Part 191. A Christmas present from the Pope

Yesterday the Vatican issued a statement authorised by the Pope on blessings for couples not married in accordance with the theology and doctrine of the Roman Catholic Church.  The timing of the announcement may have been a surprise but the substance of the statement had been hinted at in October 2023 in a letter from the Pope to USA retired conservative cardinals.

The statement empowers priests to grant a blessing to individuals in a same-sex marriage or an 'irregular' marriage, for example where one party is previously divorced.

The detailed statement may be found using a search engine.  The statement emphasises that a blessing will in furtherance of the pastoral responsibility of the Church.  It is not to be construed as a change in the Church's teaching on marriage. Thus it neatly sidesteps the theological and doctrinal issues besetting the Church of England on the issue.

A blessing must not be linked in any way to a church service, nor must it be construed as a stand-alone service. It has to be low key and without the trappings which might be construed as akin to a wedding.

The Church of England has agreed to blessing of individuals in a same-sex marriage as part of an existing service and in 2024 it will, for an experimental period, authorise stand-alone services.

Some argue that the blessings are only a minor change in pastoral care and that the Roman Catholic Church's doctrine is unchanged. Others are of the opinion that it indicates the Church is engaged in a slow process of change: the tectonic plates are on the move.