of the Faith: No rejection of the blessing of homosexual couples

Homosexual couples should still be allowed to be blessed in the Catholic Church. Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, the highest guardian of the faith in the Vatican, does not expect any changes on this issue under the new Pope. According to the Italian daily newspaper "Il Messaggero", he said this on Thursday on the fringes of a press conference in the Vatican. The declaration"Fiducia supplicans", which allows non-liturgical blessings of same-sex couples under certain conditions, will remain in place. According to the Prefect of the Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, there will be no changes or cancellations.

The document published by his dicastery at the end of 2023 had led to tensions within the Church. Many African bishops in particular reject the blessing of homosexuals. Kinshasa's Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo Besungu, Chairman of the African Episcopal Council SECAM, therefore travelled to Rome shortly after the publication of "Fiducia supplicans" and had an African special path approved by the Pope and the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.

However, Ambongo recently rejected the accusation that Africa's rejection of the blessing was purely regionally motivated. "Africa's position was also the position of many bishops here in Europe. It is not an African exception," said the cardinal. Many Africans would have perceived the document as a measure imposed from outside. However, pastoral priorities in Africa are different: "Our pastoral priority is not the problem of homosexuality or homosexual people. For us, the focus is on life: how to live - and how to survive," emphasised the cardinal. Issues such as homosexuality are "for you here in Europe, not for us in Africa". (KNA)