Group of Catholic Clergy and Laity Issue Filial Appeal Calling for Withdrawal of ‘Fiducia Supplicans’

UPDATE: 

Since the publication of this Filial Appeal, one bishop, more than 100 priests and hundreds of Catholic scholars from all over the world have added their signatures. The organisers have struggled to keep up with the hundreds of signatories they have been receiving. On March 1, the organisers published a list of additional signatories here.

Together with the initial 90 signatories, the document now lists around 150 clergymen – one bishop, several monsignors, dozens of priests and deacons – as well as hundreds of scholars coming all over the world, totalling 500.

LifeSite’s Maike Hickson reports:

According to Dr. Peter Kwasniewski, who together with Professor Claudio Pierantoni was crucial in getting this initiative organized, this list is “a sign of the sensus fidelium that stretches across the earth wherever the Catholic (universal) faith is professed.”

He put together for LifeSite the different countries from which the signatories hail, saying that this “breadth of countries” is “most impressive: “nearly 50 in toto, including Albania, Argentina, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Benin Republic, Brazil, Canada, Chile, China, Costa Rica, Croatia, Czech Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Djibouti, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, El Salvador, England, Finland, France, Germany, Ghana, Hungary, Indonesia, Ireland, Italy, Kyrgyzstan, Malta, México, the Netherlands, Nigeria, Norway, Perú, Philippines, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Scotland, Slovakia, South Africa, Spain, Switzerland, Taiwan, Tanzania, Ukraine, United States of America, Venezuela, Zambia.”

As this list will show our readers, many of these countries have currently grave challenges and face sufferings, such as Nigeria and China. Dr. Kwasniewski noticed this phenomenon, too when he said: “Most movingly, we find 17 signatories from Ukraine, a country torn by war, yet one in which adherence to Christianity has not grown weak, as it has done in the liberal West. They have plenty of other anxieties as their country is invaded and bombarded, yet they cared enough about the divine law and natural law to place their signatures on this letter.”

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FEB. 2, 2024: A group of 90 Catholic priests, scholars, and authors have issued a filial appeal to cardinals and bishops calling on them to immediately forbid applying Fiducia Supplicans in their dioceses, and to ask Pope Francis to “urgently withdraw” the document.

In a statement (full text below) issued today, the Feast of the Presentation of the Lord, the signatories say the declaration, which approved the blessing, within certain limits, of same-sex couples and others living in relationships not coherent with Church teaching, is in “direct opposition” to the Church’s traditional doctrine on marriage, despite its claims to the contrary.

Highlighting the many bishops’ conferences, confraternities of priests and others who have publicly opposed the Vatican declaration since it was published on Dec. 18, the signatories say that “never in the history of the Catholic Church has a document of the Roman Magisterium experienced such a strong rejection.”

By contrast, they point out that the document has been “very favourably received by those few episcopates and prelates that for decades have been openly advocating a change in the doctrine on sexual morality.”

The signatories criticise the declaration for proposing pastoral care that “does not correspond to the doctrine,” resulting in a “different doctrine” being taught. The Church’s traditional doctrine, they stress, must be considered infallible and unchangeable since it is “confirmed by Scripture and Tradition” and is a “doctrine of the natural law, which does not allow for any change.”

A blessing, they continue, is a “natural sign” of “approval of what is being blessed,” and they reject attempts in the declaration to differentiate a “couple” from “union” since a “couple is a couple because of the union that gives existence to it.” They also assert that the declaration’s insistence that the blessing not be a liturgical ceremony “does not change the nature of the act, since the central and essential gesture remains.”

Such blessings, the signatories warn, convey to the world that these relationships are now “acceptable to God,” and that the Catholic Church “has finally evolved, and now accepts homosexual unions and, more generally, extramarital unions.”

The widespread rejection of the document in the Church is therefore justified, they contend. What is “definitely not justifiable,” they add, is for cardinals and bishops to “remain silent,” thereby allowing the amplification of a scandal that is already “serious and public” and with the error coming from the Holy See.

Above all, they warn that “the little ones, the simple faithful” are scandalized “who have no way of orienting and defending themselves against this confusion.”

They therefore “fervently implore” cardinals and bishops to carry out two tasks: “Forbid immediately the application of this document” in their dioceses, and to ask the Pope “directly” to “urgently withdraw this unfortunate document” which “clearly produces a serious scandal.”

