On the scale of the Catholic Church's centuries-old history, the Vatican's decision on Monday, December 18, to authorize the blessing of same-sex couples constitutes a historic turning point. A "doctrinal declaration" from the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith, the body tasked with ensuring theological rigor, recognizes the "possibility of blessing couples in irregular situations [remarried divorcees] and same-sex couples."
This authorization in no way changes the Church's traditional doctrine on marriage, which it still considers as the indissoluble union of a man and a woman dedicated to procreation. But, in line with the liberal evolution led by Pope Francis on a highly controversial subject within the Church itself, the move puts an end to centuries of taboo and ignorance, sources of ostracism, discrimination and suffering.
The prudent theological evolution permitted by the text signed by Pope Francis himself is based on a distinction between blessing and ritual. While blessings are now authorized, they cannot happen as part of a liturgical rite. So as not to be confused with a marriage, the blessing may not include any elements of marriage rituals.
The innovation is part of a pragmatic approach that contrasts with his predecessors' condemnations of homosexuality. While Pope Francis has not changed the Church's position on homosexuality, which is still officially considered "intrinsically disordered" behavior, he has been preparing for this evolution for several years.
"If a person is gay and seeks God and has good will, who am I to judge?" he had asked in 2013. In 2018, he reassured one of the Chilean victims of a priest condemned by the Church for sexual abuse: "Juan Carlos, that you are gay does not matter. God made you like this and loves you like this and I don't care." In a radically new approach, Francis has met with homosexuals, has talked about them, and has never stopped saying that the Church must be welcoming to them, and accompany rather than reject them.
Late adaptation
For years, these symbolic gestures were followed by no action. In March 2021, a "note" from the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith explicitly closed the door to blessings for same-sex unions. But this time, there has been a turning point – a few weeks after the first assembly of the Synod on Synodality in Rome in October, which heard poignant testimonies of the torments endured by homosexual faithful. The view of homosexuality has evolved under pressure from certain Churches, such as in Germany and Belgium, where priests openly bless same-sex couples.
The Church is belatedly adapting to the evolution of Western societies, at the risk of offending its most conservative fringe, not only in the United States, but also in Africa and Latin America. At a time when mistrust of the institution has grown, fuelled by decades of sexual abuses kept under a blanket of lead, let's hope that this pragmatic and liberating boldness can be extended to other aspects of Church life marked by unequal practices, such as the place of women, or even priests' celibacy.