"She said the document was aimed at encouraging the provision of blessing ceremonies 'for couples who do not wish to enter into a sacramental church marriage or for whom such a marriage is not an option.'"
Wasn’t the whole point of Fiducia Supplicans that there not be ceremonial blessings of irregular couples? Maybe the German Church needs a synod on FS.
I don't see the objective difference between blessing a couple without a lengthy ritual, and blessing a couple with a lengthy ritual.
The Sacrament of Marriage is done with a few lines, and is just as valid done hastily and on the spur of the moment, as if it were done with much pomp and ceremony. So long as the matter, form, and ministers (one man and one woman, with no impediments) are correct. It is also just as invalid either way, if something necessary is missing.
Blessings are kinda the same way. If the Church can bless something on the spur of the moment, the Church can also bless it with ceremony. And if she *can't* bless it with ceremony, she can't bless it without one either.
I don't think the Germans are claiming they're not violating FS. They're claiming their violation is no danger to Church unity, because they aren't doing anything theologically that FS doesn't allow. It's only ceremonially, not substantially, different.
Which is why people object to FS. Same-sex and divorced-remarried couples can already get all the pomp and ceremony outside the Church, what they can't get is the Church saying what they're doing is OK. A blessing of the couple, rather than the individuals, is that OK, because the Church cannot bless objective evil. I believe Francis was trying to split hairs and bless whatever was good in the relationship, rather than the moral evil itself. That is not what any normal person sees in the blessing, which is why irregular couples want it.
“‘Refusing to bless people who live in same-sex relationships because of their sexual orientation, or verbally discriminating against them, is, in my view, inconsistent with the message of a God who loves everyone just as he created them,’ he said.”
What is with this journalistic gaslighting? Pope Leo didn't just say "Francis’ well-known expression" he said "Francis' infamous, famous, well-known expression." It is an outright fabrication to present that without at least an ellipsis between Francis and well known. He literally didn't say what you are quoting him saying.
Steady on, friend. The Pillar is full of unedited copy, as all the copy editors have been sent to the buggy whip factory. I find that a more charitable interpretation of a missing ellipsis.
"She said the document was aimed at encouraging the provision of blessing ceremonies 'for couples who do not wish to enter into a sacramental church marriage or for whom such a marriage is not an option.'"
Wasn’t the whole point of Fiducia Supplicans that there not be ceremonial blessings of irregular couples? Maybe the German Church needs a synod on FS.
I don't see the objective difference between blessing a couple without a lengthy ritual, and blessing a couple with a lengthy ritual.
The Sacrament of Marriage is done with a few lines, and is just as valid done hastily and on the spur of the moment, as if it were done with much pomp and ceremony. So long as the matter, form, and ministers (one man and one woman, with no impediments) are correct. It is also just as invalid either way, if something necessary is missing.
Blessings are kinda the same way. If the Church can bless something on the spur of the moment, the Church can also bless it with ceremony. And if she *can't* bless it with ceremony, she can't bless it without one either.
I don't think the Germans are claiming they're not violating FS. They're claiming their violation is no danger to Church unity, because they aren't doing anything theologically that FS doesn't allow. It's only ceremonially, not substantially, different.
Which is why people object to FS. Same-sex and divorced-remarried couples can already get all the pomp and ceremony outside the Church, what they can't get is the Church saying what they're doing is OK. A blessing of the couple, rather than the individuals, is that OK, because the Church cannot bless objective evil. I believe Francis was trying to split hairs and bless whatever was good in the relationship, rather than the moral evil itself. That is not what any normal person sees in the blessing, which is why irregular couples want it.
“‘Refusing to bless people who live in same-sex relationships because of their sexual orientation, or verbally discriminating against them, is, in my view, inconsistent with the message of a God who loves everyone just as he created them,’ he said.”
Well, that sort of gives the whole game away.
What is with this journalistic gaslighting? Pope Leo didn't just say "Francis’ well-known expression" he said "Francis' infamous, famous, well-known expression." It is an outright fabrication to present that without at least an ellipsis between Francis and well known. He literally didn't say what you are quoting him saying.
The Pillar commented on this in the podcast. They are following the Vatican released transcript of the reply here https://www.vaticannews.va/en/pope/news/2026-04/pope-leo-xiv-inflight-press-conference-conclusion-visit-africa.html. The Vatican's own transcript is at odds with what Pope Leo said.
The article says "The pope said:", not "The Vatican-released transcript said:".
Not deliberately misleading, I expect, but still misleading.
Good point
Steady on, friend. The Pillar is full of unedited copy, as all the copy editors have been sent to the buggy whip factory. I find that a more charitable interpretation of a missing ellipsis.
Some of the same Bishops and "leaders" who say it's a scandal to be associated with the AfD.
It is no wonder why church attendance in Germany is dying, and the AfD is rising and now the single largest polling party.
https://www.reuters.com/world/germanys-far-right-afd-rises-record-28-insa-poll-shows-2026-04-25/