Pope Francis has formally approved the blessing of same-sex couples, according to a Vatican statement released on Monday. This unprecedented shift in policy aims to promote inclusivity within the Catholic Church while maintaining its traditional stance against gay marriage.
The Vatican’s doctrine office issued a document that expands on a letter Pope Francis sent to two conservative cardinals in October. The letter suggested that blessings for same-sex couples could be considered under certain conditions, as long as they did not mimic the marriage ritual.
The new document reiterates the condition outlined in the preliminary response and emphasizes that marriage remains a sacred union between a man and a woman. It specifies that the blessings must not be associated with any specific Catholic celebration or religious service and should not coincide with civil union ceremonies. The document also prohibits the use of set rituals, clothing, or gestures associated with weddings.
However, the document states that requests for blessings for same-sex couples should not be denied. It underscores a broad definition of “blessing” in Scripture, asserting that individuals seeking a transcendent relationship with God should not be subject to an exhaustive moral analysis to receive His love and mercy.
The Vatican’s move was met with mixed reactions. LGBTQ+ advocates celebrated the decision as a step towards inclusivity, while some cautioned that it perpetuated the notion that same-sex relationships were inferior to heterosexual ones.
Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, a group supporting LGBTQ+ Catholics, remarked, “It is one thing to formally approve same-gender blessings, which he had already pastorally permitted, but to say that people should not be subjected to ‘an exhaustive moral analysis’ to receive God’s love and mercy is an even more significant step.”
This decision aligns with Pope Francis’s longstanding commitment to welcoming LGBTQ+ Catholics. The Pope, known for his “Who am I to judge?” remark in 2013, has consistently advocated for a more accepting stance within the Church.
The document maintains the Church’s traditional teaching that marriage is an indissoluble union between a man and a woman, and it does not alter the Church’s opposition to same-sex marriage. In 2021, the Vatican explicitly stated that the Church could not bless unions of two men or two women, asserting, “God cannot bless sin.”
Reverend James Martin, an advocate for greater LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Church, hailed the document as a “huge step forward” and a “dramatic shift” from the Vatican’s 2021 policy. However, traditionalists expressed outrage, with some labeling the move as a form of heresy.
The document also addresses concerns about potential division within the Church, emphasizing the importance of avoiding doctrinal or disciplinary schemes that lead to elitism and hinder the spread of the Gospel.
This groundbreaking decision by Pope Francis comes amid similar developments in other Christian denominations. The Church of England recently announced the blessing of unions for same-sex couples who have had civil weddings or partnerships, though it continues to prohibit church weddings for same-sex couples.
