Afrigather In clarifying its December ruling, the Vatican careworn non-ritualized blessings usually are not a “justification” or an “endorsement” of the lifetime of the particular person being blessed and are due to this fact not blasphemous. Photograph by Stefano Spaziani/UPI | License Photo
Jan. 4 (UPI) — Following a significant shift within the Catholic church’s stance towards same-sex unions, the Vatican launched a press release clarifying the blessing of same-sex {couples} is just not an endorsement of homosexuality.
The Vatican’s Dicastery for Doctrine of the Religion released a statement Thursday that its December declaration, which allowed clergymen to bless same-sex {couples}, doesn’t change the church’s doctrine that marriage is unique to a person and a lady.
The Vatican additional expressed clergymen ought to perceive the distinction between pastoral blessings, corresponding to prayers, and liturgical or ritual blessings, corresponding to in a wedding ceremony.
A pastoral blessing does “not intend to justify something that’s not morally acceptable,” however is “solely the response of a pastor in direction of two individuals who ask for God’s assist,” the Vatican mentioned, whereas giving the instance of two divorced folks since remarried asking for a blessing of fine well being whereas on a pilgrimage.
“Does it make sense to disclaim these sorts of blessings to those two individuals who ask for them? Is it no more applicable to help their religion, whether or not or not it’s small or nice, to help them of their weaknesses with a divine blessing, and to channel that openness to transcendence which may cause them to be extra devoted to the Gospel?” the Vatican argued.
To keep away from confusion, the priest ought to by no means impart such a blessing in “concurrence with the ceremonies of a civil union,” which means the blessing shouldn’t be carried out with any clothes, gestures or phrases related to a marriage, the Vatican mentioned.
The Vatican mentioned clergymen ought to choose the giving of such blessings on a case-by-case foundation, including such blessings can be “imprudent” in nations the place the easy expression of homosexuality is criminalized, and giving pastoral blessings may expose homosexual folks to violence.
The Dicastery for Doctrine of the Religion in December officially declared clergymen can bless same-sex {couples}, in addition to divorced and remarried {couples}.
The measure on the time was described as “probably probably the most concrete pastoral shift on the church’s stance towards homosexual {couples} within the church’s 2,000-year historical past.”
The sweeping declaration got here months after the Catholic bishops of Belgium printed their very own tips that included prayer and blessings for same-sex {couples}.
The Church of England took the measure a step additional by formally sanctioning blessings for same-sex {couples} in a liturgical context.
