The Church of England General Synod has agreed to run a pilot programme offering stand-alone services for blessing same-sex couples. The motion came from the Bishop of London, Sarah Mullally. Last week, the Church’s General Synod voted to move ahead with implementing special prayers of thanks and dedication for gay couples. The vote followed the Read more
Blessings for same-sex couples and divorced and remarried couples in Germany’s Speyer diocese are now officially ‘allowed’. In his letter to priests, deacons and lay pastoral workers last week, Bishop Karl-Heinz Wiesemann officially sanctioned the blessings. The same-sex blessings the Speyer diocese gave in the Speyer churches could also be given to remarried couples, he Read more
Pope Francis has hinted he could be open to blessing same-sex couples provided certain conditions are met. The blessings must not be confused with the wedding ceremonies of heterosexuals, and decisions as to whether to bless these couples should be decided on a case-by-case basis he said. Francis shared his views on several hot theological Read more
The Flemish bishops’ decision to bless same-sex unions is reasonable, says Bishop Johan Bonny. Bonny and the other Flemish bishops of Belgium introduced a blessing for same-sex couples in September 2022. They also published a handout outlining suggested liturgy and prayers. The bishops’ based their decision to go ahead with the same sex blessings on Read more
A German Cardinal covered many topics in a recent media interview – blasphemy, the pope, LGBT and the German bishops featured in Cardinal Gerhard Müller’s comments. One comment was that Pope Francis should correct and, if necessary, punish some German bishops. Müller was referring to those who have approved “heretical texts” and “proposals directly against Read more
When the German bishops’ conference meets in Dresden this week, the group’s chairman has a particular aim. Bishop Georg Bätzing wants Germany’s bishops to support the prospect of liturgical blessings for same-sex couples. The German Catholic news agency KNA says the German bishops’ leader’s agenda will call for “a common line in favour of blessing Read more
A bishop has suspended a parish priest in a small Southern Italian town after the cleric continually rejected Catholic Church teaching by promoting same-sex blessings, abortion and euthanasia. The Rev Giulio Mignani (pictured), 52, has been barred from celebrating Mass and the sacraments after vocally advocating for welcoming LGBTQ individuals into the church. “The Church Read more
Earlier this month, more than a hundred Catholic parishes in Germany carried out priestly blessings of same-sex couples in defiance of the Vatican and the German bishops. The ceremonies were, in part, a response to the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s recent instruction forbidding such blessings and reiterating the Church’s traditional teaching regarding Read more
German Catholics are not seeking to “detach ourselves as the German national Church from Rome,” and there is no risk of schism, according to the chairman of the German Catholic bishops’ conference. Even as Catholics in Germany plan a national protest against the Vatican’s ban on blessing on same-sex couples, Bishop Georg Bätzing has insisted Read more
One reading of the Vatican’s same sex blessing statement is it has back-fired according to theologian Dr James Alison. “I’ve been rather encouraged, and particularly surprised how much more unworriedly critical a vast number of people, including cardinals and bishops have been”. He’s calling the Vatican’s same-sex blessing statement “a shot in the foot”. James Read more