Pope Francis has issued a new declaration that allows priests to bless same-sex unions and marriages between people who have been divorced.
It was issued in a Vatican declaration by the church's doctrine office. The head of the office, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, released the declaration on Monday, and said that it was based on the pastoral vision of Pope Francis.
“It 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’s perennial teaching on marriage,” Cardinal Fernández wrote.
It contrasts a 2021 ruling that stated the church could not bless same-sex unions because “God could not bless sin.”
But according to Dr. Michelle Loris, a Catholic Studies professor and dean at Sacred Heart University, this does not mean there will be same-sex weddings in churches.
“It in no way validates the status of the gay relationship,” Loris said. “It just recognizes that this couple is asking for a blessing that they show themselves to have a desire for God's presence in their life, a request for God's assistance to live a better life.”
Priests will not be allowed to offer their blessing to same-sex couples during formal ceremonies — only during things like meetings, pilgrimages or group prayers.
But for Loris, it’s still meaningful.
“For those gay Catholics who are in a union, if they sought from a local priest that they might have a relationship with, that they could have this pastoral blessing, I think that that would be meaningful to them,” Loris said.
