Blessings to couples in same-sex relationships will not be offered in Africa and Madagascar, as expressed in this statement.
Cardinal Besungu is the President of SECAM, an organization that brings together the bishops' conferences of Africa and Madagascar. He explains that the bishops prefer not to carry out the same-sex blessings allowed by the Vatican declaration “Fiducia supplicans” because of potential confusion and scandal. He says the declaration is “too subtle for simple people to understand” and too easily confused with the legitimization of same-sex unions.
Cardinal Besungu emphasizes that these blessings (quote) “would be in direct contradiction to the cultural ethos of African communities.” And the statement puts in action the pastoral prudence that was expressed in the Fiducia supplicans declaration.
The recent statement released by the African Bishops' Conference was approved by Pope Francis and the Head of the Vatican Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith.
JRB
TR: AT
