This Monday, December 18, the Pope pointed to the possibility of gay couples being blessed in the Catholic Church, but remained faithful to his strong opposition to gay marriage.
This is the first time that the Catholic Church has so clearly paved the way for the blessing of same-sex couples. In a document published this Monday, December 18, by the Cardinals, Archbishops and Bishops of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and approved by Pope Francis himself, the Vatican authorizes the blessing of same-sex couples as well as those “in an irregular situation (especially divorced and remarried people). However, this must take place outside the framework of the Catholic liturgy, i.e. outside of masses. This blessing “is never performed at the same time as the civil union rites, nor in relation to them,” the text says, and the aim is to find a form that “is not ritually established by the ecclesiastical authorities.” so as not to cause confusion with the blessing proper to the sacrament of matrimony.”
This statement comes six weeks after the end of the General Assembly of the Synod for the Future of the Catholic Church, a global consultation meeting at which bishops, women and laity discussed social issues such as the inclusion of LGBT+ people or remarried divorcees. In the preamble, five conservative cardinals publicly called on Francis to reaffirm Catholic doctrine on gay couples, but the synod's final document ignored this burning issue.
Double press
The clever Argentine Pope responded to the five cardinals by leaving open the possibility of authorizing the blessing of homosexual couples, albeit within a strict framework, and recalling that marriage is reserved for heterosexual couples. “Pastoral prudence must adequately discern whether there are forms of blessing desired by one or more persons that do not convey a false idea of marriage,” he replied. Of course, the blessing of homosexual couples would be possible if it were clearly distinguished from marriage.
In reality, the Pope was exposed to double pressure: that of the conservative fringe of the Catholic Church, but also that of the more progressive circle. In fact, the blessing of same-sex couples is already practiced in some countries such as Belgium and Germany, despite official opposition from the Vatican. In addition, the Pope had personally appointed the American Jesuit James Martin as a member of the synod, one of the great supporters of LGBT+ rights within the Catholic Church. On his arrival in Rome in October he was received by the sovereign Pope.
“Who am I to judge her?”
The opening of the blessing to same-sex couples is not surprising, considering that Francis has always supported civil partnerships for homosexual couples. Since his election in 2013, the Argentine Jesuit, who as archbishop of Buenos Aires approved civil partnerships for homosexual couples as an alternative to same-sex marriage, has emphasized the importance of an “open church for all.” That same year, returning from World Youth Day in Brazil, he shocked the Vatican palaces by declaring on the plane: “If anyone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge him?”
In 2018, while still on the plane, he appeared significantly less tolerant, invoking the usefulness of “psychiatry” when homosexuality “manifests itself from childhood.” That same year, in an interview book, he even said he was “concerned” about a certain “fashion” of homosexuality that was “affecting the life of the church.” Words that caused an outcry and forced the Vatican to back down.
If the Catholic Church continues to view homosexuality as a “sin,” Francis reaffirmed that “homosexual people have the right to be with their families” in the documentary “Francesco,” which aired in 2020. They are children of God, they have the right to a family. […] What is needed is a civil partnership law, they have the right to legal protection. I defended that.” By opening the way to their blessing, he has just taken a new step.
To update : at 4:56 p.m., with more details and context.