Same-sex couples can now receive blessings from Catholic priests after Pope Francis released a document on December 18 approving the new Vatican policy.
The Associated Press reported the document clarified questions brought up in previous letters the Pope sent to conservative cardinals regarding same-sex blessings. In correspondence from earlier in October, Francis implied blessings on same-sex couples could be done if the phrasing wasn’t the same as the spoken or written words used for a Catholic wedding ceremony.
Previously, the Vatican insisted it could not bless same-sex couples because it would undermine church doctrine, which declares that marriage is only between a man and a woman.
While a December letter reiterates the hierarchical interpretation of marriage, which is defined by the Church as a lifelong sacrament (a commitment viewed as a gift from God) and only between a man and a woman, the Church says the blessing of a same-sex couple isn’t the same as the “marriage sacrament,” which entails a formal ritualistic ceremony.
Blessings for same-sex couples can take place in meetings with priests, during a pilgrimage (for followers of Catholicism, that means traveling to a destination to experience God in a unique manner), in a group setting and other non-formal environments.
The document defines the blessings for same-sex couples in a manner that clarifies they should not be given in connection to a formal ceremony or civil union of the couple.
While the offering seemingly provides little for those seeking a formal Catholic validation of a same-sex relationship, the policy change does offer this modicum of spiritual acknowledgement from the Church: “people looking to feel God’s mercy and love shouldn’t have to go through “an exhaustive moral analysis.”
In short, for a same-sex couple to receive a blessing, it must be in a non-liturgical setting (which means a worship setting like a church sanctuary or cathedral would not be permitted) and not done at the same time as a civil union. Participating parties seeking the blessing cannot use the set rituals, clothing or actions used during a traditional Catholic wedding ceremony.
The new document released by Francis redefines who can receive “blessings” to be more broad, referring to what he calls the scriptural definition. It states the Church should not use “doctrinal or disciplinary schemes, especially when they lead to a narcissistic and authoritarian elitism whereby instead of evangelizing, one analyzes and classifies others, and instead of opening the door to grace, one exhausts his or her energies in inspecting and verifying.”
“Ultimately, a blessing offers people a means to increase their trust in God,” Francis wrote in the document. “The request for a blessing, thus, expresses and nurtures openness to the transcendence, mercy, and closeness to God in a thousand concrete circumstances of life, which is no small thing in the world in which we live.
“It is a seed of the Holy Spirit that must be nurtured, not hindered.”
This isn’t the first time Francis has expressed welcoming views regarding LGBTQ+ Catholics. Francis has continued to challenge his predecessors since his first days in the papacy: from dismissing priests and bishops who use their platforms to spread hateful rhetoric to his statement, “being homosexual isn’t a crime.”
“The significance of this news cannot be overstated,” said Francis DeBernardo of New Ways Ministry, which supports LGBTQ+ Catholics. “It is one thing to formally approve same-gender blessings, which he had already pastorally permitted [ad-lib prayers, offered upon request], but to say that people should not be subjected to “an exhaustive moral analysis” to receive God’s love and mercy is an even more significant step.”
Father James Martin, the editor-at-large of America Media and its LGBTQ+ Catholic Resource Outreach, said the declaration was a positive development in the right direction.
“(It) recognizes the deep desire in many Catholic same-sex couples for God’s presence and help in their committed and loving relationships,” he said.