杏MAP导航

By Vatican News

The Church does not have the power to bless same-sex unions. Such blessings, therefore cannot 鈥渂e considered licit鈥�, according to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) which to a dubium that had been presented. Therefore, it is not licit for priests to bless homosexual couples who ask for some type of religious recognition of their union. The CDF says 杏MAP导航 Francis was informed and 鈥済ave his assent鈥� to the publication of the Response and an accompanying Explanatory Note signed by the Prefect, Cardinal Luis Ladaria, and the Secretary, Archbishop Giacomo Morandi. The Holy See Press Office also published an .

The statement is based on specific assertions and some actual practices. The document situates its Response into the context of the 鈥渟incere desire to welcome and accompany homosexual persons, to whom are proposed paths of growth in faith鈥�, as expressed also in the Apostolic Exhortation Amoris laetitia, which speaks of 鈥渢he assistance they [those who manifest a homosexual orientation] need to understand and fully carry out God鈥檚 will in their lives.鈥� Therefore, pastoral plans and proposals in this regard are to be evaluated, including those concerning the blessings of such unions.

Fundamental to the CDF鈥檚 Response is the distinction that must be made between 鈥榩ersons鈥� and 鈥榰nion鈥�. The negative response given to the blessing of a union does not, in fact, imply a judgement regarding the individuals involved, who must be welcomed 鈥渨ith respect, compassion, and sensitivity鈥� avoiding 鈥渆very sign of unjust discrimination鈥� as already written in Magisterial documents.

These are the motivations at the basis of the negative response. The first regards the truth and value of blessings, which are 鈥榮acramentals鈥�, liturgical actions of the Church which require that what is being blessed be 鈥渙bjectively and positively ordered to receive and express grace, according to the designs of God inscribed in creation鈥�. Relationships, even if stable, 鈥渢hat involve sexual activity outside of marriage鈥� 鈥� meaning, outside 鈥渢he indissoluble union of a man and a woman鈥�, open to the transmission of life 鈥� do not respond to the 鈥渄esigns of God鈥�, even if 鈥減ositive elements鈥� are present in those relationships. This consideration not only concerns same-sex couples, but also unions that involve the sexual activity outside of matrimony. Another reason for the negative response is the risk that the blessing of same-sex unions may be mistakenly associated with that of the Sacrament of Matrimony.

The CDF concludes by noting that the Response to the dubium does not preclude 鈥渢he blessings given to individual persons with homosexual inclinations, who manifest the will to live in fidelity to the revealed plans of God鈥�, while it declares impermissible 鈥渁ny form of blessing that tends to acknowledge their unions as such鈥�.