Bishop Hicks' Statement on Fiducia Supplicans

On December 18, 2023, the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith announced the Declaration, Fiducia Supplicans. The full Declaration can be accessed here.

It is important to understand that the Declaration does not change the Church’s meaning about the Sacrament of Marriage. The document reminds us that in the Catholic Church marriage is an “exclusive, stable and indissoluble union between a man and a woman, naturally open to the generation of children.”

The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) issued this statement:

“The Declaration issued today [December 18] by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) articulated a distinction between liturgical (sacramental) blessings, and pastoral blessings, which may be given to persons who desire God’s loving grace in their lives. The Church’s teaching on marriage has not changed, and this declaration affirms that, while also making an effort to accompany people through the imparting of pastoral blessings because each of us needs God’s healing love and mercy in our lives.”

If a priest or deacon is asked to provide a blessing outside of the context of the sacrament of marriage, Fiducia Supplicans states “there is no intention to legitimize anything, but rather to open one’s life to God, to ask for his help to live better, and also to invoke the Holy Spirit so that the values of the Gospel may be lived with greater faithfulness.”

As we come to these final days of Advent and approach the celebration of the birth of our Lord and Savior, please be assured of my prayers as I ask you to continue to keep me in yours.