The bishop of Rome and sovereign of the Vatican City State, Pope Francis formally approves for priests to bless same-sex couples, marking a significant shift in Vatican policy. A new document released by the Vatican’s doctrine office on Monday clarifies this by emphasizing that individuals seeking God’s love and mercy should not be subjected to an “exhaustive moral analysis” to receive it. 
This document came following a letter from Francis to two conservative cardinals, which was published in October. In the preliminary response, Francis hinted at the possibility of such blessings under certain circumstances, provided they did not conflate with the sacrament of marriage. The new document reiterates this condition and provides further details, emphasizing that marriage remains a lifelong sacrament between a man and a woman. It underscores that the blessings in question must be non-liturgical and should not coincide with a civil union, employing specific rituals or resembling wedding ceremonies. However, it asserts that requests for such blessings for same-sex couples should not be categorically denied. Furthermore, the document broadens the definition of “blessing” in Scripture, asserting that individuals seeking a transcendent relationship with God and his love and mercy should not be subjected to an exhaustive moral analysis as a prerequisite for receiving such blessings. “Ultimately, a blessing offers people a means to increase their trust in God. 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. It is a seed of the Holy Spirit that must be nurtured, not hindered,” the document said.