The Pope, they conclude, “urgently needs” a “fraternal correction” in the hope that he will “rescue his pontificate and his own person from a stain that could otherwise weigh on him indelibly, not only in history, but in eternity.”

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The authors of the filial appeal invite pastors, clergy, scholars, professors, doctors, and other qualified individuals to add their names to the current signatories, providing their name, qualifications, position, and location by Feb. 15 to filialappeal@gmail.com. A definitive list of all signatories will then be published on February 17.

Edward Pentin

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Filial Appeal

To all Cardinals and Bishops of the Catholic Church

 

Your Eminencies, Your Excellencies:

We, the undersigned Catholic priests, scholars, and authors, write to you on the occasion of the latest document published by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Fiducia Supplicans, which has caused so much scandal in the Church during this last Christmastime.

As is widely known, a relevant part of the world episcopate has practically rejected it, due to its evident break with Scripture and the Tradition of the Church. Twenty episcopal conferences, dozens of individual prelates, and even cardinals invested with the highest positions, such as Cardinal Müller and Cardinal Sarah, have expressed an unequivocal condemnatory judgment. So have also the UK, USA, and Australian Confraternities of Catholic Clergy. Never in the history of the Catholic Church has a document of the Roman Magisterium experienced such a strong rejection.

Indeed, despite its explicit reaffirmation of the traditional doctrine of the Church on Marriage, it turns out that the pastoral practice that the document allows is in direct opposition to it. So much so, that the document has been very favorably received by those few episcopates and prelates that for decades have been openly advocating a change in the doctrine on sexual morality. It is evident that the practical message that this new declaration transmits is much more in line with the program and ideas of those who want to change the doctrine, than with the doctrine itself that the document claims to keep intact.

The document effectively attempts to introduce a separation between doctrine and liturgy on the one hand, and pastoral practice on the other. But this is impossible: in fact pastoral care, like all action, always presupposes a theory and, therefore, if pastoral care performs something that does not correspond to the doctrine, what is actually being proposed is a different doctrine.

The blessing of a couple (whether “liturgical” or “pastoral”) is, so to speak, a natural sign. The concrete gesture says something naturally, and therefore has a natural, immediate communicative effect, which cannot be artificially changed by the verbal caveats of the document. A blessing as such, in the universal language of humanity, always implies an approval of what is being blessed.

Therefore, the concrete sign that is given with such blessing, in front of the whole world, is that “irregular couples”, extramarital and homosexual alike, according to the Catholic Church, would now be acceptable to God, precisely in the type of union that specifically configures them as couples. Nor does it make sense to separate “couple” from “union”, as card. Fernández has tried to do, since a couple is a couple because of the union that gives existence to it.

The fact that other significant and accidental circumstances such as timing, location, or ornaments such as flowers and wedding clothes are excluded from the act does not change the nature of the act, since the central and essential gesture remains. Furthermore, we all know from experience what such “restrictions” are worth and how long they last.

The fact is that a priest is imparting a blessing on two people who present themselves as a couple, in the sexual sense, and precisely a couple defined by its objectively sinful relationship. Therefore—regardless of the intentions and interpretations of the document, or the explanations the priest may try to give—this action will be the visible and tangible sign of a different doctrine, which contradicts traditional doctrine.

Let us remember that the traditional doctrine on the subject must be considered infallible, since it is unequivocally confirmed by Scripture and Tradition, a universal and uninterrupted tradition, ubique et semper. And it must be remembered that this is a doctrine of natural law, which does not allow for any change.

In practice, the faithful will not even be aware of the subtle theoretical justifications introduced by the Declaration, much less those that were added in the recent clarification on the Declaration. The message that is effectively launched, and that the people of God, and the entire world, will inevitably register and are already registering is that: The Catholic Church has finally evolved, and now accepts homosexual unions, and, more generally, extramarital unions.

This situation fully justifies the decided rejection of so many episcopal conferences, so many prelates, so many scholars, and so many ordinary lay people. In this context, it is definitely not justifiable, especially for a cardinal or a bishop, to remain silent, since the scandal that has already occurred is serious and public, and if it is not stopped, it is bound to be more and more amplified. The threat does not become smaller but more serious, since the error comes from the Roman See, and is destined to scandalize all the faithful, and above all the little ones, the simple faithful who have no way of orienting and defending themselves in this confusion: “Whoever offends one of these little ones who believe in me, it would be better for him if a donkey’s millstone were hung around his neck and he were drowned in the depths of the sea” (Mt 18,6).

