VATICAN CITY – The Vatican said on Dec 18 in a landmark ruling approved by Pope Francis that Roman Catholic priests can administer blessings to same-sex couples as long as they are not part of regular church rituals or liturgies.
A document from the Vatican’s doctrinal office said such blessings would not legitimise irregular situations but be a sign that God welcomes all.
It said priests should decide on a case-by-case basis and “should not prevent or prohibit the Church’s closeness to people in every situation in which they might seek God’s help through a simple blessing”.
Priests have long blessed a wide variety of people and even objects like boats, offering a prayer asking for God’s help and presence. But the Vatican has previously argued against blessing same-sex couples.
The new rule was issued in a declaration by the church’s office on doctrine and introduced by its prefect, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernandez, who said the declaration did not amend “the traditional doctrine of the Church about marriage”, because it allowed no liturgical rite that could be confused with the sacrament of marriage.
“It is precisely in this context,” Cardinal Fernandez wrote, “that one can understand the possibility of blessing couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples without officially validating their status or changing in any way the Church’s perennial teaching on marriage.”
In his introduction to the declaration, which was signed and approved by Pope Francis, Cardinal Fernandez nevertheless acknowledged that the broadening of the scope of who could receive blessings amounted to “a real development” and a “specific and innovative contribution to the pastoral meaning of blessings”.
He said the decision was “based on the pastoral vision of Pope Francis”.
Reverend James Martin, a prominent advocate for LGBTQ+ Catholics, said: “This new declaration opens the door to non-liturgical blessings for same-sex couples, something that had been previously off-limits for bishops, priests and deacons.
“Along with many priests, I will now be delighted to bless my friends in same-sex unions.”
Keeping up with the times
There has been a burst of activity on the LGBTQ+ issue in recent months from the Office of the Doctrine of the Faith, run by Cardinal Fernandez, especially after many advocates for LGBTQ+ Catholics were deeply frustrated by a lack of progress, or even recognition, during a major meeting of bishops and lay people in October that could potentially lead to major changes in the Church.
In October, the Vatican released Pope Francis’ private response over the summer to doubts from conservative cardinals about the possibility of blessing same-sex couples, a practice they absolutely opposed.
Pope Francis instead suggested the blessings were a possibility, seemingly reversing a 2021 Vatican ruling that came down hard against the blessing of gay unions, arguing that God “cannot bless sin”.
While the Pope then also clearly upheld the church position that marriage could exist only between a man and a woman, he said priests should exercise “pastoral charity” when it came to requests for blessings.
But Pope Francis also made clear that he did not want the blessings to be reduced to protocols, as had been the case in parts of the liberal German church that support same-sex blessings – and urged priests to be open to “channels beyond norms”.
On Oct 31, Pope Francis approved another document by Cardinal Fernandez’s department, making clear that transgender people can be baptised, serve as godparents and be witnesses at church weddings, furthering his vision of a more inclusive church.
The issue of blessing same-sex couples has exploded in recent years, especially in Germany, where priests have regularly offered blessings despite resistance from the Vatican.
Rev Martin called the declaration a “major step forward in the church’s ministry to LGBTQ people and recognises the deep desire in many Catholic same-sex couples for God’s presence in their loving relationships”. REUTERS, NYTIMES
