In a Sunday interview on ARISE News, THISDAYLIVE Anchor Dr. Reuben Abati raised questions about the approval of priests to bless same-sex unions by the Pope. Responding to the inquiry, Raymond Anoliefo, the Executive Director of the Justice and Peace Centre in the Catholic Archdiocese of Lagos, clarified that the Catholic Church has not approved gay unions.
Anoliefo explained, “No, the Catholic Church has not approved gay unions and has not sanctioned the blessings of same-sex unions. What the church has done, by that document Fiducia supplicans, is allowing and opening up the space for persons in irregular unions to come into the embrace of God and into the embrace of the church. So, the blessing is for the couple and the individual, not the union.”
He further highlighted that in 2021, certain Cardinals raised questions (dubia) regarding same-sex unions, and Pope Francis provided clear answers, reaffirming the church’s position on the matter. Anoliefo emphasized that the church maintains that homosexual tendencies are considered intrinsically disordered, and marriage, according to the church, is between a man and a woman for life.
Anoliefo also discussed the historical context of blessings within the Catholic Church, distinguishing between liturgical blessings and informal or spontaneous blessings. He clarified that Pope Francis stressed the importance of extending God’s mercy to individuals in same-sex unions, emphasizing the biblical foundation for such compassion. The Pope’s statement specifically addressed the blessing of individuals, not the relationships or unions themselves.
The clarification seeks to address misconceptions and provide a nuanced understanding of the Pope’s stance on blessings related to same-sex unions within the Catholic Church.