Pope Francis
Pope Francis announced today (Monday, Dec. 18) that priests may bless same-sex couples as long as the blessing is not part of a regular church service or during a civil union (or, presumably, during a legal wedding ceremony).
The declaration says that when a couple asks for a blessing, they should not then be subject to “an exhaustive moral analysis,” because “the grace of God works in the lives of those who do not claim to be righteous but who acknowledge themselves humbly as sinners, like everyone else.”
A statement from a Jesuit representative called it a major step forward in Catholic same-sex couples desire to have God’s presence in their loving relationships.
It’s been 10 years since Pope Francis replied to a reporter’s question about gay priests, “Who am I to judge?” Since then, he has mentioned support for civil recognition of same-sex couples.
— David Taffet
