By Marisol Bo-oc | 01:46 PM March 16, 2021
The Catholic Church does not have the power to bless same-sex unions, the Vatican office responsible for doctrine has said.
It is “impossible” for God to “bless sin”, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) said on Monday.
Explaining their decision in a lengthy note on Monday, the Holy See referred to same-sex unions as a “choice,” described them as sinful and said they “cannot be recognized as objectively ordered” to God’s plans. The stance is certain to disappoint millions of gay and lesbian Catholics around the world.
“The blessing of homosexual unions cannot be considered licit,” the Vatican’s top doctrinal office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, wrote in the statement.
In the Catholic Church, a blessing is given by a priest or other minister in the name of the Church.
God “does not and cannot bless sin,” the statement added.
Pope Francis, who has frequently been praised for his welcoming tone towards LGBTQI people both within and outside the Church, approved the note.
The decision is a setback for Catholics who had hoped the institution would modernize its approach to homosexuality.