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Blessing People in Same Sex Union 2023
Blessing People in Same Sex Union 2023
LGBTQ Agenda
By Emmanuel Nwafor
In his article, "When to Speak and When to Stay Silent: Responding to News in a Post-Christian
Society", Austen Ivereigh said, "The energy at the heart of the journalistic enterprise is the search for
truth…this is the moral righteousness which drives journalism, a righteousness which acts in the name
of the public interest."
The recent document, Fiducia Supplicans, released by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith,
Vatican, has been challenged by diverse interpretations from mainstream media and bloggers; with
some, attempting to hide the truth, while some, uncertain of the content of the document, were
determined to deceive the gullible public. I confronted a journalist who wrote a new story on this
trending issue, asking him if he had read the original document, he said no. I was surprised as well as
annoyed because a journalist should be able to direct the public properly. How did he get the stories
he wrote about? Certainly, from hearsay.
Since the release of the document, my WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger and many WhatsApp
platforms I belong to have been flooded with text messages and articles from various bloggers
alleging that the Vatican has approved same-sex union and equally called on priests to bless it.
Someone wrote, "It's like the papacy has been hijacked. Those in the corridors of power surrounding
the Pontiff may have some interests to protect. The agents of darkness are pushing very fiercely to
capture the soul of the Church with their manipulative intrigues. Now is the time for African Catholic
Bishops and Cardinals to make their voice known to the Universal Church and the consequences
should they continue in this path. Above all, we pray for the Church and the Pontiff that he stands
firm and unequivocal, especially, in the discharge of his duty concerning teachings of faith and
morals."
John Allen, in his article, "Turning the Iceberg Upside Down: How to Show the Other News About
the Church", said, "As a journalist, my interest really shouldn't be presenting the Catholic Church in
the best possible light, rather telling the truth about the Church, warts and all." Challenged by many
innuendos, misrepresentations from popular media, and info-politics already at play, my interest
herein is to provide an unbiased and objective approach to this document; at the same time, offering a
critical appraisal in line with the teaching of the Church and what this document may portend to the
Church in Africa.
The recently released document, Fiducia Supplicans, On the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings, (Visit
https://press.vatican.va/content/salastampa/it/bollettino/pubblico/2023/12/18/0901/01963.html#en)
was a follow up to Responsum by the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith to a dubium regarding
the blessing of the unions of persons of the same sex published on March 15, 2021.
Fiducia Supplicans is divided into four sections:
A- Introduction and The Blessing in the Sacrament of Marriage (Paragraphs 1-6).
B- The Meaning of the Various Blessings (paragraphs 7-30).
C- Blessings of Couples in Irregular Situations and of Couples of the same sex (paragraphs 31-
41)
D- The Church is the Sacrament of God's Infinite Love Marriage (paragraphs 42-45)
Emmanuel Nwafor is a Catholic priest, a journalist, public affairs analyst and the former editor of
Maranatha Newspaper, a biweekly publication of the Catholic Diocese of Ekwulobia, Anambra State,
Nigeria.
He writes from Rome, Italy (Email:godiswithus4real@gmail.com)