PAPAL DECLARATION “FIDUCIA SUPPLICANS”

You may be aware from media reports that the Holy Father has issued a “declaration.” Titled “Fiducia Supplicans,” the document addresses those who, in the words of the title, come to us in trust and ask for a blessing.

Without changing the teaching on our understanding of marriage as a sacrament between one man and one woman, this declaration is meant to address the many pastoral challenges couples face today for a variety of reasons

Our largest pastoral challenge lies with our many undocumented families. Our immigration system is enormously complicated. As you know many couples here in our diocese live and work in legal shadows because of their lack of documented status. Many couples who would want to get married do not, be-cause a legal and a public sacramental marriage would change their legal status and foreclose their immigration case. Often these couples have long-term bonds that include children who are citizens. When these couples approach us for a blessing after Mass or in casual settings this declaration clarifies we can provide a blessing to them without celebrating the sacrament and therefore without endangering their future legal options. The declaration also clarifies that when folks who may be in same-sex relationships come to us in infor-mal settings for a blessing, we can provide a blessing that is not comparable to the blessing conferred in a sacramental marriage. We bless pets. We bless rosaries. We bless farm ani-mals. We bless roses. We bless children. We bless parents. Even parents who may not be canonically married. We often don’t have scripts or rituals.

I write this because relying solely on media reports, our parishioners may have the mistaken notion that this document is only about homosexuality and thus may miss the larger pastoral challenge this declaration addresses for our many undocumented families.

Most Reverend Joseph J Tyson

Bishop of Yakima

Doctrinal declaration ("Fiducia Supplicans") opens possibility of blessing couples in irregular situations...

Vatican News

https://www.vaticannews.va/en/vatican-city/news/2023-12/fiducia-supplicans-doctrine-faith-blessing-irregular-couples.html