Pope, who suffers from mild bronchitis and cannot read speech, again defends blessing of gay couples

Concerns about the pope’s health came into focus again this weekend as Francis was unable to read the speech he was scheduled to deliver at his final audience on Friday at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace.

The pope apologized to the participants of a symposium on communication organized by the French Anglican Communion in Eglise, explaining to them: “I have a bit of bronchitis.” In the past, it was this disease that caused health problems. On December 17, Pope Bergoglio celebrated his 87th birthday.

However, it has resumed activity this Saturday. He convened more than 800 priests, deacons and monks at the Cathedral of St. John Lateran in Rome to discuss important topics and answer their questions.

Pope 2023 He was hospitalized for various illnesses

. The most tenacious one affected his bronchi and lungs again.

He was hospitalized for several days in March at Rome’s Gemelli Hospital, which has a unit dedicated to the pope, because of pneumonia.

In June, he underwent abdominal surgery to remove internal scarring. The Pope is recovering well.

In November, acute bronchitis forced him to cancel a trip to Dubai to attend the World Climate Symposium organized by the United Nations. He sent one of his closest collaborators, Vatican Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, in his place.

This Friday, as has happened at other times in recent months, the Pope The hearing agenda is very tight When arriving at the last meeting, Jorge Bergoglio, who looked very tired, said to the French university students present: “I want to read you the entire speech, but I have a problem. I didn’t speak well.”

Attendees received a written copy. The Pope again explained that it was difficult for him to speak, adding: “Thank you for your understanding.” Finally, he greeted the correspondents one by one and blessed them, “because to say hello I don’t need to speak.”

Pope Francis claimed in a closed-door meeting with clergy in Rome on Saturday that blessings for same-sex couples approved in a recent Vatican document were for “the people,” and clergy in Rome raised doubts about the issue.

At the end of the meeting, Angelo De Donatis, vicar general of Rome, concluded on Italian public television RAI: ​​”The pope has clarified some situations. The purpose is to bless people.”

The official media Vatican News reported that Francis clarifies that these blessings do not change the doctrine of the sacrament of matrimony According to the portal, between men and women, in short, “people are blessed, not sinful”.

Likewise, when asked by an African priest, the pope acknowledged that African cultures do not accept these blessings—homosexuality is a crime in many countries—an argument that the institution reported had been raised with Congolese Cardinal Fridolin Ann Bongo clarified. .

The meeting with the clergy came amid a storm of efforts to offer blessings to same-sex couples or people in “abnormal” situations from the church’s perspective, although without defending them or labeling them as Same as marriage.

On December 18, the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith issued the declaration “Fiducia Supplians”, which opens the possibility of spontaneous blessings for such couples without ceremony.

this Pope Francis’ historic opening It has caused skepticism and some division, as some members of the clergy around the world, its most conservative factions and African bishops, among others, have called it “blasphemous” and refused to deliver the blessing.

In it, the document’s author, Argentinian Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, Congregation for Divine Worship, argued that “one can understand the wish to bless irregular couples and same-sex couples without formal verification of their identity.” possibility”. alter in any way the long-standing Church teaching on marriage.”

In light of this controversy, Cardinal Fernandez had to clarify on January 4 that the blessing of gay couples would not be “liturgical or ritualistic” and would not lead to their “legitimation”.