Pope Francis Suggest Potential Blessing of Same-sex Couple: The Catholic head Pope Francis has suggested he would be open to having the Catholic Church bless same-sex couples.
When questioned by a group of cardinals for clarity of same-sex couple blessing, Pope Francis said that all requests for a blessing should not be considered “pastoral charity”
The cardinals raised the question of blessing same-sex unions in a set of formal questions, known as “dubia” (“doubts” in Latin).
The Pontiff however reaffirmed the Catholic Church’s definition of marriage as an exclusive union between a man and a woman, adding that the church continued to see same-sex relationships as “sinful” and would not recognize same-sex marriage.
He went on to note that people sometimes ask for blessings as a way to connect with God and improve their lives, even when some actions are “objectively morally unacceptable”.
Georgia Clarke – a commentator for Catholic Voices was quoted by Premier as saying his comments are about inclusivity but require further clarification:
“He is expressing a desire for all people, no matter what their sexual orientation is, to be able to feel part of the church, to be able to feel they can come forward for a blessing, regardless of their background.
“What isn’t so clear, to me at least, is whether he’s saying a couple can come forward together to request a blessing on their relationship. We are still waiting for further clarification.”
The group of cardinals representing Asia, Europe, Africa, the United States, and Latin America are requesting further clarification on the Pope’s comments.
Clarke said according to Premier that the Catholic Church can take steps to encourage understanding and inclusivity whilst maintaining its core principles.
“There are still tragic circumstances where people aren’t welcoming to those who have a different sexual orientation, lifestyle or background. I think that that is contrary to the Gospel, Jesus opens up his love, and his welcome to everybody.
“The Pope said that we can absolutely stand for what we believe to be true. But that’s not the only way to express love. That also includes kindness and patience and tenderness, and I’m not sure as a church, we have always been so tender and encouraging and welcoming to all people the way that we should be.”