Pope Francis hints at slight opening to blessings of same-sex couples
Vatican CityReuters Pope Francis has appeared to leave open the possibility of priests blessing same-sex couples, if they are limited, decided on a case-by-case basis and not confused with wedding ceremonies of heterosexuals. Francis made his opinion known in one answer to five questions from five conservative cardinals from Asia, Europe, Africa, the United States […]
Anglican conservatives meet in Rwanda amid rift over LGBTQ
Kigali, Rwanda AP Hundreds of Anglican conservative leaders from 52 countries are meeting in Rwanda amid a rift over support within the church for same-sex unions. The conference in Kigali, the Rwandan capital, has been convened under the auspices of the Global Fellowship of Confessing Anglicans, or GAFCON, a group formed in 2008 that advocates […]
German Catholic Church reform assembly calls for same-sex blessings
Berlin, Germany AP A meeting between Germany’s Catholic bishops and lay representatives agreed Friday to call for the church to approve blessings of same-sex unions. The three-day gathering, which is part of the “Synodal Path” launched in 2019 in response to the sex abuse crisis that has rocked the church in Germany and many other […]
“We cannot walk with you unless you repent,” African archbishops tell Church of England
Nairobi, Kenya RNS Conservative Anglican archbishops in Africa are challenging a decision by the Church of England to allow clergy to bless same sex couples’ marriages, warning that the move puts the worldwide Anglican Communion in further jeopardy. The leaders are reacting to the 9th February vote at the Church of England’s General Synod to permit the […]
German bishops assure Vatican but vow to proceed with reform
Vatican CityAP Germany’s Catholic bishops insisted Saturday that their reform process won’t lead to a schism and vowed to see it through, after tense meetings with Vatican officials who want a moratorium on proposals to ordain women, bless same-sex unions and rethink church teaching on sexuality. The head of the German bishops’ conference, Bishop Georg […]
Defying Vatican, Flemish bishops allow blessing same-sex unions
Vatican City Reuters Flemish Roman Catholic bishops on Tuesday issued a document effectively allowing the blessing of same-sex unions, in direct defiance of a ruling against such practices by the Vatican’s doctrinal office. The document published on the website of the Bishops’ Conference of Belgium suggested a ritual that included a prayer and a benediction […]
German Catholics to bless gay unions despite Vatican ban
Berlin, GermanyAP Germany’s powerful Catholic progressives are openly defying a recent Holy See pronouncement that priests cannot bless same-sex unions by offering such blessings at services in about 100 different churches all over the country this week. The blessings at open worship services are the latest pushback from German Catholics against a document released in […]
Germany: Theology professors blast Vatican same sex union stance
Berlin, GermanyAP More than 230 professors of Catholic theology in Germany and other countries where German is spoken have signed a statement protesting the Vatican’s recent pronouncement that priests cannot bless same-sex unions, adding to dissent over the document. The statement issued Monday declared that last week’s text “is marked by a paternalistic air of superiority and discriminates against […]
Vatican cardinals defend same-sex union blessing ban amid dissent
Rome, ItalyAP Three cardinals close to Pope Francis defended a recent Holy See pronouncement that priests cannot bless same-sex unions as the Vatican faced outright dissent from some Catholic clergy and questions about the pontiff’s approval of the document. Cardinal Kevin Farrell, head of the Vatican’s laity office, concurred Thursday with the pronouncement that a […]
Belgian bishop lashes out at Vatican over gay unions decree
Brussels, BelgiumAP A Belgian bishop has lashed out at the Vatican over its decree that the Catholic Church won’t bless same-sex unions since God “cannot bless sin”. Antwerp Bishop Johan Bonny wrote in an opinion piece Wednesday that he feels “shame for my Church” and “intellectual and moral incomprehension” after Pope Francis approved the “negative” […]