Human sexuality is not “simply” a matter of ethics, as human sexuality is connected to ecclesiology—the nature of the Church in union with Christ.
Faced with a German Church that may be, at this point, a schismatic ecclesial body, Pope Leo XIV made remarks on April 22nd that stirred controversy and debate.
On April 20th, Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich and Freising, Germany, implemented a document issued on April 4th, entitled “Blessing Gives Strength to Love,” instructing priests under his authority to bless “same-sex couples”, as well as couples that have remarried outside the Church. Furthermore, compromising the consciences of faithful priests, the document states that, “Priests who do not want to carry out such blessing celebrations for homosexual marriages or remarried divorced people must refer the couples to the dean or other staff.”
Undoubtedly, Marx was emboldened by Fiducia Supplicans, the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s highly troubling and controversial December 2023 declaration on the pastoral meaning of blessings.
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