The Vatican has approved blessings for same-sex couples on Monday, as long as the context is not related to civil unions or weddings.
Pope Francis gave his support in a document, which is a major shift from the Catholic Church’s traditional stance on LGBTQ+ matters.
News About Nigeria gathered that the document supports “the possibility of blessings for couples in irregular situations (including unmarried couples or divorcees) and for couples of the same sex”.
The document stated that the Church is willing to offer blessings in various life situations where individuals may seek God’s help.
However, the document maintains the Church’s longstanding position on marriage, stating that it is only between a man and a woman for the purpose of having children.
The Vatican stresses the difference between the Church’s position on marriage and blessings when it says that same-sex couple blessings should not be given in connection with civil union ceremonies.
“This blessing should never be imparted in concurrence with the ceremonies of a civil union, and not even in connection with them,” the document stressed.
Conservative Catholics, particularly in the United States, have expressed strong opposition to blessing same-sex couples.
However, in certain regions like Belgium and Germany, some priests have already been offering blessings to same-sex couples, even within church settings.
James Martin, a prominent US Jesuit priest and advocate for LGBTQ+ believers, described the document as a “major step forward in the church’s ministry to LGBTQ people”.
He pointed out that it was a ‘marked shift’ from the Vatican’s 2021 ruling, which said that the Church was unable to ‘bless sin’ and hence lacked the right to approve same-sex marriage.
