The Vatican, led by Pope Francis, has approved a document allowing Roman Catholic priests to administer blessings to same-sex couples. However, the approval comes with specific conditions, stating that such blessings should not be part of regular Church rituals, liturgies, or connected to civil unions or weddings.
The document, issued by the Vatican’s doctrinal office and endorsed by Pope Francis on Monday, emphasizes that these blessings do not legitimize irregular situations but rather serve as a sign that God welcomes all individuals. It encourages priests to decide on a case-by-case basis and underlines the importance of not preventing the Church’s support in situations where individuals seek God’s help through a simple blessing.
This ruling builds upon a preliminary response from Pope Francis in October, where he suggested that such blessings could be offered under certain circumstances as long as they didn’t confuse the ritual with the sacrament of marriage. The new document reiterates this rationale, emphasizing that marriage remains a lifelong sacrament between a man and a woman.
Despite reaffirming the traditional stance on marriage, the document stresses that blessings should not be denied outright. It defines the term “blessing” extensively in Scripture, asserting that people seeking a transcendent relationship with God should not face exhaustive moral analysis as a precondition for receiving such blessings.
“Ultimately, a blessing offers people a means to increase their trust in God,” the document said.
“The request for a blessing, thus, expresses and nurtures openness to the transcendence, mercy, and closeness to God in a thousand concrete circumstances of life, which is no small thing in the world in which we live.”
This development marks a significant shift from the Vatican’s previous stance, notably in 2021 when the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith stated that the church couldn’t bless same-sex unions, asserting that “God cannot bless sin.”
Pope Francis, recognizing the outcry that followed, removed the official responsible for the document and worked towards a reconsideration.
The Vatican’s position on marriage as an indissoluble union between a man and a woman remains unchanged. However, this recent approval reflects a nuanced approach, acknowledging the need for inclusivity and God’s love even in what the Church considers “irregular” unions.
Pope Francis, known for his progressive views, has criticized laws criminalizing homosexuality as unjust, emphasizing that God loves all his children as they are. The Church’s evolving stance aligns with Pope Francis’s call for Catholic bishops to welcome LGBTQ individuals into the Church.
It is worth noting that this decision comes after the Vatican’s refusal in 2008 to sign a UN declaration advocating for the decriminalization of homosexuality, citing concerns about the inclusion of language related to “sexual orientation” and “gender identity.”