Shillong (Meghalaya), Dec 23: The Catholic Church in Meghalaya announced that its priests will be allowed to bless same-sex couples sans any marriage rites, days after Pope Francis approved blessings for such couples.
The declaration brought about major changes in the Catholic Church organisation in the northeastern state with over 10 lakh population.
The Catholic Church issued the declaration ‘Fiducia Supplicans’ approved by Pope Francis.
Now, it will be possible for a Catholic priest to bless same-sex couples but without any type of ritual of the Church that resembles a marriage rite,” Archbishop of Shillong, Victor Lyngdoh said in a letter on Friday.
n a letter, the Archbishop of Shillong, Victor Lyngdoh said, ‘The Declaration stresses on the pastoral meaning of blessings. This is a spontaneous prayer of a priest with informal words. This is not to be mistaken as the official liturgical and ritual blessings of the Church during marriage’.
‘Therefore, the declaration does not change the Catholic Doctrine of Marriage and the blessings does not signify approval of the union,’ it added.
It may be mentioned that in a radical shift in policy aiming at making the church more inclusive while maintaining its strict ban on gay marriage, Pope Francis on December 18 formally approved letting Catholic priests bless same-sex couples.
“This is a spontaneous prayer of a priest with informal words. The blessing does not signify approval of the union. The declaration stresses on the pastoral meaning of blessings,” the letter stated.
In a letter, the Archbishop of Shillong, Victor Lyngdoh said, “The Declaration stresses on the pastoral meaning of blessings. This is a spontaneous prayer of a priest with informal words.
This is not to be mistaken as the official liturgical and ritual blessings of the Church during marriage.”
“Therefore, the declaration does not change the Catholic Doctrine of Marriage and the blessing does not signify approval of the union,” it added.
It may be mentioned that in a radical shift in policy aiming at making the church more inclusive while maintaining its strict ban on gay marriage, Pope Francis on Dec 18 formally approved letting Catholic priests bless same-sex couples.
The document from the Vatican’s doctrine office stated, “There is no intention to legitimize anything, but rather to open one’s life to God, to ask for his help to live better, and also to invoke the Holy Spirit so that the values of the Gospel may be lived with greater faithfulness.”
