Source- Dominica News Online: Archbishop Gabriel Malzaire has made it clear that clergymen in the Diocese of Roseau, and also the Archdiocese of Castries, 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 a recent landmark ruling by the Catholic Church which approved the blessing of same-sex couples, as long as these blessings are non-liturgical.
The ruling, 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, it created confusion in the minds of many Catholics, especially conservative ones, around the world.
Based on the confusion created, Malzaire made 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 making his first point.
“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.”
In his second point, 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 clergyman remarked.
In making 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, he said 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,” the man of the cloth stated. In his fifth point, the Archbishop said no clergyman in the two dioceses he has jurisdiction over should grant blessings to a sinful union.
“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,” he remarked.
In his sixth and final point, 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 color, 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, chapter5 verse 45.”
Advertise with the mоѕt vіѕіtеd nеwѕ ѕіtе іn Antigua!
We offer fully customizable and flexible digital marketing packages.
Contact us at [email protected]
That image is just nasty. i want to puke
Men don’t even kiss women. What would possess this captured moment. I guess it’s the lgbtqia pushing their agenda every chance they get
For the love of God, men please please please stick to what isn’t easy.
Comments are closed.