FIDUCIA SUPPLICANS AND SAME-SEX UNION: A CANONICAL APPRAISAL

Abstract

Canonical authority in the Catholic Church is not only legislative. It is equally interpretative and as well directive, as clearly stated by canon 16. It is more an obligation, not just when ecclesiastical laws are promulgated, but also when there are topical ecclesiological challenges such as the ripples occasioned by the publication of the Declaration Fiducia Supplicans on December 18, 2023. With the working instruments of Canon Law, a broader spectrum of explanation can be established, in order to offer a certain clarity. This article aims at analyzing the contours of the Declaration Fiducia Supplicans issued by the Dicastery for the doctrine of the faith, while putting into perspective its nature, coherency and applicability or reception. Canon Law and its custodians remain at the service of the Church and of humanity at large.