Pope Francis Allows Priests to Bless Same-Sex Couples

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Facts

• Pope Francis on Monday allowed Catholic priests to bless same-sex and 'irregular' couples under some circumstances. However, the Vatican also reaffirmed that marriage is between a man and a woman and that such blessings shouldn't be a normal part of Church rituals or related to civil unions.¹
• With the Declaration 'Fiducia supplicans' — published by the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith and approved by the Pope — the Church distinguished between ritual and liturgical blessings, offering new considerations of welcoming those who don't follow its norms but wish to be blessed.²
• The Declaration allows blessings to be imparted when meeting with a priest, visiting a shrine, during a pilgrimage, or as a prayer recited by a group. It can't, however, occur during any union ceremonies or when there are any 'clothing, gestures or words that are proper to a wedding.'³
• A blessing, the document clarifies, offers followers 'a means to increase their trust in God,' adding that the request for a blessing 'is a seed of the Holy Spirit that must be nurtured, not hindered.'⁴
• However, the Church stands firm in its stance that people in 'irregular' unions are in a state of sin and that it should steer clear of 'doctrinal or disciplinary schemes' that can lead to 'narcissistic and authoritarian elitism.'⁴
• Meanwhile, as progressive Christian denominations have already begun offering such blessings, as well as ordaining openly gay clergy, more conservative factions in Anglican, Methodist, and Presbyterian churches have broken away.⁵

Sources: ¹BBC News, ²Vatican News, ³ABC News, ⁴FOX News and ⁵New York Times.

Narratives

• Progressive narrative, as provided by ABC News. During his more than a decade as head of the Church, Pope Francis has not only preached to his congregants about tolerance but also taken concrete action to implement his beliefs into Church teaching. Before this historic move, Francis had previously condemned countries that outlawed homosexuality, as well as allowed transgender people to receive baptism and become godparents. The Pope has taken a stand against anti-LGBTQ+ governments and clergy members across the globe to show that all are welcome in his Church.
• Conservative narrative, as provided by Townhall. Pope Francis has not only insulted the Church through his progressive tendencies but also removed some members of the clergy for attempting to defend the actual teachings of Catholicism. Before the Pope officially welcomed gay couples into the Church, he recently fired Bishop Joseph Strickland of Texas for 'undermining the deposit of faith.' Furthermore, the Vatican never revealed the findings of its investigation into Strickland before revoking his pastoral authority. It seems Francis has abandoned the Church in favor of the LGBTQ+ movement.

Predictions