The Pope, same-sex unions, and the blessing of fornicating boxers

Dec 20, 2023 by Jill

by Joshua Penduck, Psephizo:

‘Pope says Roman Catholic priests can bless same-sex couples’ declared the BBC News website. It was not alone in this. Anglo-American newspapers, news outlets, and websites emblazoned across their banners this seemingly huge shift in the ethics and polity of the Roman Catholic Church. Liberal Roman Catholics such as James Martin SJ rejoiced; conservative Catholics were outraged. It was not long before there were voices in the Church of England who were likening the move to PLF. The Bishop of Southwark’s suggested on X that this could be seen as an Acts-like work of the Holy Spirit (I’m guessing in a reference to the Council of Jerusalem in Acts 15). Some Anglicans, both conservative and liberal, suggested that the timing of this document was deliberate. After all, this has happened not long after the Church of England’s General Synod had narrowly voted through their own set of prayers for same-sex couples.

When I read the headlines, I was very surprised, considering that I have been following quite closely the Roman Catholic Church over the last few years. Were the Pope declaring in favour of same-sex blessings in a PLF mould this would be a complete U-turn by the Vatican. As such, I decided to do something unthinkable and read the said document, Fiducia Supplicans: On the Pastoral Meaning of Blessings. And it is true, the Pope is saying that Roman Catholic priests can bless same-sex couples. But only in the sense that a priest can bless a boxer before a big fight.

Let me explain as briefly as possible.

Read here

Read also: (from 5 October 2023) Is Pope Francis changing teaching on marriage and same-sex relationships? by Ian Paul

Watch: Anglican Unscripted 835 – Pope Francis has ‘Itch Ears’