Pope says Roman Catholic priests can bless same-sex couples

6:06 am on 19 December 2023

(FILES) Pope Francis waves to the crowd as he appears at the balcony to deliver his Christmas Urbi et Orbi blessing in St. Peter's Square at The Vatican on December 25, 2022. The Vatican on December 12, 2023 approved blessings for same-sex couples but insisted they must not be established as a Catholic rite nor given in contexts related to civil unions or weddings. In a document approved by Pope Francis, the Vatican backed "the possibility of blessings for couples in irregular situations and for couples of the same sex" but "this blessing should never be imparted in concurrence with the ceremonies of a civil union, and not even in connection with them". (Photo by Andreas SOLARO / AFP)

Pope Francis, pictured on Christmas Day 2022. Photo: AFP / ANDREAS SOLARO

By Ido Vock, BBC News

Pope Francis has allowed priests to bless same-sex couples, a significant advance for LGBT people in the Roman Catholic Church.

The leader of the Roman Catholic Church said priests should be permitted to bless same-sex and "irregular" couples, under certain circumstances.

But the Vatican said blessings should not be part of regular Church rituals or related to civil unions or weddings.

It added that it continues to view marriage as between a man and a woman.

Pope Francis approved a document issued by the Vatican announcing the change on Monday. The Vatican said it should be a sign that "God welcomes all", but the document says priests must decide on a case-by-case basis.

Introducing the text, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, the prefect of the Church, said that the new declaration remained "firm on the traditional doctrine of the Church about marriage".

But he added that in keeping with the Pope's "pastoral vision" of "broadening" the appeal of the Catholic Church, the new guidelines would allow priests to bless relationships still considered sinful.

People receiving a blessing "should not be required to have prior moral perfection", according to the declaration.

In the Catholic Church, a blessing is a prayer or plea, usually delivered by a minister, asking for God to look favourably on the person or people being blessed.

Cardinal Fernández emphasised that the new stance does not validate the status of same-sex couples in the eyes of the Catholic Church.

The declaration represents a softening of tone from the Catholic Church, although not a change in position. In 2021, the Pope said priests could not bless same-sex marriages because God cannot "bless sin".

Pope Francis had suggested in October that he was open to having the Church bless same-sex couples.

Bishops in certain countries have previously allowed priests to bless same-sex couples, though the position of Church authorities remained unclear.

This story was originally published by the BBC.