Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex unions: Vatican

The Vatican said Monday that priests could not bless same-sex unions, calling any such blessing “not licit.”

The ruling said that the church should be welcoming toward gay people, “with respect and sensitivity,” but not endorse their unions.

The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican’s doctrinal watchdog, issued the judgment in response to questions raised by some pastors and parishes that sought to be more welcoming and inclusive of gay couples.

The issue of inclusiveness came to the fore in recent years after the pope asked bishops to develop projects and proposals “so that those who manifest a homosexual orientation can receive the assistance they need to understand and fully carry out God’s will in their lives.” Blessings for same-sex unions had emerged as one possibility, requiring official clarification.

The decision did not imply a judgment on people involved nor a form of “unjust discrimination, but rather a reminder of the truth of the liturgical rite” of the sacrament of matrimony, Cardinal Luis F. Ladaria, the prefect of the congregation, said in an explanatory note. Ladaria wrote that Pope Francis, who has staunchly opposed same-sex marriage in the church, had given “his assent to the publication.”

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In the United States, where more than 6 out of 10 Catholics support same-sex marriage, according to a 2019 Pew survey, many gay Catholics and their advocates mourned the announcement, and said it would inevitably lead to more gay people and those who support them leaving the church.

“The Vatican does what the Vatican does, and sometimes the Vatican really hurts people whose lives they are unfamiliar with,” said Jason Steidl, a theologian at St. Joseph’s College who is gay. “Pastorally, it’s a devastating pronouncement for LGBTQ people.”

Though few were surprised by the Vatican’s decision, critics said the statement’s tone was notably harsh. A line saying that God “does not and cannot bless sin” stood out in its reduction of loving relationships to moral offences.

“That line in particular is going to cause tremendous pain and anger,” said Marianne Duddy-Burke, executive director of DignityUSA, a national advocacy group for gay Catholics. “The fact that our church still denies people a sense of sacredness about their relationships is deeply painful to those of who hold fast to our faith.”