Pope Francis’ approval of same-sex blessing
Pope Francis’ December 2023 approval of a ruling allowing priests to bless unmarried and same-sex couples has understandably thrown up controversy, even disdain, in a Christian world sharply polarised between living in strict accordance with scriptural doctrines on one hand; and embracing man-made modifications that pander to the whims of a few seeking to justify their personal lust, on the other. It does not help matters that the Pope has been laborious in distinguishing his order from his traditional position against same-sex marriage or union whatsoever. The Pope’s approval had stressed that the blessing could take place so long as it was performed without any type of ritualisation and did not give the impression of the church’s approval of the relationship.
Expectedly, the ruling was embraced by LGBTQ+ Catholics, but caused confusion among bishops in some countries, particularly in Africa, where some bishops said they would not implement it. And in a bid to allay the confusion, the Vatican in a reminder of the Catholic Church’s doctrine on marriage, clarified that imparting blessings to same-sex couples was “not a justification of all their actions, and they are not an endorsement of the life that they lead”. However, the measure should not be considered “heretical, contrary to the tradition of the church or blasphemous.”
However, there is little in the explanations to stem the widespread belief that the approval of blessings for same-sex couples is, by far-reaching import, an implied endorsement of homosexuality and gay marriages by the Vatican. The long-standing opposition of the Catholic Church to homosexuality and gay marriages would appear to have been mortgaged by impulse of conforming to an aberrant New World Order, which is at variance with the instruction of Holy Bible as expressly enunciated in Romans 12:2. In a world troubled by widespread social vices, the expectation is that faith-based platforms, and in particular the Catholic church considering the influence of the Pope, would stand firm in protecting the sanctity of the institution of marriage; the very foundation of the family. Religious institutions should be at the forefront of advocacy in support of virtues that conform with family conduct that is good, acceptable and represent the perfect will of God for humanity.
It is indeed instructive that Vatican’s approval of blessings for same-sex couples marks a significant turning point in the Catholic church and appears to have taken the pattern of initial prevarication by the Church of England and subsequent endorsement of same-sex marriages that elicited stout resentment and resistance from global Anglican Communion and notably Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Pacific.
It is therefore heartening that concerned stakeholders of Catholic global community, including Bishops in Nigeria, have voiced opposition to the blessings for same-sex marriage with affirmation of commitment to the church’s original doctrine on marriage. Nevertheless, it is worth ruminating whether or not the Pope’s directive is not the beginning of an orchestrated plot to coerce the Vatican into jettisoning the cherished doctrine of marriage in embrace of same-sex union.
Notwithstanding the position of the Church of England and recently the Catholic Church, same-sex marriage clearly offends the prescriptions of the Holy Bible, which ought to be the standard Christianity must adhere to in preserving humanity against absurdities that are becoming too patent and for which the undermining of the institution of marriage and destruction of family values are the most challenging and puzzling in the emerging world. Candidly, there cannot be valid extenuation for the indulgence of reprobates including same-sex couples to continue in the perilous route of sin. Justifying blessings of same-sex couples by the church and, in so doing, pretending not to validate same-sex unions only makes a huge mockery of the Christian faith and regrettably, effectively pushes the Vatican on the edge of an impending blanket endorsement which seems to be just a matter of time. More disturbing, however, is that the new position of the Vatican on same-sex blessing tends to suggest that the church can act outside of the standard of the Scripture without exacerbating needless conflicts in a world already ensconced by immorality. There is no doubt that church and other faith-based institutions are looked upon to offer a path of redemption to a troubled world where the future of humanity is imperiled by excessive indulgence being touted as human rights to the collective detriments of all.
