Pope Francis has officially authorized Roman Catholic priests to bless same-gender couples.
The Vatican's doctrine, released on Monday, December 19th, reiterated the church's belief that the sacrament of marriage is exclusive between a man and a woman and emphasized that blessings cannot be considered the same as a civil union.
The Vatican said it should be a sign that "God welcomes all," but the document says priests must make individual decisions.
The document emphasizes that the blessings in question must not be tied to any particular Catholic celebration or religious service and must not be conferred concurrently with a civil union ceremony. Furthermore, the blessings cannot include any set rituals or even the clothing and gestures associated with a wedding.
Did you read this?
It provides a comprehensive and broad definition of the term "blessing" in Scripture to argue that people seeking a transcendent relationship with God and seeking his love and mercy should not be held to an impossible moral standard to receive it.
