Vatican Clarifies When Same-Sex Couples Can Be Blessed

The Vatican has issued a new doctrinal declaration, Fiducia Supplicans, approved by Pope Francis, which explains when those in same-sex couples and others in “irregular situations” can be blessed.

Under this new guidance, priests are authorized to offer blessings of pastoral closeness to those in same-sex couples, although these blessings are distinct from the Church’s formal ritual of marriage.

The declaration specifies that such blessings should not imply a validation of the couple’s status nor create confusion with the Sacrament of Marriage. According to Vatican News, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, Prefect of the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, emphasized the need for “pastoral prudence” in discerning blessing forms that do not convey a mistaken concept of marriage but rather pastoral closeness.

The document highlights the role for these in Catholic tradition. These blessings, as the declaration states, are “among the most widespread and evolving sacramentals,” emphasizing their role in acknowledging God’s presence in various life aspects.

Pope Francis’ response to the dubia of some cardinals played a pivotal role in shaping this declaration too. He reiterated the Church’s belief in marriage as an “exclusive, stable, and indissoluble union between a man and a woman,” while also urging the Church to avoid “being judges who only deny, reject, and exclude.”

The Vatican clarifies that while those in same-sex couples can be blessed, the union itself is not the focus of the blessing. The declaration advises against any form of ritualization that mirrors marriage rites, suggesting that blessings take place in settings like shrines or during personal meetings with priests.

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