{"id":14105,"date":"2023-12-19T09:17:35","date_gmt":"2023-12-19T09:17:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.1001newsng.com\/?p=14105"},"modified":"2023-12-19T09:18:04","modified_gmt":"2023-12-19T09:18:04","slug":"catholic-open-door-to-l-g-b-t-q-okays-blessing-for-same-sex-couples","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.1001newsng.com\/catholic-open-door-to-l-g-b-t-q-okays-blessing-for-same-sex-couples\/","title":{"rendered":"Catholic open door to L.G.B.T.Q, okays blessing for same-sex couples"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Priests can now bless same-sex couples, the Vatican announced yesterday.<\/p>\n

The development makes the Roman CATHOLIC CHURCH more welcoming to lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (L.G.B.T.Q.) members.<\/p>\n

The Vatican had long said it could not bless same-sex couples because it would undermine the church doctrine that marriage is only between a man and a woman.<\/p>\n

The new rule was issued in a declaration by the church\u2019s office on doctrine and introduced by its prefect, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fern\u00e1ndez.<\/p>\n

Cardinal Fern\u00e1ndez emphasized that the new stance does not validate the status of same-sex couples in the eyes of the Catholic Church.<\/p>\n

He said the declaration did not amend \u201cthe traditional doctrine of the church about marriage,\u201d because it allowed no liturgical rite that could be confused with the sacrament of marriage.<\/p>\n

Cardinal Fern\u00e1ndez wrote: \u201cIt is precisely in this context that one can understand the possibility of blessing couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples without officially validating their status or changing in any way the Church\u2019s perennial teaching on marriage.\u201d<\/p>\n

In his introduction to the declaration, which was signed and approved by Pope Francis, Cardinal Fern\u00e1ndez nevertheless acknowledged that the broadening of the scope of who could receive blessings amounted to \u201ca real development\u201d and a \u201cspecific and innovative contribution to the pastoral meaning of blessings.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the decision was \u201cbased on the pastoral vision of Pope Francis.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis new declaration opens the door to nonliturgical blessings for same-sex couples, something that had been previously off-limits for bishops, priests and deacons,\u201d said the Rev. James Martin, a prominent advocate for L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics, according to\u00a0The Times.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlong with many priests, I will now be delighted to bless my friends in same-sex unions.\u201d<\/p>\n

There has been a burst of activity on the L.G.B.T.Q. issue in recent months from the office of the Doctrine of the Faith, run by Cardinal Fern\u00e1ndez, especially after many advocates for L.G.B.T.Q.<\/p>\n

In October, the Vatican released Francis\u2019 private response over the summer to doubts from conservative cardinals about the possibility of blessing same-sex couples, a practice they absolutely opposed.<\/p>\n

Francis instead suggested the blessings were a possibility, seemingly reversing a 2021 Vatican ruling that came down hard against the blessing of gay unions, arguing that God \u201ccannot bless sin.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the pope then also clearly upheld the church position that marriage could exist only between a man and a woman, he said that priests should exercise \u201cpastoral charity\u201d when it came to requests for blessings.<\/p>\n

The issue of blessing same-sex couples has exploded in recent years, especially in Germany, where priests have regularly offered blessings despite resistance from the Vatican.<\/p>\n

The Vatican document points out that blessings, which are intended to evoke God\u2019s presence in all facets of life, can be bestowed on people, objects of worship, places of work, and much else, and are aimed at giving glory and asking favour to God.<\/p>\n

A church official said the blessings amounted to \u201ca real development\u201d that nevertheless did not amend \u201cthe traditional doctrine of the Church about marriage\u201d.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The declaration represents a softening of tone from the Catholic Church, although not a change in position.<\/p>\n

In 2021, the Pope said priests could not bless same-sex marriages because God cannot \u201cbless sin\u201d.<\/p>\n

Pope Francis had suggested in October that he was open to having the Church bless same-sex couples.<\/p>\n

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

Cardinal Fern\u00e1ndez, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, explained that the declaration \u201coffers a specific and innovative contribution to the pastoral meaning of blessings, permitting a broadening and enrichment of the classical understanding of blessings, which is closely linked to a liturgical perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

The declaration says: \u201cIt is essential to grasp the Holy Father\u2019s concern that these non-ritualised blessings never cease being simple gestures that provide an effective means of increasing trust in God on the part of the people who ask for them, careful that they should not become a liturgical or semi-liturgical act, similar to a sacrament.\u201d<\/p>\n

The declaration states: \u201cOne should neither provide for nor promote a ritual for the blessings of couples in an irregular situation.<\/p>\n

