POPE FRANCIS APPROVES CATHOLIC BLESSINGS FOR SAME-SEX COUPLES, EMPHASIZES DISTINCTION FROM MARRIAGE BLESSINGS

ROME — In a historic move, Pope Francis has granted formal approval for Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples, marking a significant shift in the church’s stance on LGBTQ issues.

The announcement, outlined in the document “Fiducia Supplicans: On the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings,” signifies the Vatican’s most permissive decree to date regarding same-sex relationships.

Published on Monday (18 Dec 2023), the declaration reflects a departure from the Vatican’s 2021 assertion that God “cannot bless sin” in the context of same-sex couples.

While Pope Francis has shown a commitment to liberalizing the church’s approach to LGBTQ Catholics, the document underscores the continued insistence that marriage remains exclusively between a man and a woman.

The Vatican’s directive emphasizes the need for priests to steer clear of any actions that may suggest an endorsement of same-sex marriage, urging them to “avoid any form of confusion or scandal.”

Despite this caution, the move has been lauded as a “major step forward” by the Rev. James Martin, an American Jesuit priest and advocate for the LGBTQ Catholic community.

The document draws a clear distinction between formal liturgical blessings and more informal, spontaneous blessings.

It underscores the traditional doctrine of the Church on marriage, explicitly prohibiting any liturgical rites that might create confusion.

Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernández, in the introduction to the document, explains that the declaration allows for blessings in irregular situations, including those involving same-sex couples, without officially validating their status or altering the Church’s longstanding teachings on marriage.

The Vatican instructs priests not to associate blessings with civil union ceremonies or any elements reminiscent of weddings.

Instead, the recommended settings for such blessings include private meetings with a priest or visits to shrines.

The document extends the possibility of blessings to couples in various “irregular situations,” such as divorced and remarried couples without annulments, who seek enrichment, healing, and elevation of their relationships through the presence of the Holy Spirit.

The declaration signifies a nuanced approach by the Catholic Church, recognizing the desire for God’s presence in the lives of same-sex couples while upholding its traditional doctrines on marriage. (Source: NPR online)

(JR AMIGO/AI/MNM)