Reflections on life, meaning and purpose

John Finnis, ​Peter Ryan and Robert George: ‘The DDF’s pair of documents creates a large new obstacle’ for pastors and evangelizers…

n December 18, the Holy See’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith (DDF) released Fiducia Supplicans. That Declaration stated that priests may spontaneously bless couples in “irregular” situations—e.g., “remarried” or same-sex couples—within certain limits. Those limits were supposed to protect the Church’s witness to her teachings on sexual ethics and marriage, truths knowable by reason and divine revelation. Yet many bishops and episcopal conferences have expressed concern…