performed

CHRISTIAN BREAKING NEWS: Who is Rev. Joseph S. Williams? Catholic Priest, St. Vincent de Paul Parish, Chicago, IL | Apologizes for Same-Sex Blessing, Claiming it Violated Church Norms [#RevJosephWilliams #RevJosephWilliams #SameSexBlessing #ChurchNorms #FiduciaSupplicans]

https://www.instagram.com/p/C6Ee3Fuu1VP/
Source: Kelli Knight Instagram Account, @citygrrl76

https://www.catholicnewsagency.com/storage/pdf/fr.-joseph-williams-apology-5-8-24.pdf

3701 FOREST PARK AVENUE
S T. LOUIS, MO 63108
314 – 344 -1184
VINCENTIAN.ORG
May 8, 2024 Contact: Chris Duggan
Communications Manager
Congregation of the Mission
Western Province
cduggan@vincentian.org
(m) 636-544-1191
Fr. Williams Apologizes for Nature of Same-Sex Couple Blessing
Chicago, Ill.—Fr. Joseph Williams, C.M., Pastor of St. Vincent de Paul Parish in Chicago, Ill., is offering an apology for the nature of a blessing he performed for a same-sex couple at his church on April 21. A video of this event began circulating online shortly thereafter. Specifically, he said he regrets the language of the blessing and the use of vestments and the church itself, which he now recognizes were a violation of the norms approved by the Church.
While Pope Francis in December formally approved the blessing of couples in irregular situations and
same-sex couples, he specified that such blessings do not equate to a wedding and should not employ
the clothing and gestures that accompany a wedding. Fr. Williams stated that he performed the blessing
after being approached by the couple and explained to them at the time it would merely be a blessing
and not a wedding itself.
“The shape that the blessing took as portrayed in the video came about due to my attempt to provide for
them a meaningful moment of God’s grace,” Fr. Williams said. “I wanted to do it well. A week or so after
the fact, I viewed the video. I immediately realized that I had made a very poor decision in the words and visuals captured on the video.”
Fr. Williams said that the experience has been a valuable learning experience for him.
“I am deeply sorry for any confusion and/or anger that this has caused, particularly for the People of
God,” he said.
Fr. Williams is a member of the Congregation of the Mission Western Province, which is headquartered
in St. Louis, Mo.
##

A priest in Chicago has apologized for the controversial way he blessed a same-sex marriage in April, calling it a “very poor decision” that violated the Catholic Church’s new guidelines.

Rev. Joseph S. Williams, priest of St. Vincent de Paul Parish near downtown Chicago, issued an apology on May 8 in which he stated that he “regrets the language of the blessing, the use of vestments, and the church itself, which he now recognizes were a violation of the norms approved by the Church.”

The priest had initially suggested that the Vatican’s December 2023 document Fiducia Supplicans permits the type of blessing he gave in April.

According to the document, Catholic priests can bless same-sex couples as an expression of pastoral closeness without condoning their sexual relationships or making the blessing resemble a wedding.

The statement was given by the Congregation of the Mission, also known as the Vincentians, who run the downtown Chicago parish.

Fiducia Supplicans sparked global outrage once it was unveiled on Dec. 18, with bishops around the world either supporting it or stating their intention not to implement it.

The Vatican declaration, which also applies to Catholics who have civilly remarried without receiving an annulment, as well as couples in other “irregular situations,” emphasizes that such blessings cannot be provided in a way that would generate any confusion about the nature of marriage.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Kelli Knight (@citygrrl76)

NEWS SOURCE & LINKS:
Catholic News Agency

Who is Rev Joseph S Williams? CATHOLIC PRIEST APOLOGIZES FOR SAME-SEX BLESSING VIOLATED CHURCH NORMS | Christian Breaking News!