Stances of Faiths on LGBTQ+ Issues: Roman Catholic Church
BACKGROUND
The Roman Catholic Church is the largest Christian denomination in the world, with approximately billion members across the globe. With its origins in the earliest days of Christianity, the Church traces its leadership––in the person of the Pope––to St. Peter, identified by Jesus as “the rock” on which the Church would be built.
The Catholic Church in the United States numbers over 70 million members, and is organized in 33 Provinces, each led by an archbishop. Each bishop answers directly to the Pope, not to an archbishop. Those Provinces are further divided into dioceses, each led by a bishop. At the base of the organizational structure are local parishes, headed by a pastor, appointed by the local bishop. The Conference of Catholic Bishops in the United States meets semi-annually.
As part of a global organization with its institutional center at the Vatican, the Catholic Church in America is shaped by worldwide societal and cultural trends. It is further shaped by management that is entirely male, with women excluded from the priesthood and thus from key leadership roles.
LGBTQ+ EQUALITY
ON SEXUAL OR
Pope says Roman Catholic priests can bless same-sex couples
Getty Images
Pope Francis has allowed priests to bless homosexual couples, a significant advance for LGBT people in the Roman Catholic Church.
The leader of the Roman Catholic Church said priests should be permitted to bless same-sex and "irregular" couples, under certain circumstances.
But the Vatican said blessings should not be part of regular Church rituals or related to civil unions or weddings.
It added that it continues to view marriage as between a man and a woman.
Pope Francis approved a document issued by the Vatican announcing the modify on Monday. The Vatican said it should be a sign that "God welcomes all", but the document says priests must decide on a case-by-case basis.
Introducing the text, Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández, the prefect of the Church, said that the fresh declaration remained "firm on the traditional doctrine of the Church about marriage".
But he added that in keeping with the Pope's "pastoral vision" of "broadening" the appeal of the Catholic Church, the recent guidelines would allow priests to bless relationshi
Pope Francis allows blessings for same-sex couples under certain conditions
The Vatican has approved a landmark ruling to allow Roman Catholic priests to administer blessings to same-sex couples as prolonged as they are not part of regular Church rituals or liturgies, nor given in contexts associated to civil unions or weddings.
A document from the Vatican’s doctrinal office approved by Pope Francis on Monday said such blessings would not legitimise irregular situations but be a sign that God welcomes all.
Recommended Stories
list of 4 itemslist 1 of 4
Pope slams ‘indifference’ towards migrants arriving in Europe by sea
list 2 of 4
Pope opens Vatican encounter amid tensions with conservatives
list 3 of 4
‘Terrorism’: Israel-Hamas conflict has gone ‘beyond war’ says Pope Francis
list 4 of 4
Pope Francis cancels trip to Dubai’s COP28 over health issues
end of list
The document backed “the possibility of blessings for couples in irregular situations and for couples of the same sex” but “this blessing should never be imparted in concurrence with the ceremonies of a civil union, and not even in connection with them”.
It said priests should decide on a case-by-case basis and “should not
What Pope Francis said about controversial issues from queer rights to immigration
Pope Francis, one of the more progressive pontiff's in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, died on Monday morning at the age of 88, the Vatican confirmed.
Francis’ willingness to take a more steady stance on issues from LGBTQ rights to homosexual marriage to immigration construct him one of the most progressive and authoritative popes of the contemporary era.
Here are memorable moments from Francis' time where he voiced his views on those topics.
Francis' stance on members of the LGBTQ community
In December , Francis formally signed off on allowing Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples, he said in a declaration released by the Vatican's office.
The declaration stated, "When people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral analysis should not be placed as a precondition for conferring it. For those seeking a blessing should not be required to have prior moral perfection."
"A blessing proposals people a means to increase their trust in God. The request for a blessing, thus, expresses and nurtures openness to the transcendence, mercy and the closeness to G
