German and Flemish Bishops Warmly Welcome Vatican’s Declaration on Blessings

For several weeks now, Bondings 2.0 has covered the reception of Fiducia Supplicans, the Vatican’s declaration on blessings that allowed priests to bless same-gender couples and others in “irregular” situations.

The question of such blessings arose primarily because of German Catholics’ formal and informal demands to recognize queer love in the church. And, in a recent interview, the prefect of the Vatican’s doctrinal dicastery, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, acknowledged Fiducia Supplicans was a “clear answer” to the Germans.

So how have German church leaders responded to the new document? Today’s post features their reactions, as as well as that of the Flemish bishops.

Bishop Georg Bätzing of Limburg, chair of the German Bishops’ Conference, issued a statement saying he “very much welcomed” Fiducia Supplicans and was “grateful for the pastoral perspective it takes.” Bätzing, who led Germany’s Synodal Way process that ended with a document encouraging blessings for same-gender couples and is personally supportive of them, added (via Google Translate):

“It is good that this treasure [of] diverse life models is now being raised. . .The declaration Fiducia supplicans addresses the questions that have become clear recently on the topics of requests for blessings, and does so from a pastoral perspective and in theologically moderate and calm language. The Declaration applies theological categories and terms responsibly. It draws a clear line between unwavering fidelity to the Church’s teaching and the pastoral requirements of an ecclesial practice that wants to be close to people. A pastoral scope for action is described here, which illustrates responsible church practice.

“It is expressly emphasized at the end of the declaration: The framework set here is clear enough to give ordained ministers the necessary security to act.”

Bishop Heinrich Timmerevers of Dresden-Meissen was “very happy and very surprised” because “this has never happened before in the history of the church, this milestone that the pope is now making possible here.” This development emerged in part because the Catholic Church is “a little bit guilty” for it had not only “brought people together through our moral teaching but have also marginalized people.” Allowing more blessings “is not just a Christmas present, it is more than that,” the bishop added.

America reported on several other German bishops’ positive responses:

“Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich said on Tuesday that he was a little surprised. He had not expected ‘that such a signal would come so quickly.’ Marx said it was a first step that may look small to Catholics in Germany – ‘but for some in the Universal Church, it is huge to hear that this should be possible.’ . . .Marx said Catholic sexual doctrine must continue to develop.”

“The future archbishop of Bamberg, Herwig Goessl, also welcomed the decision. ‘This fulfils an important wish of many believers, which was also expressed in the Synodal Path,” he said. However, it should not be overlooked that the declaration distinguished between blessing and marriage. Goessl said he saw new possibilities for pastoral care.”

Bishop Stefan Oster of Passau published a lengthy, more moderate statement that emphasized church teaching remained unchanged and blessings for “irregular” couples could not be formalized, with which he seemed to agree. However, Oster also commented:

“I am therefore grateful for this explanation because it can help us in several ways in the polarized debates on this topic. Two years ago I started a new position in the diocese of Passau for pastoral care of queer people. As a Catholic Church, we generally have a great lack of understanding on the pastoral path with these people and all too often hardly any ability to speak in pastoral care. Now the scope for the common pastoral path becomes wider. A prayer for God’s blessing and his good spirit in the spirit of the church no longer has to be in contradiction to the church. And in this sense, the new document on blessing itself can be a blessing for those who honestly seek guidance in pastoral care and at the same time want to remain faithful to the Church in its tradition.”

One German bishop was more negative. Cardinal Gerhard Müller, former head of the then-Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith and an outspoken critic of Pope Francis, unsurprisingly said Fiducia Supplicans was “self-contradictory,” appealing to bishops to not become an “accomplice” in “these sacrilegious acts,” opting instead to ban any such blessings.

Lay Catholics in Germany also welcomed Fiducia Supplicans. Birgit Mock, vice president of the Central Committee of German Catholics (ZdK) who co-chair the sexual morality and relationships working group in Germany’s Synodal Way process, gave an extended interview to Katholisch.de. Mock described the declaration as a “breakthrough,” for it allowed a new way to address tensions between church teaching and existing pastoral practice, namely that such blessings are occurring already. She explained:

“I believe that this declaration offers a great opportunity for the global church. After all, and this is explicitly stated in the text, it responds to various requests. In the end, the local churches can decide for themselves whether they want to utilise this opportunity or not. But the fact that it is being opened up is, in my view, truly groundbreaking and offers an opportunity for us to continue to be a good world church together.”

Mock also confirmed that the German church will continue efforts to give blessing same-gender couples a structure, including a handout on how to celebrate such blessings with “prayer texts that are suitable for [these blessings] easily accessible,” so that pastoral ministers are not left without resources.

Irme Stetter-Karp, the ZdK’s president, said in a statement, in part:

“[The Dicastery] takes blessing seriously. It frees the decision to give a blessing from a sacramental superstructure that previously seemed like a setback to those affected. Now finally care can come through blessing – thank God! . . .It turns out that theological honesty and sense of faith are important milestones on the path to change in the church. Merely obeying a ban is not Catholic.”

 America reported further:

“The Catholic German Women’s Federation (KDFB) and the German Association of Catholic Women (KDF) also welcomed the Vatican’s decision. The federal chairwoman of the KDF, Mechthild Heil, called it a ‘good, but also long overdue step.’ KDFB President Anja Karliczek said the decision was a signal in favor of more diversity and tolerance in the Church.”

In Belgium, bishops also welcomed Fiducia Supplicans, with some of their Flemish members having previously issued guidelines and a liturgy for blessing same-gender couples. The Flemish bishops issued a statement saying the Vatican declaration was “a confirmation of the pastoral approach” they had taken. The bishops explained, in part:

“Fiducia Supplicans is seen as a huge step towards the recognition of faithful and lasting homosexual relationships. As an LGBTI+ person you are fully accepted and can even now have your relationship blessed. . .

“Communal discernment through the formed conscience was already preferred in the social teaching of the church. The fact that the formed conscience now also takes precedence in sexual ethics is nothing more or less than a seismic shift in church speech and thinking. The statement from the world church also has a significant impact on thinking in countries where homosexuality is still criminalized today.

“For those who have wondered over the past two years whether the worldwide survey of believers [the Synod on Synodality] in the Catholic Church would change anything: you can safely call Monday’s statement an early fruit of that process. The desire for a welcoming and open church is becoming increasingly enthusiastic everywhere. The lived life cannot be caged into unwavering rules.”

The Flemish bishops, however, not only celebrated Fiducia Supplicans. They understand it as a point of departure for further synodal dialogue, ending with an invitation applicable to Catholics globally:

“To those who do not agree, we can only repeat the call to enter into dialogue. We are prepared to speak to everyone from the points of contact. If we are indeed moving towards a listening and guiding Church with room for everyone, this applies to homosexual couples who wish a blessing, but also to those who vote against it. We cordially invite everyone for an open conversation, in a ‘safe space’ and preferably as far away as possible from all the echo chambers of social media.”

—Robert Shine (he/him), New Ways Ministry, January 9, 2024