There\u2019s a lot to take in. Noticing a huge silence on the part of various bishops on social media in reaction to the papal pronouncement, Catholic blogger Amy Welborn said it for all the laity out there: <\/p>\n
Whassup? <\/p>\n
Judging by their silence on Twitter\/X feeds, I\u2019m guessing the papal pronouncement came as a surprise to the bishops, too. Were I one of these men in red hats, I\u2019d be furious. They\u2019re made to look like fools. The laity are wondering: Is this a change in doctrine or not?<\/p>\n
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops put out a statement saying that no, it actually was not, because same-sex unions were not considered marriage but that \u201canyone can ask for a blessing when they are seeking God’s assistance, mercy and grace.\u201d What does this mean? Is this something like bringing up a pet for a blessing during an annual St. Francis Day service?<\/p>\n
Most others saw it as a major shift in doctrine, including the Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit and LGBTQ+ advocate who is editor-at-large for America magazine and someone whose ministry has been openly praised by Pope Francis.<\/p>\n
Read it all<\/a>.<\/p>\n Reaction to the note from LGBTQ Catholics and advocates touted the declaration as a major step forward. Commentary from some theologians, meanwhile, cautioned that it\u2019s misleading to frame the declaration as a kind of monumental shift.https:\/\/t.co\/CEtthGF4pa<\/a><\/p>\n — Crux (@Crux) December 19, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n \n