LA PLATA, Argentina (AP) 鈥� Three decades ago, when he was a parish priest in Argentina, the to be the Catholic Church鈥檚 new guardian of doctrinal orthodoxy wrote a short book about kissing and the sensations it evokes.
Some conservative sectors in the church are using the reflections in 鈥淗eal Me with Your Mouth. The Art of Kissing鈥� to criticize the designation of Archbishop Victor Manuel Fern谩ndez to lead the Vatican鈥檚 Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, a body once known as the Holy Office that for centuries was responsible for persecuting heretics, disciplining dissidents and enforcing sexual morality.
鈥淭hese are ultra-conservative sectors that deeply hate the Argentine pontiff (Francis),鈥� Fern谩ndez, the archbishop of La Plata, a city 70 kilometers (43 miles) south of Buenos Aires, told The Associated Press.
鈥淭hey take a phrase from the book and say: 鈥楲ook at the level of this theologian. How can a person who uses these expressions be the prefect of the Doctrine of the Faith?鈥欌�� said Fern谩ndez, who dreamed of being a poet when he was younger.
The 80-page book, published in 1995 but not longer in print, has emerged as a key point used to blast the appointment of the 60-year-old archbishop commonly known as 鈥淭ucho" to one of the Vatican's most powerful offices.
The book highlights the importance of kissing in human relationships, defining them as expressions of absolute love. 鈥淚n English, 鈥楰iss,鈥� in Italian, 鈥榖acio,鈥� in French, 鈥榖aiser,鈥� in German, 鈥榢uss,鈥� in Portuguese, 鈥榖eijo.鈥� Depending on how it鈥檚 done, it is also often called 鈥榩eck,鈥� 鈥榮ucking,鈥� 鈥榙rilling,鈥� etc.,鈥� the book says.
An article published earlier this month on Catholic news agency Zenit said that 鈥渆veryone is talking about Monsignor V铆ctor Manuel Fern谩ndez ... and above all about his kisses.鈥�
Criticism of the archbishop, whose appointment was seen by some as an attempt to break with the past, has come from conservative religious figures in the United States.
鈥淧ray that he returns to the Catholic faith,鈥� Joseph Strickland, bishop of Tyler, Texas, wrote on social media.
Fern谩ndez, who has long had a close relationship with the pope, a fellow Argentine, said he rejected later offers to reprint the book.
鈥淚 was already older, and I thought this is a book about the kiss ... so I said, 鈥楴o, no, no, please, don鈥檛 reprint it, let鈥檚 leave this in the past.鈥� But well, now it鈥檚 my karma,鈥� Fern谩ndez said with a laugh.
One of the excerpts from the book reads: 鈥淎 couple with a lot of sex, a lot of sexual satisfaction, but few kisses that are genuine or with kisses that say nothing is digging the grave of love with each sexual encounter, creating routine, fatigue, and weariness until one of them finds something more human.鈥�
Fern谩ndez argued he can鈥檛 be accused 鈥渙f anything鈥� because the work in question 鈥渃ontains no heresy or error.鈥� He stressed that the strategy of his critics is to 鈥渜uote phrases鈥� from the book repeatedly to question the pope for appointing someone with 鈥渟uch superficial theology and street language鈥� to a key position.
The book includes a poem written by Fern谩ndez: 鈥淗ow was God so ruthless to give you that mouth... No one can resist, witch, hide it.鈥�
The cardinal complained on social media that critics mistranslated 鈥渂ruja,鈥� or 鈥渨itch,鈥� as 鈥渂itch.鈥�
Fern谩ndez said he wrote the book along with a group of young people when he was a parish priest in the Argentine town of Santa Teresita, in the central province of C贸rdoba. He said it was written as a catechesis for teenagers, with the contributions of his young collaborators, and he improved them by providing 鈥渁 little editing.鈥�
In the book鈥檚 introduction, Fern谩ndez wrote that the book was not written from his personal experience and that his goal was to summarize what 鈥渕ortals鈥� experience when they kiss.
Fern谩ndez says he has written dozens of texts since then and his critics should cite ones he has published in 鈥渢op-level鈥� journals. He has been the rector of the Catholic University of Argentina and head of the Argentine Society of Theology. He was recently named a cardinal.
鈥淏ut they take this little youth catechism, from a poor parish priest from the countryside, and take phrases out of context,鈥� Fern谩ndez said.
In Argentina, Fern谩ndez has received some criticism on social media but has the support of the church in his homeland.
鈥淗e has given an excellent and clear explanation of the issue,鈥� said M谩ximo Jurcinovic, director of communications for the Argentine Episcopal Conference.
Fern谩ndez said the pope told him his task as head of the doctrinal office would be 鈥済uarding the teaching that stems from faith鈥� in order to 鈥済ive a reason for our hope, but not as enemies who point fingers and condemn.鈥�
The book is not the only piece of controversial writing Fern谩ndez has done in the past.
He has acknowledged that some of his writings were sent to the Vatican, anonymously, after then-Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio appointed him as rector of the Catholic University of Argentina in 2009. The controversy resulted in a two-year delay in his being cleared for the job.
Fern谩ndez wrote about the ordeal soon after Bergoglio was elected Pope Francis, recounting that a newspaper article he had penned about gay marriage had been included in the anonymous dossier and that an unnamed Vatican 鈥渃ongregation鈥� 鈥� believed to be the one responsible for Catholic education -- repeatedly refused to receive him to explain himself.
He has also had to acknowledge mistakes in his handling of a 2019 case involving a priest accused of sexually abusing minors. The case has drawn allegations by critics that Fern谩ndez tried to protect the priest, a charge that .
鈥淭oday I would certainly act very differently and certainly my performance was insufficient,鈥� he told AP after celebrating Mass in La Plata.
By appointing Fern谩ndez to head the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, Francis seemed to indicate a desire for a break with the past.
鈥淭he Dicastery over which you will preside in other times came to use immoral methods. Those were times when, rather than promoting theological knowledge, possible doctrinal errors were pursued. What I expect from you is certainly something very different,鈥� the pope wrote in a letter to Fern谩ndez.
German Cardinal Gerhard M眉ller, who served as prefect of the office until Francis fired him in 2017, said the new directives are out of place considering the mission of that department was to 鈥減rotect and promote the revealed faith.鈥�
鈥淭his is not a theological academy or a talk show where everyone can express their opinion,鈥� M眉ller said on conservative U.S. broadcaster EWTN.
Fern谩ndez has characterized himself as a reformist who doesn鈥檛 like to 鈥渂reak with everything,鈥� but advocates for a church that is 鈥渕ore inclusive, more respectful of different ways of living and thinking.鈥�
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Associated Press journalist Nicole Winfield in Rome contributed to this report.
Almudena Calatrava, The Associated Press
