The new Note Una caro, published by the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith under the direction of Cardinal “Tucho” Fernández, offers a broad reflection on monogamy as an essential feature of Christian marriage. As a preliminary analysis, from the first reading one perceives an approach that departs from the classic and more normative style of this dicastery: here the marital unity is presented above all from a personalistic and affective sensitivity, leaving in the background themes that have traditionally occupied the center—such as indissolubility or the procreative dimension—to highlight the experience of the “us” conjugal.
It is no surprise, in this sense, that Fernández's characteristic seal appears strongly, known for his special inclination toward poetic, emotional, and even erotic language in some previous texts. The Note quotes Neruda, Whitman, Tagore, or Dickinson, and even resorts to Hindu traditions to illustrate the beauty of the exclusive bond between a man and a woman. This is not the most criticizable: in several passages, the literary and philosophical richness adds interesting nuances. However, it is striking that a doctrinal document from the Holy See resorts so much to these external sources, which somewhat dilutes the usual magisterial tone and can generate confusion about the doctrinal weight of some arguments.
Although Una caro does not contain a priori doctrinal errors, deeper analyses are expected in the coming days, and it proposes valuable elements—especially by emphasizing the interpersonal dimension of marriage—the underlying question is whether this type of document really responds to the Church's pastoral urgency. In a context of deep crisis of faith, sacramental, and moral in wide areas of the world, the bet on a long poetic-affective meditation on monogamy seems, at least, questionable in terms of priorities. It remains to be seen what reception it will have in the whole people of God and whether it will contribute to strengthening doctrinal clarity or, on the contrary, to dispersing energies.