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Fiducia Supplicans: Catholic Bishops in Burkina Faso, Niger Urge Calmness, “firm” Faith

Members of the Episcopal Conference of Burkina-Niger (CEBN)/Credit: Fr. Paul Dah

Catholic Bishops in Burkina Faso and Niger have cautioned the people of God in their respective countries against “anxiety” amid controversies around Fiducia Supplicans, the Vatican declaration on the possibility of blessing “same-sex couples” and couples in other “irregular situations”, which the Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith (DDF) released on Monday, December 18.

In their Wednesday, December 20 statement, members of the Catholic Bishops’ Conference of Burkina Faso and Niger (CEBN) weigh in on what they describe as the “turmoil and diverse interpretations that have followed the publication of this document.”

“We, your Bishops and Fathers of the Church Family of God in Burkina Faso and Niger, do not want to leave you in a state of embarrassment, incomprehension and anxiety, and so we urge you to remain calm and firm in the faith,” CEBN members say.

The Catholic Church leaders explain, “Catholic doctrine on marriage does not change, and the Church does not approve of irregular or same-sex unions.”

CEBN members pledge to release “a detailed statement” on the implementation of Fiducia Supplicans after “in depth” study of the document.

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They say, “All the pastoral questions raised by the implementation of the Fiducia Supplicans document will be studied in depth and will be the subject of a detailed statement by the Bishops of this Conference.”

Catholic Bishops in Burkina Faso and Niger urge members of the Clergy, and women and men Religious in their respective countries to “continue their ministry with serenity.”

“May Christ Jesus, whose birth lights are already shining on our earth, illuminate our minds and establish our hearts in the peace he brings to the world,” CEBN members implore in their December 20 collective statement.

Jude Atemanke is a Cameroonian journalist with a passion for Catholic Church communication. He holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Journalism and Mass Communication from the University of Buea in Cameroon. Currently, Jude serves as a journalist for ACI Africa.