In a historic step for the Catholic Church, Pope Francis is officially allowing priests to bless same-sex couples, according to a document released by the Vatican on Monday. His formal approval follows a papal letter published in October, in which he hinted at the coming policy change.
The new document makes clear that the church still views marriage as the holy union of a man and a woman. However, blessings for same-sex couples can now be offered under some circumstances, so long as they are nonliturgical and not used as part of civil union ceremonies. The document declares that “an exhaustive moral analysis” of the people requesting the blessing should not be required as a “precondition for conferring it.”
As The Associated Press noted, the policy is a radical response to the Vatican’s 2021 Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith document, which had previously banned the blessing of same-sex unions.
Francis’ tenure, which marked 10 years in March, has brought a larger change in course for the church regarding LGBTQ+ inclusion. The pontiff, who celebrated his 87th birthday Sunday, has built his legacy as one of the oldest and now most progressive popes to date.
His vision of the church has looked to reform its exclusive structure, including the granting of more authority to women in the Vatican and allowing the baptism of transgender Catholics. But his reform efforts have prompted backlash from some conservatives in both the Vatican and abroad. As a result, he has revoked privileges or removed some of his opponents, including Bishop Joseph Strickland, Archbishop Georg Gaenswein and Cardinal Raymond Burke.
Ultimately, Francis’ blessing approval is only a single step forward in a notoriously conservative institution. But it’s a key moment in creating a more inclusive church and marking the widening political divide between Francis and Vatican traditionalists.