5 conservative cardinals challenge pope to affirm church teaching on gays and women ahead of meeting

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Five conservative cardinals hailing from Europe, Asia, Africa, and the Americas have issued a challenge to Pope Francis, urging him to reaffirm Catholic doctrine regarding homosexuality and the ordination of women. This move comes just before a significant Vatican meeting where contentious topics like these will be under discussion.

On Monday, these cardinals presented five questions, known as “dubia,” to Pope Francis, along with an open letter addressed to the Catholic faithful, outlining their concerns. Their motivation, as they stated, is to prevent the faithful from falling into confusion, error, and discouragement.

This letter and the accompanying questions were initially made public on the blogs of seasoned Vatican journalist Sandro Magister and Messa in Latino. This release occurred just two days prior to the commencement of a major three-week synod at the Vatican, during which more than 450 bishops and laypeople will convene behind closed doors to deliberate on the future of the Catholic Church. This synod follows a two-year process that involved soliciting input from Catholics worldwide.

The agenda for this meeting includes initiatives to advance the role of women in decision-making within the church, potentially even as deacons, and to grant ordinary faithful a greater say in church governance. It also advocates for a “radical inclusion” of LGBTQ+ Catholics and marginalized groups within the church, coupled with new mechanisms for oversight to prevent abuses by bishops.

These proposals for greater lay involvement have garnered enthusiasm among progressives but have raised concerns among conservatives, who fear that any alterations could lead to schisms within the church. The group of cardinals in question falls into this latter category, and their questions to Pope Francis seek to reaffirm the traditional teachings of the Catholic Church.

Specifically, they have asked Pope Francis to confirm that the church cannot bestow blessings upon same-sex couples and that any sexual activity outside of a marriage between a man and a woman is deemed a grave sin. While the Vatican emphasizes treating homosexuals with dignity and respect, it maintains that homosexual acts are considered “intrinsically disordered.”

Additionally, the cardinals have inquired about whether the synod itself could supplant the pope and bishops as the highest authority in the church—a concern held by some within the hierarchy who feel threatened by the synod’s call for greater empowerment of lay individuals. Lastly, they have sought clarification on whether the church might eventually ordain women. Current church doctrine stipulates that only men can be ordained as priests.

This letter and the associated questions represent the latest challenge to Pope Francis’ papacy and his reform agenda. Notably, the signatories are individuals who have been vocal critics of Francis, all of whom belong to the more conservative generation of cardinals appointed by St. John Paul II or Pope Benedict XVI.

Among the signatories are Cardinal Walter Brandmueller of Germany, a former Vatican historian; Cardinal Raymond Burke of the United States, who was removed from his position as head of the Vatican supreme court by Pope Francis; Cardinal Juan Sandoval of Mexico, the retired archbishop of Guadalajara; Cardinal Robert Sarah of Guinea, the retired head of the Vatican’s liturgy office; and Cardinal Joseph Zen, the retired archbishop of Hong Kong.

Cardinals Brandmueller and Burke were also part of a group of four who submitted a previous set of “dubia” to Pope Francis in 2016. Back then, their concerns revolved around Francis’ stance on allowing divorced and civilly remarried couples to receive Communion, which they believed contradicted the church’s teaching on the indissolubility of marriage. However, Francis never provided a direct response to their questions, and two of their co-signatories have since passed away.

In response to this recent set of questions by the five cardinals in April, it appears that Pope Francis did reply. However, the cardinals did not release his response, suggesting that they found it unsatisfactory. Consequently, they rephrased their questions and resubmitted them to the Pope, asking for a simple yes or no answer. Unfortunately, Pope Francis did not provide such a response, prompting the cardinals to make their inquiries public and issue a “notification” to the faithful.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Vatican Synod Challenge

More about Vatican Synod Challenge

• Vatican News Coverage of the Synod
• Pope Francis and LGBTQ+ Issues
• Cardinals’ Letter to Pope Francis
• Background on the Catholic Synod
• Cardinals’ Previous “Dubia” Submission
• Pope Francis’ Papacy and Reforms