In his introduction to the declaration, which was signed and approved by Pope Francis, Cardinal Fern\u00e1ndez nevertheless acknowledged that the broadening of the scope of who could receive blessings amounted to \u201ca real development\u201d and a \u201cspecific and innovative contribution to the pastoral meaning of blessings.\u201d<\/p>\n

He said the decision was \u201cbased on the pastoral vision of Pope Francis.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cThis new declaration opens the door to nonliturgical blessings for same-sex couples, something that had been previously off-limits for bishops, priests and deacons,\u201d said the Rev. James Martin, a prominent advocate for L.G.B.T.Q. Catholics, according to\u00a0The Times.<\/p>\n

\u201cAlong with many priests, I will now be delighted to bless my friends in same-sex unions.\u201d<\/p>\n

There has been a burst of activity on the L.G.B.T.Q. issue in recent months from the office of the Doctrine of the Faith, run by Cardinal Fern\u00e1ndez, especially after many advocates for L.G.B.T.Q.<\/p>\n

In October, the Vatican released Francis\u2019 private response over the summer to doubts from conservative cardinals about the possibility of blessing same-sex couples, a practice they absolutely opposed.<\/p>\n

Francis instead suggested the blessings were a possibility, seemingly reversing a 2021 Vatican ruling that came down hard against the blessing of gay unions, arguing that God \u201ccannot bless sin.\u201d<\/p>\n

While the pope then also clearly upheld the church position that marriage could exist only between a man and a woman, he said that priests should exercise \u201cpastoral charity\u201d when it came to requests for blessings.<\/p>\n

The issue of blessing same-sex couples has exploded in recent years, especially in Germany, where priests have regularly offered blessings despite resistance from the Vatican.<\/p>\n

The Vatican document points out that blessings, which are intended to evoke God\u2019s presence in all facets of life, can be bestowed on people, objects of worship, places of work, and much else, and are aimed at giving glory and asking favour to God.<\/p>\n

A church official said the blessings amounted to \u201ca real development\u201d that nevertheless did not amend \u201cthe traditional doctrine of the Church about marriage\u201d.<\/p>\n

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.<\/p>\n

The declaration represents a softening of tone from the Catholic Church, although not a change in position.<\/p>\n

In 2021, the Pope said priests could not bless same-sex marriages because God cannot \u201cbless sin\u201d.<\/p>\n

Pope Francis had suggested in October that he was open to having the Church bless same-sex couples.<\/p>\n

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

Cardinal Fern\u00e1ndez, prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, explained that the declaration \u201coffers a specific and innovative contribution to the pastoral meaning of blessings, permitting a broadening and enrichment of the classical understanding of blessings, which is closely linked to a liturgical perspective.\u201d<\/p>\n

The declaration says: \u201cIt is essential to grasp the Holy Father\u2019s concern that these non-ritualised blessings never cease being simple gestures that provide an effective means of increasing trust in God on the part of the people who ask for them, careful that they should not become a liturgical or semi-liturgical act, similar to a sacrament.\u201d<\/p>\n

The declaration states: \u201cOne should neither provide for nor promote a ritual for the blessings of couples in an irregular situation.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the same time, one should not prevent or prohibit the Church\u2019s closeness to people in every situation in which they might seek God\u2019s help through a simple blessing.\u201d<\/p>\n

The document suggests: \u201cIn a brief prayer preceding this spontaneous blessing, the ordained minister could ask that the individuals have peace, health, a spirit of patience, dialogue, and mutual assistance\u2014but also God\u2019s light and strength to be able to fulfil his will completely.\u201d<\/p>\n

It insists, however, that \u201cprecisely to avoid any form of confusion or scandal, when the prayer of blessing is requested by a couple in an irregular situation, even though it is expressed outside the rites prescribed by the liturgical books, this blessing should never be imparted in concurrence with the ceremonies of a civil union, and not even in connection with them. Nor can it be performed with any clothing, gestures, or words that are proper to a wedding. The same applies when the blessing is requested by a same-sex couple.\u201d<\/p>\n

It suggests that such a blessing \u201cmay instead find its place in other contexts, such as a visit to a shrine, a meeting with a priest, a prayer recited in a group, or during a pilgrimage.\u201d<\/p>\n

The declaration emphasizes that with these blessings \u201cthere is no intention to legitimize anything, but rather to open one\u2019s life to God, to ask for his help to live better, and also to invoke the Holy Spirit so that the values of the Gospel may be lived with greater faithfulness.\u201d<\/p>\n

It concludes that what has been said in the declaration regarding the blessings of same-sex couples should be sufficient \u201cto guide the prudent and fatherly discernment of ordained ministers in this regard.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Vatican holds that marriage is an indissoluble union between man and woman. As a result, it has long opposed same-sex marriage.<\/p>\n

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