Pope Francis approves blessings for same-sex couples
The Vatican Pope Francis said on Monday that priests are allowed to bless same-sex couples as long as they are not part of regular church rituals or liturgies. The document from the Vatican's doctrine office says that,"one should not prevent or prohibit the Church's closeness to people in every situation in which they might seek God's help through a simple blessing." The shift in policy does not change the church's position on marriage.
The document repeats that, reaffirming that marriage is a lifelong sacrament between a man and a woman. And it stresses that blessings should not be conferred at the same time as a civil union or even with the clothing and gestures that belong at a wedding. The document said, "Ultimately, a blessing offers people a means to increase their trust in God." But Pope added that "it is a seed of the Holy Spirit that must be nurtured, not hindered." The Vatican holds that marriage is an indissoluble union between man and woman. As a result, it has long opposed same-sex marriage.
But in 2021, the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith said flat-out that the church couldn't bless the unions of two men or two women because "God cannot bless sin." In the new document, the Vatican said the church must shy away from "doctrinal or disciplinary schemes, especially when they lead to a narcissistic and authoritarian elitism whereby instead of evangelizing, one analyzes and classifies others, and instead of opening the door to grace, one exhausts his or her energies in inspecting and verifying."The Rev. James Martin, who advocates for greater welcome for LGBTQ+ Catholics, praised the new document as a "huge step forward" and a "dramatic shift" from the Vatican's 2021 policy. The new document "recognizes the deep desire in many Catholic same-sex couples for God's presence and help in their committed relationships," he said in an email. "Along with many Catholic priests, I will now be delighted to bless my friends in same-sex marriages."
