The Vatican on Monday officially authorized the blessing of same-sex couples “in an irregular situation” for the Church, maintaining its opposition to marriage
It is the first time that the Church has made such a clear statement on the blessing of same-sex couples, an issue that is causing tension within the institution, due to strong opposition from the conservative sector, especially in the United States.
This blessing “shall not be performed simultaneously with the civil rites of the association, nor even in relation to them,” reads the document of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, a body of the Holy See approved by Pope Francis.
“It is possible to bless couples in an irregular situation and couples of the same sex, in a form that may not be ritually established by ecclesiastical authorities, so as not to create confusion with the blessing specific to the sacrament of marriage,” explains the document. published in several languages in the Vatican.
Despite the lack of recognition by the Holy See, the blessing of same-sex couples was already practiced by some priests, especially in Belgium and Germany.
This statement comes six weeks after the end of the general assembly of the Synod for the Future of the Catholic Church, a global consultative meeting, in which bishops, women and laity debated social issues such as welcoming LGBT+ people or marriage for divorced people. .
In early October, five conservative cardinals publicly demanded that Pope Francis reaffirm Catholic doctrine on gay couples, but the synod’s final document left out the issue.
In 2021, the Vatican had reaffirmed that it considered homosexuality a “sin” and confirmed the impossibility of same-sex couples entering into holy matrimony.
Since his election in 2013, Francis has emphasized the importance of a church “open to all” and has taken several measures that have angered conservatives.
Source: DN
