St Lucia archbishop states his position on Fiducia Supplicans

Archbishop Gabriel Malzaire has made it clear that clergy in the Archdiocese of Castries and the Diocese of Roseau, Dominica are not permitted to bless any sinful union, but the Church remains open to anyone who sincerely asks for a blessing on his or her journey to God.

He was speaking in light of Pope Francis’ declaration in Fiducia Supplicans which approved the blessing of same-sex couples, as long as these blessings are non-liturgical.

Fiducia Supplicans or Supplicating Trust, reiterated the Church’s age-old teaching that marriage is between a man and a woman only. It also pointed out that it was not an acceptance by the Church of same-sex marriage. However, the magisterium created confusion in the minds of many around the world.

In his attempt to clarify the points of confusion, Archbishop Malzaire outlined six points to Catholics in the Archdiocese of Castries and the Diocese of Roseau over which he has ecclesiastical jurisdiction.

“The Gospel presents Jesus as mercy par exellence,” he said in a Dominica News Online report. “Whenever he hobnobbed with prostitutes, tax collectors, and sinners, he was always on mission and therefore brought many to conversion. Jesus never [condoned] any sinful condition but rather showed compassion to the sinner and told them go and sin no more.”

He repeated the teaching of the Catholic Church which states that marriage is between a man and a woman only, saying this is unchangeable. “This truth is deeply engrained in the tenet of the Holy Scripture, generally accepted in the psyche of and the practice of the Caribbean people and endorsed by the countries’ constitution,” the Archbishop said.

For his third point he said, “Rooted in the Sacred Scriptures the Church teaches that marriage is the union for life of one man and one woman that is open to life and so consequently the Church cannot approve, sanction or bless any irregular marital union such as common law unions, adulterous unions, polygamous unions or same-sex unions.”

Fourthly, the declaration made the “important point” that blessings from the Church must have an “ascending value,” which according to him means “it must tend towards the conversion of those who receive it.”

“Therefore, the Church will not endorse anyone who seeks its blessings for selfish and inordinate ends such as the acceptance of a sinful situation,” Archbishop Malzaire said.

In his fifth point, the Archbishop declared, “No clergyman in the Archdiocese of Castries or the Diocese of Roseau, for which I am responsible is permitted to grant blessing upon any sinful union.”

Finally, he said the Church is open to anyone who wants to be converted to Christ.

“The Church remains open, as its mission dictates, to anyone of any colour, creed, class, persuasion or orientation who wishes to be converted to Christ for the salvation of his or her soul,” he stated.

“As such we will bless anyone who sincerely asks the Church for a blessing on his or her journey to God for God’s sun shines on good and bad alike and His rain falls on the just and the unjust alike as Jesus tells us in the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 5 verse 45.”