The pastors and all those who have some responsibility in the Church have been constituted as sentinels: “If the watchman sees the sword coming and does not blow the horn, so that the people are not warned, and when the sword comes he kills one of them, he will perish because of him, but I will ask the watchman to account for his blood” (Ez. 33,6).

In light of the above we fervently implore you to:

(1) Follow the brave example of so many brother bishops around the world: please forbid immediately the application of this document in your diocese.

(2) Please ask directly the Pope to urgently withdraw this unfortunate document, which is in contradiction with both Scripture and the universal and uninterrupted Tradition of the Church and which clearly produces a serious scandal.

In this difficult moment, a clear word of truth would be the best example of your faithful and courageous dedication to the people of God entrusted to you, a sign of fidelity to the true mission of the Papacy and at the same time the best help for the pope himself, an eloquent “fraternal correction,” which he urgently needs in this last and most critical period of his pontificate and probably of his life. If you act promptly, there is still some hope that he may rescue his pontificate and his own person from a stain that could otherwise weigh on him indelibly, not only in history, but in eternity.

Invitation: pastors, clergy, scholars, professors, doctors, and other qualified individuals may submit their signatures to this list in the next two weeks. Please provide your name, qualifications, position, and location by February 15th, to filialappeal@gmail.com. A definitive list of all signatories will then be published on February 17.

 

List of Signatories (as of Feb. 2)

