In a momentous shift in the Roman Catholic Church’s stance on LGBTQ+ issues, Pope Francis has officially sanctioned the blessing of same-sex couples. The Pope’s approval, conveyed through a Vatican document, allows for such blessings as long as they are not incorporated into regular Church rituals or liturgies and are not performed concurrently with civil unions.
This decision builds upon the Pope’s initial acknowledgment of the possibility of blessing same-sex couples in October of the previous year. It signifies a departure from a 2021 ruling by the Vatican doctrine office, which categorically prohibited blessings by stating that God “cannot bless sin.”
Since July 2023, the doctrine department has been led by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, an Argentinian prelate and ally of Pope Francis, whose approach differs from his predecessors. According to a declaration authored by Cardinal Fernandez and another official, the new ruling emphasizes that an exhaustive moral analysis should not be a prerequisite when people seek a blessing. It underscores the idea that God’s grace operates in the lives of those who acknowledge themselves as humble sinners, without claiming righteousness.
The document opens “the possibility of blessings for couples in irregular situations and for couples of the same sex,” leaving decisions to the “prudent and fatherly discernment of ordained ministers.” Jesuit priest James Martin, who ministers to gay Catholics, lauded the move as a “major step forward in the church’s ministry to LGBTQ people,” acknowledging the recognition of the deep desire for God’s presence in the loving relationships of many Catholic same-sex couples.
Pope Francis has been working to shift the church’s approach to LGBTQ Catholics since 2013 when he responded to a question about gay clergy with the words, “Who am I to judge?” While he has not altered the church’s opposition to gay marriage or changed Catholic sexual teachings, the Pope has advocated for a more pastoral and sensitive approach. His support for the civil recognition of same-sex couples and his interactions with individuals like Sister Jeanine Gramick, a nun ministering to gay Catholics, demonstrate a commitment to a more inclusive and compassionate stance within the Church.