A San Francisco archbishop semi-barred blessings for same-sex couples after Pope Francis released a statement allowing the blessings to take place. Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone said he felt compelled to write something because of the “ignorance, animosity, and judgmentalism” in the media.
The Bay Area Reporter found the memorandum stated “pre-secheduled blessings” would be banned, along with any blessings of couples if “such a blessing cannot be given if it would be a cause of scandal, that is, if it would mislead either [of] the individuals themselves or others into believing that there may be contexts other than marriage in which ‘sexual relations find their natural, proper, and fully human meaning.” The memorandum also stated “as a consequence, any priest has the right to deny such blessings if, in his judgment, doing so would be a source of scandal in any way.”
Catholic LGBTQ+ advocates have called Cordileone’s memo a step backwards, adding it also undermines the Pope’s direct guidance.
“The Vatican’s instructions for blessing same-gender couples offered a clear set of parameters for how, when, and what priests are supposed to do when people request such blessings. . .The instructions were very clear and detailed, and so it seems that Archbishop Cordileone’s additional comments, including a warning about scandal, were unnecessary,” Francis DeBernardo, executive director of New Ways Ministry, told the Bay Area Reporter. “The archbishop’s warning may cause priests to be reluctant to give such blessings when asked, and may also cause some couples to be wary of asking for them.”
Some Church leadership in the U.S. have remained neutral on the Vatican’s latest declaration. The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) released a statement from its spokesperson, Chieko Noguchi:
“The Declaration issued today by the Vatican’s Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) articulated a distinction between liturgical (sacramental) blessings, and pastoral blessings, which may be given to persons who desire God’s loving grace in their lives. The Church’s teaching on marriage has not changed, and this declaration affirms that, while also making an effort to accompany people through the imparting of pastoral blessings because each of us needs God’s healing love and mercy in our lives.”
Some, however, did put out statements, negatively responding to the approval of same-sex blessings, including South Dakota’s two bishops, Peter Muhich of Rapid City and Donald DeGrood of Sioux Falls. They issued a joint letter that read blessing “persons living in situations of unrepentant serious sin, such as same-sex sexual relationships, fornication, or adultery” is something the Church is incapable of, and therefore, shouldn’t allow for the blessing of same-sex couples.
Despite some conservative bishops’ anti-LGBTQ+ sentiments, other bishops did react positively to the Vatican’s letter. One of those was Cardinal Blase Cupich of Chicago, who issued a statement saying the Pope’s decision was a step in the right direction.
“[T]he Declaration is a step forward, and in keeping not only with Pope Francis’s desire to accompany people pastorally but Jesus’s desire to be present to all people who desire grace and support,” he wrote. “Here in the Archdiocese of Chicago, we welcome this declaration, which will help many more in our community feel the closeness and compassion of God.”