Australian Clergy: Blessings Can Never Be Bestowed On Sinful Acts

The “Australian Confraternity of Catholic Clergy” published a statement (Decembrer 22) against Fernández' invention of a "blessing" for homosexual couples.

They remind him that homosexual acts “are intrinsically disordered and are contrary to the natural law”:

“Authentic pastoral and spiritual care can never be divorced from an unambiguous presentation of God’s plan for human sexuality and marriage since this plan, though challenging for some to accept, is essential for human flourishing and so is a gift rather than a burden.”

Blessings are by their very nature “ordered to communion with God, to conversion and sanctification, and so can never be bestowed on sinful acts nor legitimize relationships that are intrinsically incompatible with the divine plan.”

Picture: clergy.asn.au, #newsClnngfiawn

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LiveJohn

Dec 23, 2023

@SonoftheChurch The Bishops are noticeably absent?

SonoftheChurch

3Dec 23, 2023

So....is this group sanctioning or prohibiting the pronunciation of Blessings upon so-called "same-sex couples"? Which is it? Because it's not made exactly clear in their statement. Just more ambiguous jibber-jabber creating additional confusion.

Lisi Sterndorfer

Dec 23, 2023

Statement of the Australian Confraternity of Catholic Clergy Concerning Fiducia Supplicans:

Aware of sensational reporting in the media and the resulting confusion and distress for many faithful Catholics following the publication of the Declaration Fiducia supplicans, the National Executive of the Australian Confraternity of Catholic Clergy considers it timely to offer the following comments:

1—God’s creative plan from the beginning is that human sexual activity should take place within marriage, which is characterised by complementarity between the sexes, life-long fidelity, and a fruitful openness to the gift of children.

2—Sexual acts outside the covenant of marriage between people of different sexes or the same sex do not correspond to the plan of the Creator. In addition, sexual acts between persons of the same sex are intrinsically disordered and are contrary to the natural law.

3—All human persons are made in the image and likeness of God. The Church’s pastors should always be merciful to those who are estranged from God and accompany them in genuine charity. They should likewise always be willing to pray for all their people and in particular to pray with and for those who genuinely seek to discover and conform themselves to God’s Holy Will. Similarly, pastors should offer penance for their conversion.

4—Authentic pastoral and spiritual care can never be divorced from an unambiguous presentation of God’s plan for human sexuality and marriage since this plan, though challenging for some to accept, is essential for human flourishing and so is a gift rather than a burden.

5—Ordained priests are ministers of God’s blessings given to sanctify the human person and build up all that is true, good, and beautiful in human life. While sinful human persons who seek God’s mercy are authentic recipients of God’s blessings, such blessings of their nature are ordered to communion with God; to conversion and sanctification, and so can never be bestowed on sinful acts nor legitimize relationships that are intrinsically incompatible with the divine plan.

6—All human persons are called to conversion and sanctity. The greatest blessing a human person can receive is the grace to respond to Christ’s first command: repent and believe in the Gospel (Mk 1:14).

In offering these comments, the National Executive of the ACCC expresses its fraternity with the Confraternities of Catholic Clergy in the United Kingdom and the United States, both of which have made their own statements.