Ukrainian Church Rejects Teachings of Pope Francis

The head of the Eastern Catholic Church in Ukraine, Sviatoslav Shevchuk, announced that a document endorsed by Pope Francis last week allowing the blessing of same-sex couples "does not apply to his church or its teachings." Archbishop Sviatoslav Shevchuk added that the Vatican document "interprets the meaning of blessings in the Latin Church but does not address issues governing the Eastern Church or the Ukrainian Greek Catholics." He continued in a statement issued yesterday, Saturday: "Therefore, this announcement applies only to the Latin Church, which has no legitimate jurisdiction over the faithful in the Ukrainian Greek Catholic Church." He noted that blessings "cannot be separated from the teachings of the Church and cannot, in any case, contradict the Catholic Church's teachings on the family as a union characterized by fidelity, inseparability, and fertility between a man and a woman." The document issued by the Vatican's Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith stated that Roman Catholic priests may bless same-sex couples as long as it is not part of the church's regular customary rituals. It added that such blessings would be a sign of God's welcome to all but should not be confused with the sacrament of holy matrimony between genders. The Eastern Church follows teachings and rituals similar to the Orthodox Church but maintains communication and partnership with Rome under an agreement dating back to the sixteenth century. The Soviet-era repression forced this church to operate secretly, and it currently has followers estimated at about 4.5 million, representing roughly ten percent of Ukraine's population.