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Vatican Defends Blessings for Same-Sex Couples Amid Bishops' Pushback

Despite Criticism, Pope Francis' Approval Does Not Contradict Church's Traditional Doctrine, Says Vatican

Pope Francis does the sign of the cross during his weekly general audience in the Pope Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Wednesday, Aug. 30, 2023. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)
Pope Francis arrives to Saint Peter's Basilica at the Vatican on Dec. 31, 2023.
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Overview

  • Pope Francis has approved blessings for same-sex couples, a move defended by the Vatican against pushback from some bishops.
  • The Vatican insists that there is nothing 'heretical' in the approval of these blessings, and that it does not contradict the traditional doctrine of the Church about marriage.
  • Some bishops have refused to implement the new policy, citing local laws and cultural contexts that condemn homosexuality.
  • The Vatican has stressed that these blessings are 'short and simple pastoral blessings', not intended to justify anything that is not morally acceptable.
  • In places where homosexuality is criminalized, the Vatican acknowledges that issuing a blessing would be 'imprudent' and could expose individuals to violence.