Edmund P. Adamus, MA, Secretary to Commission of Inquiry into Discrimination Against Christians, UK
Wolfgang R. Ahrens, PhD Philosophy, Chile
Sergio González Arrieta, MA in Classics and History, Chile
Gil Bailie, Founder and President of the Cornerstone Forum
Dr Heinz-Lothar and Raphaela Barth, Bonn, Germany
Donna F. Bethell, JD, USA
Judie Brown, President, American Life League, Falmouth, Virginia
Dr Dr Sergio R. Castaño, CONICET, Argentina
Paweł Chmielewski, commentator for Polonia Christiana, Warsaw, Poland
Michelle Cretella, MD, USA
Edgardo J. Cruz Ramos, President, Una Voce Puerto Rico
Dr Tomasz Dekert, religious studies scholar, Rajbrot, Poland
Deacon Julian L. Delgado, MD
Roberto de Mattei, historian, President of Lepanto Foundation, Rome, Italy
Deacon Nick Donnelly, MA, England
C. Joseph Doyle, Executive Director, Catholic Action League of Massachusetts
Rev. Angelo Luigi Fratus, Montfort Missionary, Zambia
Rev. Stanisław Gibziński, Portsmouth Diocese, England
Corrado Gnerre, professor of theology and founder of Il cammino dei tre sentieri
Maria Guarini, author, Editor of Chiesa e postconcilio
Michael K. Hageböck, headmaster and journalist, Germany
Michael Hichborn, President of the Lepanto Institute, Virginia
Maike Hickson, PhD, Front Royal, VA
Prof. Dr.rer.nat. Dr.rer.pol. Rudolf Hilfer, Stuttgart, Germany
Rev. Joseph Illo, Pastor, Star of the Sea Parish, San Francisco, California
Marek Jurek, former Marshal of the Polish Parlament, Wólka Kozodawska, Poland
Bogusław Kiernicki, President, Saint Benedict Foundation, Dębogóra, Poland
Kacper Kita, publicist, international policy analyst, Poland
Rev. Donald Kloster, Lumen Christi Academy Principal, Pipe Creek, TX
Dr Dr Dr.med. Adorján F. Kovács, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
Dr Thaddeus Kozinski, Memoria College
Gabriele Kuby, sociologist and author, Prien am Chiemsee, Germany
Peter A. Kwasniewski, PhD, Lincoln, Nebraska
Dr John R. T. Lamont, D.Phil.
Philip F. Lawler, author, Editor of Catholic World News
Leila M. Lawler, author
Rev. Joseph Levine, Pastor, Holy Family Catholic Church, Burns, Oregon
Pedro L. Llera, director of educational centers, Gobiendes, Spain
Maria Madise, Managing Director, Voice of the Family, UK
Rev. Patrick H. Magee FLHF, Fall River, MA
Dr Regis Martin, professor of theology, Franciscan University Steubenville
Brian M. McCall, Orpha and Maurice Merrill Chair in Law, University of Oklahoma
Deacon Eugene McGuirk, Front Royal, Virginia
Dr Justyna Melonowska, psychologist and philosopher, Warszawa, Poland
Rev. Cor Mennen, emeritus lecturer in Canon Law, Seminary of ‘s-Hertogenbosch
Dr Paweł Milcarek, Editor of Christianitas, Brwinów, Poland
Sebastian Morello, PhD, Senior Editor of The European Conservative
Rev. Alfredo Morselli, Italy
Rev. Gerald E. Murray, JCD, Pastor, Church of the Holy Family, New York, NY
Dina Nerozzi, MD, child psychiatrist and endocrinologist, former professor at the University of Rome
Doyen Nguyen, MD, STD, moral theologian, bioethicist, USA/Portugal
Rev. Daniel R. Nolan, FSSP, Littleton, CO
Deacon Dr Bart Overman, Den Bosch, The Netherlands
Michael Pakaluk, PhD, professor of ethics and social philosophy, Washington, DC
Gottfried Paschke, theologian, retired professor of mathematics, Bad Homburg, Germany
Paolo Pasqualucci, retired Professor of Philososophy, Faculty of Law, Perugia, Italy
Rod Pead, Editor, Christian Order, UK
Dr Claudio Pierantoni, PhD History of Christianism, PhD Philosophy, Chile
Rev. John A. Perricone, PhD, adjunct professor of philosophy, Iona College in New Rochelle, New York
Prof. Thomas Pink, emeritus professor of philosophy, King’s College, London
Rev. Andrew Pinsent, MA, Dphil, PhB, STB, PhL, PhD, FRSA, University of Oxford, UK
Tomasz Rowiński, historian of ideas, Editor of Christianitas, Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland
Anna Rist, retired professor of classics, Toronto, Canada
John Rist, PhD, retired professor of classics and early Chrisitian philosophy and theology
Luis Román, theologian and Catholic commentator, Florida
Jesse Romero, Catholic apologist, evangelist, author, Queen Creek, Arizona.
Eric Sammons, Editor, Crisis Magazine
Dr César Félix Sánchez Martínez, professor of philosophy, Universidad Nacional de San Agustín, Perú
Dr Tommaso Scandroglio, author, Italy
Wolfram Schrems, Mag. theol., Mag. phil., catechist, pro-life activist, Vienna, Austria
Dr Anna Silvas, specialist in Greek Fathers, retired adjunct, UNE, Australia
Rev. Robert Sirico, President, St. John Henry Newman Institute, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Dr Michael Sirilla, Professor of Theology, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio
John Smeaton, Co-founder of Voice of the Family, UK
Rev. Tam X. Tran, S.T.L., Pastor of Our Lady of Vietnam Catholic Church, Silver Spring, Maryland
Rev. Glen Tattersall, Pastor of St. John Newman Parish, Melbourne, Australia
Inge M. Thürkauf, actress, journalist, pro-family public speaker, Germany
José Antonio Ureta, author, Paris, France
Aldo Maria Valli, writer, Rome, Italy
Christine de Marcellus Vollmer, President of PROVIVE, ALAFA, Former Member of PAL, Venezuela
Dr Gerard van den Aardweg, author, psychologist and psychotherapist, The Netherlands
Mathias von Gersdorff, author and pro-life activist, Frankfurt, Germany
Prof. Dr Berthold Wald, retired professor of philosophy, Münster, Germany
Dr Thomas Ward, President, John Paul II Academy of Human Life and the Family
Leonard P. Wessell, Dr.Phil., PhD, emeritus professor, German Studies, University of Colorado
John-Henry Westen, Co-founder and Editor-in-chief, LifeSiteNews
Elizabeth D. Wickham, PhD, Executive Director, Lifetree.org, Raleigh, North Carolina
Dr Timothy Williams, professor of French, Franciscan University of Steubenville, Ohio
Chilton Williamson, writer, former editor at National Review and Chronicles, Laramie, Wyoming
Dr Hubert Windisch, priest, retired professor of pastoral theology, Burglengenfeld, Germany
Deacon Timothy Woods, Huntington, Indiana
Elizabeth F. Yore, Esq., Founder of Yore Children, Chicago, Illinois