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Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández has emphasised that the Vatican will not engage in a “witch hunt” over improper blessings of same-sex unions.
The prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s comments came after a meeting on May 22 with Coptic Pope Tawadros II.
In an interview with María Martínez López, a bioethics expert and editor of the Spanish Editor of ‘Alfa & Omega’, Fernadez said the meeting aimed to address concerns stemming from the declaration of Fiducia supplicans.
The Vatican’s stance on same-sex unions has been a point of contention. It led to the suspension of dialogue by the Coptic Synod in March.
Although the issue was addressed at the International Joint Commission for Theological Dialogue between the Catholic Church and the Orthodox Church in January, some US communities requested further clarification.
Cardinal Kurt Koch, prefect of the Dicastery for Promoting Christian Unity, proposed a personal meeting with Tawadros II. This was facilitated by Fernández with the approval of Pope Francis.
During the meeting, Fernández clarified that the Holy See does not endorse same-sex marriage. He noted that no Vatican document supports homosexual marriage.
Fernández stressed the importance of ecumenical dialogue which recognises and respects diverse pastoral practices and theological views. He reiterated that differences in pastoral praxis do not affect the shared Trinitarian and Christological faith as outlined in Unitatis Redintegratio.
Different theological languages
The personal meeting was deemed necessary to overcome the difficulties of different theological languages. Fernández described the atmosphere as cordial, with Tawadros II showing a sincere effort to understand the Vatican’s position.
Regarding blessings for same-sex unions, Fernández clarified that the Church does not bless unions but may offer brief, individual prayers for persons in irregular unions. These blessings are not meant to ratify or approve any union, a point also emphasised by Pope Francis.
Fernández acknowledged that confusion and misunderstandings have arisen, due partly to misinterpretations by some Catholic media. He stressed that improper blessings are not widespread and that bishops generally adhere to Vatican guidelines.
The cardinal also pointed out that the Church faces more significant issues than this controversy and called for focusing on these crucial matters.
Fernández underscored that the Vatican’s role is not to conduct a “witch hunt” but to provide clear guidance and support. The cardinal also stressed the need for charity and understanding in addressing these issues within the Church.
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