African Catholic bishops will not bestow the extra-liturgical blessings intended for same-sex couples, as per the Vatican’s proclamation on what it refers to as irregular couples, with the assent of the Pope.
In a letter released on Thursday, January 11, the president of the Symposium of the Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar (SECAM) mentioned “confusion” and a “risk of scandal”.
The Catechism of the Catholic Church defines scandal as “an attitude or action which causes someone to do wrong.”
Prior to the meeting, Pope Francis and Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, a Congolese national, discussed the issue.
Published on December 18, the Declaration Fiducia supplicans allows for the blessing of unmarried couples, divorced and remarried couples, and same-sex couples—all relationships deemed “valid” by the Catholic church.
But the paper, which was signed by the Pope and released by the theology bureau of the Christian Catholic Church, caused debate among Catholics, including some African Americans.
In Zambia, Catholic bishops used the law “in the country which forbids same-sex unions and activities” to argue that the proclamation should be put on hold for more thought rather than being put into effect.
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, for example, stated that “a blessing would be imprudent” when “there are laws that condemn the mere act of declaring oneself as a homosexual with prison and in some cases with torture and even death.” The document was released on January 4th to address concerns and clarify the original declaration.
The African church “reaffirmed its commitment to continuing pastoral assistance to all its members” during a meeting with the Pope.
Fiducia supplicans emphasises that “the Church’s doctrine on Christian marriage and sexuality remains unchanged,” Cardinal Ambongo said, addressing the faithful.
