With the blessing of homosexual couples the unthinkable becomes reality in the Catholic Church

Article by Christian Röther published in Deutschlandfunk (Germany) on 18 December 2023, freely translated byMichele D'Adamo

For Christian Röther, it is surprising that same-sex couples are now officially allowed to receive a blessing in the Catholic church. Pope Francis is giving his Church an edge, even if there is still much to reform.

What was once considered the work of the devil – and for some still is – now receives the Pope's blessing. The fact that same-sex couples are now officially allowed to receive a Roman Catholic blessing comes as a surprise, not just in terms of content , but also of timing. In fact, one does not expect a Pope to address such a burning topic in terms of ecclesiastical politics close to Christmas.

Because within the Church this decision generates a change. Those who don't think highly of the liberal Francis now have one more reason to criticize the Pope even at Christmas. On the contrary, all those who would like to see reforms in the Church will be happy, especially homosexual couples who wish to be blessed. They received an early Christmas gift from the Pope, although not without restrictions: they cannot be blessed during a religious service, writes the Vatican, and it must be ensured that the blessing is not similar to a wedding.

The "made in Rome" marriage valid for everyone does not yet exist

This aspect will attract further criticism towards the Pope, from those people who would like to see more far-reaching reforms: marriage "made in Rome" valid for everyone does not yet exist. But the Pope is already going at least as far as is currently possible under canon law.

Why does he do it? Two years ago, the Vatican proclaimed the opposite: blessings for homosexuals do not exist in our country. Now the 180 degree turn. Why? In the meantime, the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the supreme guardian of Catholic doctrine, has changed. Archbishop Fernández, a longtime confidant of the Pope, has been in office since September. Together, the two Argentine elders are making the church a little more “diverse.”

Francesco's health and age?

Perhaps all this is also due to Francesco's age and state of health: he has just turned 87 and a few weeks ago he was admitted to hospital because his lungs are causing concern. Last week the Pope then announced in which church he would like to be buried. For this reason, many are already preparing for the fact that a new Pope will soon have to be elected. And perhaps Francis feels that his mandate is about to end: resignation could also be possible.

Francis' message: Everyone is welcome in my church

But in any case, Francis is sending a pre-Christmas message: All are welcome in my church. This is also a statement within the Church: there is still a lot to expect from this Pope. Now he is in a wheelchair, can barely walk, but he is giving his church an edge. It will be interesting to find out what his next decisions will be. There would still be much to reform in the Catholic Church.

Original title: In der katholischen Kirche wird Undenkbares Realität