Commentary by Susan Brinkmann
The media is creating another gay-friendly fairy tale about Pope Francis by insinuating that a form letter sent to the lesbian author of children’s books about alternative families was doing something more than merely acknowledging receipt of the books.
Vatican Insider is reporting on the dust-up taking place in Italy which began in June when publisher Francesca Pardi and her partner, Maria Silva Fiengo, sent the pope copies of various children’s books. Some of the books were banned by the Venice Mayor Luigi Brugnaro because they were aimed at indoctrinating children into the gay lifestyle. Pardi’s letter to the pope complained about the mayor’s actions and included a gift of about 30 of her books.
In reply, she received a routine form letter saying that “His holiness is grateful for the thoughtful gesture and for the feelings which it evoked, hoping for an ever more fruitful activity in the service of young generations and the spread of genuine human and Christian values.” It concluded with a papal blessing.
The author took this to mean that the Pope was encouraging her “to continue” with her work and went public with what she mistakenly believed was an endorsement. The press took the story and ran with it.
This prompted action by the Vatican press office whose deputy director, Cito Benedettini, who quickly clarified: “The Secretariat of State acknowledged reception of a polite and respectful letter which Francesca Pardi sent the Holy Father, by sending a simple, pastoral response, pointing out that its letter was supposed to remain private, it was not meant to be published (though regrettably it was). In no way does the letter from the Secretariat of State intend to endorse behaviour and teachings that are not in line with the Gospel.”
In fact, he continued, “it expresses hopes for an ever more fruitful activity in the service of young generations and the spread of genuine human and Christian values. The Pope’s closing blessing is meant for the person the letter is addressed to, it does not refer to any teachings that are not in line with Catholic teachings on the gender theory. Indeed these teachings remain unchanged, as the Holy Father recently stressed. So a misuse of the letter’s contents is completely out of place.”
Benedettini was referring to recent statements made by Pope Francis on gender theory, such as those made on April 15 in St. Peter’s Square when he said: “For example, I ask myself, if the so-called gender theory is not, at the same time, an expression of frustration and resignation, which seeks to cancel out sexual difference because it no longer knows how to confront it. Yes, we risk taking a step backwards.”
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