Hey Deacon

Pope Francis made headlines last month as media outlets around the world reported that the pope had opened the door for blessings of same-sex couples in the Church. His comments have caused debate within the Church with some observers arguing that the pope has walked back a previous Vatican statement on the subject.

The document, “Fiducia Supplicans” (“Supplicating Trust”), addresses a priest’s authority to bless a LGBTQ+ or other unmarried couples. To get a clearer understanding on what is said in the document, I recommend going to the USCCB website and read the Vatican response to the confusion. Click here. Or go to: https://www.usccb.org/news/2023/doctrinal-dicastery-explains-how-when-gay-couples-can-be-blessed

What is a blessing? A blessing is a general word used to invoke the graces of God upon an individual or an object. It is not a sacrament in the Church. The Bible talks about blessings in a variety of situations, most frequently by an individual giving praise and glory to God. The Catechism describes blessings as a movement of prayer. Blessings express the basic movement of Christian prayer -- it is an encounter between God and man. In blessing, God’s gift and man’s acceptance of it are united in dialogue with each other.

The prayer of blessing is man’s response to God’s gifts,because God blesses, the human heart can in return bless the One who is the source of every blessing. (CCC 2626) The Catechism also tells us that blessings come under the category of sacramentals — signs instituted by the church that prepare the faithful to receive grace and cooperate with it. Blessings are imparted by invoking the name of Jesus, usually while making the sign of the cross. We receive these spiritual benefits through the intercession of the Church and insofar as we are open to these graces.

Who can perform a blessing? Both laypeople and clergy can perform blessings. Catholics are encouraged to bless their food before meals, and parents are encouraged to bless their children. Parents have a spiritual authority over their children and should bless their children every day. Some blessings are reserved for clergy. The Catechism (CCC 1672) says that certain blessings have a lasting importance because they consecrate persons or objects to God. They are to be administered by the ordained ministry. This is because these particular blessings impart a sacred character upon the person or thing being blessed — as opposed to invocative blessings which invoke God’s goodness upon a person or thing. And who can receive them?

Can clergy bless a same-sex couple? Clergy can bless a gay or other unmarried couple as long as it is not a formal liturgical blessing and does not give the impression that the Catholic Church is blessing the union as if it were a marriage. But to beclear, the Dicastery of the Doctrine of the Faith (DDF) does not preclude the possibility of give a blessing to individual persons with homosexual inclinations, who manifest the will to live in fidelity to the revealed plans of God as proposed by Church teaching. The pope and the document call for pastoral discernment in offering blessings. When a blessing is requested, one is expressing a request for help from God, a plea to be able to live better, a trust in a Father who can help us to live better.”

Being in a state of moral perfection is not required when requesting a blessing. If it were, then most of us could not present ourselves to receive a blessing.


Author Bio:
Deacon Dan Vaughn