Pope Francis to allow Catholic priests to bless same-sex relationships

The move is a radical change of policy for the Vatican

Pope Francis is to allow Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples – but has issued guidance warning that blessings should not be confused with marriages

The document from the Vatican’s doctrine office says that people seeking God’s love and mercy shouldn’t be subject to “an exhaustive moral analysis” to receive it.

However, it also clarifies that blessings should not be conferred at the same time as a civil union and should not use set rituals or clothing or gestures associated with a wedding.

Pope Francis has said priests can offer a blessing to same-sex couples.

The Catholic Church has previously been strongly opposed to any link to same sex relationships, however, Pope Francis has made moves towards opening the church to LGBTQ+ people.

The issue has also been met with resistance from within the church in some countries, such as Germany, where priests have regularly offered blessings to same-sex couples.

“Ultimately, a blessing offers people a means to increase their trust in God,” the document said. “The request for a blessing, thus, expresses and nurtures openness to the transcendence, mercy, and closeness to God in a thousand concrete circumstances of life, which is no small thing in the world in which we live.”

However, it added that people in “irregular” unions — gay or straight — are in a state of sin, although it added that this should not deprive them of God’s love or mercy.

“Thus, when people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral analysis should not be placed as a precondition for conferring it,” the document said.