The release of Fiducia Supplicans has been difficult for many in the Church. As I noted in my Youtube video, a proper understanding of the document requires some technical reading.
You can't read the stuff in paragraph 31 in the most intuitive way. Instead it must be understood in light of stuff from way back in paragraph 8. When one does that, the resulting reading is orthodox. But how many people were going to do that? Confusion has abounded.
This left bishops around the world in a tough position:
- Pope Francis doesn't hesitate to punish those who question his authority
- Pope Francis is also swift to punish those who critique him from the ideological Right
- Fiducia Supplicans has been a massive failure in terms of communication
So... how do you deal with document while not stepping on the toes of the Pontiff?
Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo found an interesting way to do it. It has been described as a rejection of FS, but its far more subtle than that. Let's take a look.
