[RBStealth]

No Catholic priest or deacon may be forced by any authority to witness or bless the union of couples of the same gender. No Catholic priest or deacon can be obliged to assist at a “Strong Bonds” or other “Marriage Retreat”, if that gathering is also open to couples of the same gender. A priest who is asked to counsel non-Catholic parties in a same-gendered relationship will direct them to a chaplain who is able to assist. Catholic parties will, of course, be encouraged by the priest to strive to live by the teaching of the Gospel.


The priests are not forbidden from performing or blessing same sex unions! Not Good...Scandals are coming! The AMS (Archdiocese Military Services) reported an upswing in priest recruitment after the military dropped 'Dont ask, Dont Tell'. Quite a bit of that was from priest transfers to the military services.

[markomalley]

The priests are not forbidden from performing or blessing same sex unions! Not Good...Scandals are coming!

He didn't need to. Canon Law already forbids them from doing so ("simulation of a sacrament")

[Campion]

The priests are not forbidden from performing or blessing same sex unions!

Of course they are. Not reiterating a prohibition that every priest already knows about does not imply that it's been abrogated. The letter doesn't mention that priests aren't allowed to steal or murder, either, but that doesn't mean it's now permitted. The context of Catholic teaching on marriage and sex is assumed.