VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis has indicated that priests may be allowed to bless same-sex couples in certain circumstances, as long as it does not resemble a heterosexual wedding ceremony.
This statement came in response to a set of formal questions, known as “dubia” (“doubts” in Latin), submitted by five conservative cardinals from various regions.
One of the questions addressed the practice of priests blessing committed same-sex couples, which has become increasingly common in some countries.
The written exchange between the cardinals and the pope took place in July, and the Vatican published the pope’s responses on Monday after the cardinals shared their concerns about his answers.
It is worth noting that the Vatican’s doctrinal office issued an explicit ruling against blessing same-sex unions in 2021.
In his seven-point response, Pope Francis affirmed that marriage is only between a man and a woman and must be open to procreation, according to Church teaching.
Nevertheless, he emphasized the importance of pastoral charity and avoiding a judgmental approach.
Pope Francis recognized that some requests for blessings are a way for people to seek a closer relationship with God, even if certain actions may be morally unacceptable.
He emphasized that any eventual blessings should not become widespread or receive blanket approval from Church jurisdictions.
While some view the pope’s response as not fully endorsing same-sex blessings, others, like Francis DeBernardo from New Ways Ministry, which supports outreach to LGBT Catholics, welcome the statement as a recognition of the love that exists in same-gender couples.
This development has stirred significant discussion and is seen as a potential shift in the Church’s stance on same-sex relationships.
Reported by Philip Pullella; Editing by Alison Williams
Credit: The Star : News Feed
