Cardinal Fernandez gives long interview prior to new document on human dignity, Dignitas infinita

His detractors, and those of Francis, "were just waiting for the right opportunity"

Víctor Manuel Fernández: "The division already existed, and with this controversy about blessings it only becomes transparent"

"The Pope wanted to reject blessings to irregular couples with rites or liturgical forms, but at the same time he wanted to avoid this implying starting to set many conditions for giving a simple blessing while passing, in the street, on a pilgrimage, because he has been the heart the value of popular pastoral care, which welcomes everyone"

"Francis's interest was in safeguarding the freedom and spontaneity of this other type of blessings that are the only priestly gesture we have to give to everyone"

"I had told the Pope, when he proposed this position to me for the second time, that this could happen, but he was already clear about it and also knew about this book. It happens that on one occasion many years ago I had already been accused of that book and did not "I was punished in Rome for it. They have already investigated me to the hilt."

"We are preparing a very important document on human dignity that not only includes social issues, but also a strong criticism of moral issues such as sex change, surrogacy, gender ideologies, etc. In this sense, the more worried people will be able to rest"

The Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Argentine cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, is in the eye of the hurricane for the blessings of homosexual couples, which, as he explains in an interview with EFE, "transparent" a division that already existed in the Church and assures that he anticipated the criticism of his detractors, who "were just waiting for the right opportunity."

Was the document approving the blessing of homosexual and 'irregular' couples necessary?

For some time now, many people and institutions have been asking questions about this topic and there was a risk that it would end up being a central topic of discussion in the Synod, which in reality has other objectives.

But the most important thing is that in my conversations with the pope one thing became clear to me, that he wanted to reject blessings to irregular couples with rites or liturgical forms, but at the same time he wanted to avoid that this implied starting to put many conditions to give a simple blessing on the go, on the street, on a pilgrimage, because he carries in his heart the value of popular pastoral care, which welcomes everyone.

For many priests in Argentina, Brazil and other countries it is very common to give these simple blessings without demanding anything, and to give them even to criminals. Therefore, if two people ask for it, it does not imply demanding moral or canonical perfection to give it.

Deep down, Francis's interest was in safeguarding the freedom and spontaneity of this other type of blessings that are the only priestly gesture we have to give to everyone: if we cannot give them absolution, if we cannot give them the Eucharist, if not We can bless them with a liturgical rite, yes we can give them a simple pastoral blessing: at least tell them "may the Lord bless you and protect you" and make a sign of the cross on each one's forehead. For Francis it was important that this possibility not be compromised or subjected to various ecclesiastical controls.

Did you expect the negative reactions that the document has had?

He didn't know how intense they would be, but he did expect them. What I did not expect is that many bishops and priests who I considered 'conservative' sent or publicly expressed their understanding and positive assessment of these 'pastoral blessings'. Sometimes you prejudge people without knowing them well.

Cardinal Sarah considers it heresy...

Today there is enormous freedom to say anything, also within the Church.

Could it lead to a strong division in the Church?

In any case, that division already existed and is only transparent.

Víctor Manuel Fernández: "The priority is to put theology and the life of the People of God in dialogue"

After the document on blessings, you have been harshly attacked again for the book 'The Mystical Passion', which deals with the orgasm, published in 1998 and which has long been withdrawn...

He foresaw them, and he knew that in the midst of the controversial issues they could use old things like this book, they were just waiting for the right occasion. I had told the Pope, when he proposed this position to me for the second time, that this could happen, but he was already clear about it and also knew this book. It happens that on one occasion many years ago I had already been accused of that book and I was not punished in Rome for it. 

They have already investigated me to the hilt.

But let me add something. That book draws attention because it arises from research on the male and female orgasm that I had done with a group of married couples. But two people greater and wiser than me did something similar: Saint John Paul II and the holy abbess and Doctor of the Church Hildegard of Bingen. I quote verbatim a part of the conclusions of Saint Hildegard's research because it is important to read it directly: "When the sexual impulse makes itself felt in a man, something begins to turn inside him like a windmill (...) But in For women, pleasure is like the sun, which gently, lightly and continuously bathes the earth with its heat..."

The truth is that this saint was more thorough and substantial than me. Except that the research we did with these couples was to discover if these differences had any influence on the way they related to God. Why this saint did it I don't know.

Are there any other topics that you would like to clarify because they create confusion?

I must say that I do not think I will be in the news in the future because we do not have any issues planned in the dicastery that could be very controversial, like the last ones. We are preparing a very important document on human dignity that not only includes social issues, but also a strong criticism of moral issues such as sex change, surrogacy, gender ideologies, etc. In this sense, the most worried people will be able to rest.

Have you discussed these attacks and criticisms with Francis?

Yes, but he considers them purifications from God to allow us to better and more humbly fulfill the task that the Lord entrusts to us.

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