CBCP head: Vatican document on same-sex couple blessing doesn't need further explanation

MANILA, Philippines — Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) president and Archdiocese of Kalookan Bishop Pablo Virgilio David said that the Vatican document which allows the blessing of same-sex couples “speaks for itself.”

David issued the statement days after the Holy See issued a document titled “Fiducia Supplicans” that authorized the clergy to bless same-sex couples as long as it was not in the context of marriage or civil union. 

“The document speaks for itself, and therefore does not require much explanation,” David wrote in a CBCP statement on Wednesday.

“In fact, in paragraph 41, it says, ‘What has been said in this Declaration regarding the blessings of same-sex couples is sufficient to guide the prudent and fatherly discernment of ordained ministers in this regard. Thus, beyond the guidance provided above, no further responses should be expected about possible ways to regulate details or practicalities regarding blessings of this type,’” he added, citing paragraph 41 of the Vatican document. 

A blessing, generally carried out by the members of the clergy, consists of invoking God's benevolence on a person.

The document, which was published by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith and approved by Pope Francis, received criticisms from conservative Catholics who said that the document was “scandalous” in nature. 

This prompted some bishops to issue “guidelines” on their ecclesiastical jurisdictions to avoid confusion among the faithful.

Before the CBCP, two bishops, namely Archbishop Socrates Villegas from the Archdiocese of Lingayen-Dagupan and Archbishop Ricardo Baccay of the Diocese of Tugegarao earlier issued “guidelines” in their respective dioceses about the Vatican document.

According to Villegas’ guidelines, the blessings for same-sex couples and those in “irregular situations” are blessings of mercy  “to have pity on both of them and to give them the grace of conversion so that they can regularize their relationships.”

“In other words, asking for mercy is asking for pity and remedy,” Villegas said in his advisory.

The former CBCP president also advised the priests in his diocese to “choose the appropriate words to reveal this