Vatican Clarifies Stance Amidst Episcopal Debate on Same-Sex Blessings

The Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, led by Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, issued a clarification on the reception of the Fiducia Supplicans document, which had faced international backlash over its stance on same-sex blessings. The clarification emphasized the distinction between "liturgical or ritualized" blessings and "spontaneous or pastoral" blessings, stating that the latter should be brief, not ritualized, and not take place in prominent church locations. The press release also addressed the varied global reception and implementation of the directive, acknowledging that in some regions, immediate application may not be feasible due to local contexts and laws against homosexuality. The Vatican maintains that these pastoral blessings do not endorse or approve of same-sex unions, but rather serve as simple expressions of faith.