Pope Francis says priests cannot bless same-sex unions, dashing hopes of gay Catholics
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In a decree approved by Pope Francis, the Vatican on Monday said that priests cannot bless same-sex unions, describing such relationships as “not ordered to the Creator’s plan.”
“The blessing of homosexual unions cannot be considered licit,” the church said.
The pronouncement from the Vatican’s doctrinal watchdog carries the weight of a universal ground rule for the Roman Catholic Church — and it delves into one of the most controversial issues inside an institution divided over its stance on sexuality.
Many gay Catholics had been hopeful that Francis would create more openness inside the church, not only by speaking more welcomingly about homosexuality, but by changing church law. In a documentary released last year, the pontiff had called for the creation of civil union laws so that same-sex couples are “legally covered.”
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