BREAKING: Pope Francis Makes Major Shift On Same-Sex Couples

On Monday, Pope Francis formally approved the blessing of same-sex couples if the ceremony is not confused with the sacrament of marriage. The decision is a major step away from the Vatican policies of the past and is an effort by the pope to not hinder those seeking God's love via "an exhaustive moral analysis."

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández issued the Vatican's declaration that, while explaining that marriage is a lifelong sacrament between a man and a woman, explained that blessings cannot be denied to same-sex couples. "Ultimately, a blessing offers people a means to increase their trust in God," the document said, per The Associated Press. "The request for a blessing, thus, expresses and nurtures openness to the transcendence, mercy, and closeness to God in a thousand concrete circumstances of life, which is no small thing in the world in which we live."

While the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in 2021 explained that the Church could not bless the marriage of same-sex couples since "God cannot bless sin," the pope's policy change still represents a major shift in Vatican doctrine.

The Vatican Congregation's decision, however, was soon backtracked by the Church, with Pope Francis removing the person responsible for publishing it. In a memo following the 2021 decision, Francis wrote that "doctrinal or disciplinary schemes, especially when they lead to a narcissistic and authoritarian elitism whereby instead of evangelizing, one analyzes and classifies others, and instead of opening the door to grace, one exhausts his or her energies in inspecting and verifying."

The decision is likely to face considerable pushback from more traditional Catholics. However, it has been regarded by LGBTQ Catholics to be a major milestone. "This new declaration opens the door to nonliturgical blessings for same-sex couples, something that had been previously off-limits for bishops, priests, and deacons," Rev. James Martin, a prominent advocate for LGBTQ Catholics, explained to The New York Times. "Along with many priests, I will now be delighted to bless my friends in same-sex unions."

It is important to note that some have argued that the document does not actually lead to any significant changes with Acton Institute's Emily Zanotti writing, "No, the Pope did NOT. The doctrinal authority of the church says no same-sex blessings are approved. Individual people can receive blessings, but no priest or authority can bless any *relationship* that is not a marriage between a man and a woman. NOTHING has changed."

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