ROME (AP) – Three cardinals near Pope Francis are defending a recent Holy See ruling that priests cannot bless same-sex unions, as the Vatican has a clear disagreement with Catholic clergy and questions about the document’s approval by the pope.
Cardinal Kevin Farrell, head of the lay office in the Vatican, on Thursday agreed with the ruling that a “blessing” is a sacramental action related to the sacrament of marriage, which according to the Catholic Church is celebrated only between man and woman. can be.
Farrell said civil unions are not ‘marriages’ as the Catholic Church understands the term, but he stressed:’ I want to insist that no one, no one should ever be excluded from the pastoral care and love and concern of the church . ‘
He was speaking at a news conference launching a year-long celebration of Francis’ views on family life, presented in a 2016 document entitled “The Joy of Love.”
Later Thursday, Boston Cardinal Sean O’Malley and Cardinal Peter Turkson, head of the Vatican’s development office, pointed to Francis’ pastoral outreach to gay men and lesbians, but reiterated the church’s position.
“The church has a very clear doctrine of marriage to be proclaimed,” O’Malley said during an online panel discussion organized by Georgetown University.
Their comments come amid ongoing criticism of the document released by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on Monday, which says the Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex unions because God “cannot bless sin.”
In Austria, a group of dissident Catholic priests, known as the Pfarrer Initiative, or, the Pastor Initiative, said they were ‘deeply shocked’ by the new decision and would not follow it.
“This is a return to times we hoped with Pope Francis to get past,” the priests in Austria said in a statement. “We will, in solidarity with so many people, in the future reject any loving couple who ask to celebrate God’s blessing, which they experience every day, also in a worship service.”
The group, which was founded by nine priests in 2006 and today claims that 350 members are “of the official Roman Catholic Church”, says the decision “discredits Jesus’ liberating message.”
A Belgian bishop, Antwerp bishop Johan Bonny, apologized to believers on Wednesday for what he said was a ‘painful and incomprehensible’ decision.
In Germany, Mainz Bishop Peter Kohlgraf also expressed dismay, saying he was “bothered” by the Vatican position and took seriously the criticism he heard from his herd. In a statement on his diocesan website, Kohlgraf said he stood by views he expressed in writing last month, apparently endorsing various liturgical blessings for gay couples that some priests have been using.
‘The blessings arose from the pastoral guidance of the people affected. Most of them are not formulas that repeat church marriages, nor are they intended to develop a uniform liturgy, ‘he wrote. ‘No, I’m not asking for a kind of blessing similar to marriage. But I do ask for guidance – instead of judging. ”
The launch of the document was unusual. The Vatican’s press office did not give prior notice that it would come out. According to the document, Francis was only ‘informed’ and gave his consent to the publication. ‘
Other documents from the Vatican’s Orthodox Office have a much more authoritative endorsement of the pope. One published on June 24 on the validity of some baptisms, for example, said Francis ‘approved these answers and ordered their publication’.
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David Rising made a contribution from Berlin.