Pope Francis' New Interview Reveals his Thoughts on Women in the Church and that Fiducia supplicans Blesses People Not a Marriage

In his interview with the Italian weekly magazine Credere, a periodical of the San Paolo Group, which will be published in the issue on Thursday, February 8th, Pope Francis spoke of the blessings of irregular unions, which have caused reactions and controversies. He repeated what he had mentioned in his audience with the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith that drafted the declaration.
"Everyone, everyone," Pope Francis said to describe spontaneous blessings of individuals who are in so-called "irregular" relationships, including homosexual ones, as taken into account by the Vatican's doctrinal document Fiducia supplicans which was issued in December.
"I do not bless a 'homosexual marriage'; I bless two people, who love each other, and I also ask them to pray for me," the Pope explained in his discussion with Credere's editor Don Vincenzo Vitale.
The magazine celebrates ten years since its foundation, which began on the occasion of Jorge Mario Bergoglio's election in 2013
"Always in confessions, when these situations arrive—homosexual people, remarried people—I always pray and bless. The blessing is not to be denied to anyone. Everyone, everyone. Mind you, I am talking about people: those who are capable of receiving Baptism."
"The gravest sins," the Pope adds, "are those that disguise themselves with a more 'angelic' appearance. No one is scandalised if I give a blessing to an entrepreneur who perhaps exploits people: and this is a very serious sin. Whereas they are scandalised if I give it to a homosexual... This is hypocrisy! We must all respect each other. Everyone! The heart of the document is welcome."
The Pope spoke of the years of his pontificate and personal items, including the Jubilee, which he called "an event of grace" necessary to "rediscover the value and the need for prayer."
The Pope also spoke of the ecclesial movements and the involvement of young people in pastoral experiences, such as those in developing nations, where people are spoken to in a language they can understand.
"There are also 'sophisticated' realities and movements," the Pope says, that are rather "refined."
These movements, he says, "tend to form an ecclesiola ('a little church'), of people who feel superior. This is not the holy, faithful people of God. The people of God is made up of believers who know they are sinners and go ahead. I do not hold it against movements, which do so much good."
"The movement," explains the Holy Father, "is good when it inserts you into the real Church, but if they are selective, if they detach you from the Church, if they lead you to think that you are a special Christian, this is not Christian."
Women's presence is important, however not as a minister
The Pope's response on the role of women is also clear, in light of the constant appeals to restore a "female face" to the Church or, the most recent one, to "unmask" the Church.
Pope Francis reiterates the difference between the Petrine principle and the Marian principle. "The Church is woman; She is bride. Peter is not woman; he is not bride."
"The Church-bride is more important than Peter-minister!" he said.
He then adds that "opening up work in the Curia to women is important," emphasising how women "help the ministry."

He called all the faithful to see the example of small villages where there is no priest and nuns run parishes, baptise, give communion, and perform funeral rites. "It is not the ministeriality of women that is the most important thing; instead, the presence of women is fundamental," the Pope concludes.

With regards to the Roman Curia, where several female appointments have taken place over the years, the Pope says, "Now there are several women, and there will be more, because they do better than us men in certain positions."
Pope Francis cites Sr. Raffaella Petrini, Secretary of the Vatican Governorate, "the women who are in the Dicastery to elect bishops" (who include Sr. Petrini, Sr. Yvonne Reungoat, former superior general of the Salesians, and Maria Lía Zervino, President of the UMOFC, Sr. Alessandra Smerilli, Secretary of the Dicastery for Integral Human Development, and others.
"These are all posts that need women," he said.
Finally, when asked if he realises that he has initiated "an epochal change" from this point of view, the Pope replies, "No, really! They tell me, Yes, I go ahead as I can."

Source: Vatican News