He is admonishing the Pope.
In recent news, Archbishop Tomash Peta of Kazakhstan made a formal denunciation of a Vatican directive allowing blessings for same-sex couples, accusing the Catholic Church of promoting what he termed as “gender ideology.”
The Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith issued a statement titled “Fiducia Supplicans,” expanding the understanding of blessings but specified that these blessings are not equivalent to marriage and that such relationships are still considered sinful according to church teachings.
However, Archbishop Peta, alongside Auxiliary Bishop Athanasius Schneider, criticized this move, asserting that blessing couples in “irregular situations” or same-sex relationships contradicts longstanding Catholic doctrine. They condemned it as an abuse of invoking God’s name upon what they termed objectively sinful unions.
Their joint statement highlighted concerns about the broader consequences of legitimizing these blessings, contending that such actions align the Church with what they described as a “globalist and ungodly’ gender ideology,” leading to damaging effects.
Reaffirming their commitment to upholding the faith’s teachings, they prohibited priests and the faithful in their archdiocese from conducting any form of blessing for couples in “irregular situations” or same-sex unions.
Their statement also referenced Galatians 2 and called upon Pope Francis to retract the permission for these blessings, asserting the need for the Catholic Church to stand firmly as a beacon of truth.
This Vatican directive has sparked reactions from various corners. Some U.S. bishops reiterated the Church’s stance on marriage, emphasizing that the guidance doesn’t alter the official teaching on the subject. They clarified the distinction between sacramental and pastoral blessings, affirming the unchanged doctrine while expressing the need for pastoral care and support for individuals seeking God’s grace.
Different dioceses in the United States responded in varying ways, cautioning against actions that might resemble sacraments and clarifying the Church’s position on blessings.
Internationally, responses have been diverse. The Kenyan Conference of Catholic Bishops expressed concern about the confusion arising from this directive. Conversely, the chair of the German bishops’ conference commended the Vatican’s measured approach, appreciating the delineation between doctrinal fidelity and pastoral compassion.
The global reactions to this Vatican guidance illustrate the complex intersections between doctrine, pastoral care, and societal changes, emphasizing the ongoing dialogue and tensions within the Catholic Church.