A declaration published Monday by the Vatican and signed by the sovereign pontiff authorizes the blessing of homosexual unions, but rules out any connection between this ceremony and marriage.
This Monday, Pope Francis approved a document published by the Vatican authorizing priests to bless same-sex couples. Our correspondent in Rome, Giorgia Orlandi, explains this significant change within the Catholic Church.
The Vatican says blessings should not be part of regular church rituals or linked to civil unions as well as marriages. In other words, the Vatican continues to view marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman. Although this is not the same as a liturgical blessing, it represents a significant change in the way LGBTQ+ people are treated by the Catholic Church.
Franca Giansoldati, Vatican correspondent “Il Messaggero”explains: “this is an important step forward. It is almost as if the Pope is reversing previous decisions on the decision that had been taken by John Paul II and Pope Benedict, and let’s not forget that in 2021 the Pope Francis approved a document that said the Church would not allow such a change.
So what happened? At the recent synod, requests for these types of blessings were presented and Pope Francis could not ignore them. There will, however, be many objections to this decision. We are already seeing reactions on social media, mainly from bishops or various Church representatives who have expressed their concerns. This change will have consequences within the Church which has never seemed as divided as today.