Pope Approves Blessings of Same-Sex Couples

Pope Francis

Pope Francis has given his support to the legal recognition of same-sex couples, something the Vatican has opposed in the past, and has spoken out against the criminalization of homosexuality before and after a trip to Africa.

His decision to authorize the blessings of same-sex couples is the most significant development to take place in his pontificate in terms of his outreach to gay Catholics, and follows earlier, more gradual developments. Francis’ latest move will be welcomed by many who have long called for reform in this area, but it is also likely to face significant pushback from parts of the church deeply opposed to his vision.

According to the Catholic Church, sex is only permitted between a man and woman who are married. The church’s official teaching describes homosexuality as “intrinsically disordered” – a wording that some reform-minded Catholics want to see altered – but also that gay people must be treated with “respect, compassion and sensitivity” and all “unjust discrimination” be avoided.

Francis, while not formally changing doctrine, has repeatedly sought to place the emphasis on the latter. He has told a gay clerical sexual abuse survivor that “God made you like this. God loves you like this,” said that LGBTQ+ people are “children of God,” and recently invited a group of transgender women for lunch in the Vatican. He has also praised those ministering to gay Catholics, who have often faced opposition from inside the church.

Nevertheless, pressure has been building for the Catholic Church to consider the blessings of same-sex unions and in Germany several priests have already begun holding ceremonies blessing gay couples.

CNN

Views of Some Catholic Clergy and Bishops all over the world:

ASIA: Tomash Peta, archbishop of Saint Mary in Astana, Kazakhstan, became the first prelate to openly condemn the Vatican’s approval of blessings for same-sex couples. Peta called the pope’s new stance a “great deception”.

The archbishop forbade all priests and parishes in his archdiocese from blessing same-sex couples, and warned that any “effort to legitimize such blessings” will have “far-reaching and destructive consequences”.

GERMANY: Bishop Georg Bätzing, the leader of the German bishops’ conference, welcomed the latest ruling. “It is good that this treasure for the diversity of lifestyles is now being unearthed,” he said. “The practice of the Church recognises a variety of forms of blessing.” 

US: Bishop Joseph Strickland, who was recently removed by Francis from the leadership of the Diocese of Tyler, Texas, has already urged bishops to say “no” to the pope. The ruling does not order clergy to offer blessings, and it’s possible some will refuse requests. Cardinal Blase Cupich, Archbishop of Chicago and a Francis ally in the US church, described the move as a “step forward.”

NIGERIA: The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria  said that Catholic Churches in the country would not bless same-sex unions.

The bishops said the blessing of the same-sex union is against God’s law, the teachings of the church, and the law of the country.

They made this known in a statement released and signed by the President of the conference, Lucius Ugirji and the Secretary, Donayus Ogun.

They said, “The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria assures the entire People of God that the teaching of the Catholic Church on marriage remains the same. There is, therefore, no possibility in the teaching of the Church of blessing same-sex unions and activities.

Clarifying the Pope’s statement, the bishops said, “The declaration seeks to clarify the different forms of blessing that can be given to persons and objects in the Catholic Church, including the possibility of blessing persons in irregular unions. Such unions include but are not limited to divorced and remarried couples whose previous marriages had not been annulled, those living in same-sex unions, those in polygamous unions, in concubinage, etc.”

The implication is that if this happens, it could lead to a re-configuring of Catholic sexual teaching, including homosexuality. Francis has not gone down that route, but the pastoral openness he’s modelled to gay people lays the foundation stones for even more significant reforms in the future.

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