Pope Francis on Monday, the 18th of December, approved the blessing of same-sex couples, signalling that the Catholic Church has changed its stance on the LGBTQ+ community, reports Politico.
The Vatican document, signed by the Pope himself, states that Roman Catholic priests can bless couples “in irregular situations and same-sex couples,” but that such blessings do not change the Church’s traditional teaching on marriage, and must not take place at the same time as civil union ceremonies or resemble traditional wedding rituals to avoid misunderstandings or scandals.
The Vatican document stresses that this decision represents a “real development” compared to previous teaching on the couple blessing.
“When people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral analysis should not be made as a precondition for granting it. For those who wish to receive the blessing should not be required to have prior moral perfection,” the document said, according to Politico.
The change in the Catholic Church’s position on allowing the blessing of same-sex couples follows a letter sent by Pope Francis to five cardinals over the summer, which was published in October, in which Pope Francis hinted at a small shift towards blessing same-sex couples.
The move is in line with Pope Francis’ progressive stance on LGBTQ+ issues since he became Pope in 2013. In 2020, he expressed support for same-sex civil unions, affirming the right of homosexual people to form a family, writes Politico.
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