Hungarian Bishops Oppose Fiducia Supplicans

The Hungarian Bishops' Conference also opposes the Roman declaration of Fiducia supplicans

The rejection of the declaration of Fiducia supplicans poured over Rome like an avalanche.  Contradiction comes from all parts of the world.  After virtually all black African bishops' conferences, the Polish and Hungarian bishops' conferences have also rammed their "no" into the ground.

The Hungarian Bishops' Conference under its President Msgr. András Veres, Bishop of Győr, published a statement on Wednesday on the blessings for “irregular” couples.  Here is the full text:

 “At Christmas we celebrated the joy that God is with us and for us, who with merciful love has invited all people to communion with him.  With this in mind, we, members of the Hungarian Bishops' Conference, address the pastors and believers of our local church with the following message.

 The Declaration of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith Fiducia Supplicans on the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings, issued on December 18, 2023, does not change the conviction and consistent teaching of the Catholic Church on marriage and sexual morality.  In view of the pastoral situation in our country, the Bishops' Conference specifies that all people can be blessed individually by pastors, regardless of their gender identity and sexual orientation, but a common blessing must be given to couples who are in a non-marital union, in a union that is not valid in the Church  Marriage or living in a same-sex partnership should always be avoided.

At the same time, let us accompany our sisters and brothers who live in special life situations with love and respect, and help them to gain a deeper understanding of God's will on the path of the Gospel of Christ.”

Monsignor János Székely, the Bishop of Szombathely, implemented the joint declaration of the Hungarian bishops in his diocese yesterday.  Msgr. Székely is a member of the four-member Permanent Council of the Bishops' Conference.  In his pastoral letter he writes:

 Bishop János Székely

 “When a same-sex couple asks for a blessing, especially by asking for it together, they are expressing that they also want to ask for God's blessing and the Church's moral approval for their relationship and life choices.  We would be perverting the gospel of Christ and not doing what we should do as pastors to such a couple if we gave them a blessing in such a case.”

And further:

“The Gospel of Christ is not only about God’s infinite mercy, but it also calls us all to repentance.  If this second half is left out, it becomes a false Gospel.  Jesus calls us to enter through the narrow gate, for wide is the way that leads to destruction (Luke 13:24).  He invites us to light our candle and put on wedding clothes so that we will not find ourselves at the closed door on the last day (Matt. 22:11; 25:1-13).  Jesus protects marriage with special strength and jealous love: “God created man and woman at the beginning of creation.”

And as well:

“The Bible and the sacred tradition of the Church hold same-sex sexual relationships to be morally wrong (Genesis 19; Rom 1:26-27; 1 Cor 6:9-10; 1 Tim 1:10; CEC 2357).  The law of Christ is demanding, God’s mercy is not cheap mercy, His love is not lukewarm love.”

From this follows, according to Bishop Székely:

“Therefore, in accordance with the decision of the Hungarian Catholic Bishops' Conference, I call on priests not to bless same-sex couples in the Szombathely diocese.  Let us welcome with great love and respect our brothers and sisters who are attracted to people of the same sex, but let us not justify their wrong life choices, but rather help them on the path of life according to the Gospel of Christ.  This makes us real, authentic shepherds and brothers.”

 Text/Translation: Giuseppe Nardi

 Image: Katolikus.hu/Tamás Thaler/Wikicommons (screenshot)

Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.Com

AMDG