Pope Francis has formally authorized allowing Roman Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples, in a radical shift in the church’s policy regarding the LGBTQ+ community.
A new document from the Vatican's doctrine office said it is opening “the possibility of blessings for couples in irregular situations and for couples of the same sex” but ultimately leaving that decision to “the prudent and fatherly discernment of ordained ministers.” The blessings “may be carried out providing they are not part of regular Church rituals or liturgies, nor at the same time as a civil union,” CNN reported.
Back in 2021, the Vatican doctrine department said the Church could not bless the unions of same-sex couples because “God cannot bless sin.” The ruling came after the Pope had publicly backed same-sex unions for the first time as pontiff in 2020.
“Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God,” the Pope said at the time while being interviewed for a feature-length documentary. His comments, however, related to the civil domain and not within the Catholic church.
Despite its limitations, the recent announcement marks a significant change of stance for the Catholic church. James Martin, a prominent Jesuit priest who ministers to queer Catholics, called the document “a major step forward,” adding that it “recognizes the deep desire in many Catholic same-sex couples for God’s presence in their loving relationships” in a post made on X.
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