The Vatican has announced that it will not bless couples …

Through a new document, the Vatican confirmed on Monday that the Catholic Church will not bless same sex unions since God “cannot bless sin”.

This was stated by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith in a two-page document approved by Pope Francis and published in seven languages., which was conceived in response to a “dubium” – a formal question of whether the Catholic clergy can bless same-sex unions.

By virtue of this declaration, priests are not permitted to bless same-sex couples who request some kind of religious recognition of their union. At the same time, the decree distinguishes between welcoming and blessing homosexuals by the church, which admits, but not their unions.

The Vatican maintains that homosexuals should be treated with dignity and respect, but that same-sex relationships are “inherently disorderly.” Catholic teaching holds that marriage between a man and a woman is part of God’s plan and aims to create new life.

Meanwhile, since “same-sex unions are not meant to be part of this plan, they cannot be blessed by the Church,” reads the document signed by Cardinal Luis Ladaria and Archbishop Giacomo Morandi . “The presence in such relationships of positive elements, which in themselves should be valued and appreciated, cannot justify these relationships and make them legitimate objects of ecclesial blessing. “Give the answer to the original question.

God “does not and cannot bless sin: bless the sinful man, so that he recognizes that this is part of his plan of love and allows himself to be changed by him ”, adds the letter.

The note prompted an immediate reaction from LGBTIQ + Catholic organizations. and sparked debate within the German Church, at the forefront of the opening discussion on hot topics like homosexuality.

Francis DeBernardo, Executive Director of Ministry of New Ways, who advocates greater acceptance of homosexuals in the Church, predicted that the Vatican’s position will be ignored, even by some members of the Catholic clergy.

“Catholics recognize the sanctity of love between committed same-sex couples and recognize that this love is inspired and sustained by God and therefore meets the standard of being blessed,” he said in a statement .

Pope Francis has endorsed providing legal protections to same-sex couples in same-sex unions, but this refers to the civil sphere, not within the church. The remarks, which were made in a 2019 Mexican television interview, were consistent with the position taken by Jorge Bergoglio himself during the debate on the law on marriage equality in Argentina.

Although he opposes the passage of the law, Bergoglio has supported the provision of legal protections for homosexuals in stable unions through the so-called “civil coexistence law”. “Homosexuals have the right to be part of a family. They are children of God,” he said at the time.