Pope Francis says priests cannot bless same sex unions, dashing hopes of gay Catholics

[brooklynite]

Source: Washington Post

ROME — In a decree approved by Pope Francis, the Vatican on Monday said that priests cannot bless same-sex unions, saying that such relationships are "not ordered to the Creator's plan."


“The blessing of homosexual unions cannot be considered licit,” the church said.


The “explanatory note,” issued by the Vatican’s doctrinal watchdog, carries the weight of a universal ground rule for the Roman Catholic Church — and it regards one of the most controversial inside an institution divided over its stance on sexuality.


Many gay Catholics had been hopeful that Francis would create more openness inside the church, not only by speaking more welcomingly about homosexuality, but by changing church law. In a documentary released last year, the pontiff had called for the creation of civil union laws so that same-sex couples are “legally covered.”


Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/europe/pope-same-sex-unions-licit/2021/03/15/8c51ee80-8581-11eb-be4a-24b89f616f2c_story.html

[Botany]

1. Good thing there are no gay Catholic priests

Do I need to add this?

[jonstl08]

13. Add on

Raised Catholic. Before my mother died when I was 15 she asked me why I avoided "Father John. Told her he was weird and she told me he was a man of god and I should get to know him. Still did not which irritated her. Well after she died it was found out he was molesting boys in the parish. Only know one of them he did this to. No idea how my mother would have reacted to the news but I think she would have gone off on the church. What was frightening is the older people not believing it or saying he was so good to a person in their time of grief. Just drove me crazy.

[FBaggins]

25. Well... they couldn't get married anyway. nt

[RevBrotherThomas]

2. As a former Roman Catholic layman,

and a current Independent Catholic priest, I am unsurprised. Francis may have changed the tone, but the song remains the same.

[bucolic_frolic]

3. Hesitant tolerance begrudgingly delivered

is not the real McCoy.

[keithbvadu2]

4. But the CC can protect its pedophile priests for many decades and even now for some.

But the CC can protect its pedophile priests for many decades and even now for some.

[Maeve]

5. Another reason why I am no longer a practicing Catholic

[Firestorm49]

6. No problem. Find a religion that is more accepting.

[msfiddlestix]

10. Right?

It's like let's be part of a cult that hates everything about me/us

[Auggie]

20. Or science

Just sayin'

[Miguelito Loveless]

7. At a loss as to why Gays, women, and pro-birth control people

continue to associate with and financially support the Catholic Church.

[speak easy]

12. Because they are not the SBC?

[Miguelito Loveless]

21. Certain factions in the Chruch seem determined

to move the Catholic Church into theological equilibrium with the SBC. I gave up on the Catholic Church in particular and religion in general in 2002. My wife left the Church for the Friends in 2008.

[Cinnamonspice]

8. It's hard to get passed 2,000 years of ideology.

The argument is that God doesn't change.

I agree with that, but did God really forbid certain things? What if things are not as simple as we think? Back when this was written, Greeks would send adult males to supposedly make a man out of younger males. There was also male prostitution.

[jonstl08]

9. Straddling the fence

I could be wrong but I believe Pope Francis wants to bless them but the conservative wing of the church is forcing this action. He technically is not saying they cannot get married with was the church position before he came along. Only they will not be blessed.

[Demnation]

11. A medieval institution founded in myth, sustained by fear and self-loathing.

[Mary in S. Carolina]

14. Wasn't The Bible Written By Man

Wasn't the Bible written by man hundreds of years after Jesus died? I have a hard time believing anything in the Bible, women are stoned to death, gays are bad, blah blah blah.

[jonstl08]

17. Correct

Had this argument with many religious people. Their standard argument is "God" inspired man to write this. So I counter with why did God do not either write it him/herself or have man do it when Jesus was alive.

Crickets

[Mary in S. Carolina]

15. Religion was formed by the Elite Classes

to control the Ignorant Masses.

[Jonah Ide]

16. But Hey, if it's an Adult Priest with a 14-year-old Boy. . .

No problem!

[Lettuce Be]

18. Totally cool with pedophilia but a big nope on gay marriage?

[BradAllison]

19. Unfortunate but that is a religion's prerogative.

As long as they are not interfering in the government process of how marriage or a union is determined, I don't care.

[Backseat Driver]

22. So sorry, "No blessings for you"

[elleng]

23. "not ordered to the Creator's plan."

[House of Roberts]

24. The Creator's Plan

Make too fucking many people so a lot will starve in the future. (Great fucking plan there)

[Yeehah]

26. Religion

Proof that humans ain't that smart.

[sarcasmo]

27. Organized Religion is a cause of great distress on humanity.

[spike jones]

28. more bull from the pope.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papal_bull

[Xolodno]

29. Not Surprised. And any outrage is..well, pointless...

It's a religion, get over it. It took the CC how many centuries before they admitted Copernicus was correct? And they still don't acknowledge Bruno. So...take the victories you can. And it could be worse, imagine if the CC and Orthodox reunited?

[marie999]

30. Why remain in a religion if you don't follow its rules?