The Vatican said on Monday 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, which effectively reversed a declaration the same body had issued in 2021, said such blessings would not legitimise irregular situations but be a sign that God welcomes all. . . .
The document, whose Latin title is Fiducia Supplicans (Supplicating Trust), said the form of the blessing "should not be fixed ritually by ecclesial authorities to avoid producing confusion with the blessing proper to the Sacrament of Marriage". . . .
The document said the blessing should not be linked to or timed with a civil marriage ceremony and be performed with none of the "clothing, gestures, or words that are proper to a wedding".
Places for such blessings, it said, might be "in other contexts, such as a visit to a shrine, a meeting with a priest, a prayer recited in a group, or during a pilgrimage".
The ruling was signed by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, the head of the head of the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and approved by the pope in a private audience with Fernandez and another doctrinal office official on Monday.
Full text of the declaration from the Vatican press office here.
In-depth analysis by Catholic media project The Pillar here, which notes:
The text was not issued in forma specifica, a particular formula in which a curial document is effectively co-signed by the pope, giving it full papal weight.
In other news, the Church of England yesterday began offering rites of blessing to same-sex couples.
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2 comments:
I have a few thoughts but it’s not significant enough of a promulgation to comment on. The devil is in the subtext. If Francis had revoked and reversed the Ratzinger letter I might be interested.
Yeah, it's pretty much a nothing burger. But I suppose it's the most that Francis can do - as "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" was in its day - so he should get credit for that.
I don't feel strongly about churches endorsing gay marriage. Having legal recognition is more important, IMO. This issue has blown up most of the old-time mainstream Protestant churches - and the people have voted with their feet. So what good is winning this point if it destroys the church, and divides instead of unites?
My faith is important to me, but I don't care to get into the church debates. And the whole trans thing - which has gotten hugely disproportionate attention lately - has muddied the waters terribly.
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