Pope Francis has officially agreed to allow priests to bless same-sex couples, according to a new document outlining a significant change in Vatican policy. The document, issued by the Vatican's office of doctrine, states that individuals seeking God's love and mercy should not be subject to "comprehensive moral scrutiny" to receive the Church's blessing.
While the document indicates that marriage is a sacred lifelong sacrament between a man and a woman, it also affirms that requests for such blessings "should not be outright rejected." The Vatican provided a comprehensive definition of the term "blessing" in the Bible, stating that individuals seeking a relationship with God and his love and mercy should not undergo "comprehensive moral scrutiny" as a prerequisite.
The document describes "blessing" as a means for individuals to increase their trust in the Lord, indicating that such a request reflects openness to elevation, mercy, and closeness to God. It claims that it is "the seed of the Holy Spirit that should be nurtured, not hindered."
This release follows the blessing of a same-sex union by a Protestant pastor in England, where two female ministers in the same church were blessed. The ministers knelt before Pastor Andrew Douchin, who raised their heads while expressing gratitude for their shared love, friendship, and commitment to one another.
