Elton John accused the Vatican of ‘hypocrisy’ over his decision to ban the blessing of same-sex unions, pointing out that the Holy See apparently invested indirectly in his Rocketman biography.
In a tweet widely acclaimed by the Italian and international press, the singer claims that the Vatican benefits from investing what he describes as ‘millions’ in Rocketman, but refuses to bless gay marriages because ‘they are sin’.
John, who married David Furnish in 2005, struck back after the Vatican said Monday that the Catholic Church could not bless same-sex unions because God “does not bless sin.” In a resolution approved by Pope Francis, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) wrote that such blessings “can not be considered legal”.
Reports of the Vatican’s investment in Rocketman, tracing John’s life from his difficult childhood to stardom, drug addiction and its aftermath, first surfaced in 2019 in an investigation by Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera.
According to documents obtained by the newspaper, the Vatican State Secretariat has invested in the Malta-based Centurion Global Fund, which in turn has invested € 4 million in a film funding scheme that includes Rocketman and a sequel to Men in Black .
The investment, along with others, including the purchase of a property in London’s Sloane Square, was the focus of an investigation ordered by Pope Francis into alleged financial transgressions by Vatican officials.
The investigation is continuing, but in a letter released in November, the pope urged the Vatican to get rid of its investments in Centurion Global Fund and its London investments ‘as soon as possible’, or at least get rid of them. as a way to eliminate all reputational risks ”.
Francis also handed over the management of financial funds and assets of the State Secretariat to APSA, the Treasury and the management of sovereign wealth.
A Vatican spokesman did not respond to the Guardian on Tuesday.
The Vatican’s move to deny the blessing of gay unions has sparked debate in Italy, while a Catholic priest, Alberto Maggi, told La Repubblica: “We can bless animals and objects, but not two people who do not love one another. “
The CDF resolution said that although the “Christian community and its pastors should welcome people with homosexual tendencies with respect and sensitivity”, their unions could not be blessed.
According to Catholic teaching, marriage between a man and a woman is part of God’s plan and intended for the creation of children. Since gay unions are not meant to be part of this plan, such relationships cannot be legally blessed. The document further stated that “God cannot and will not bless sin”, adding: “He blesses the sinful man so that he may realize that he is part of his love plan and allow himself to be changed by him.”