Posted on 04/24/2026 8:11:30 AM PDT by ebb tide
On a return flight from Africa Thursday, Pope Leo XIV responded to a question about the Church in Germany issuing formalized blessings for homosexual couples, saying that the Vatican has objected. He made it clear, however, that the impromptu blessings of homosexual couples and couples in adulterous unions was still permitted as the Vatican document Fiducia Supplicans teaches, contrary to the tradition of the Church.
As part of his comments, the Pope downplayed sexual sin, saying, “We tend to think that, when the Church is talking about morality, the only issue of morality is sexual. In reality, I believe there are much greater and more important [moral] issues, such as justice, equality of freedom for men and women, freedom of religion, that would all take priority before that particular issue.”
On April 23, speaking to journalists aboard the papal flight returning from an apostolic journey to Africa, Pope Leo XIV, after affirming Pope Francis’ permission for same-sex couple blessings, added, “To go beyond that, I think that the topic can cause more disunity than unity, and that we should look for ways to build our unity upon Jesus Christ and what Jesus Christ teaches.”
READ: Cardinal Marx implements Fiducia Supplicans ‘blessings’ for ‘couples of all gender identities’
On April 20, Cardinal Reinhard Marx, following Pope Francis’ Fiducia Supplicans, introduced guidelines for the “blessing” of homosexual and other “couples” in sinful relationships in his archdiocese. However, he also offered courses for full-time pastoral workers (priests and laity) on how to conduct “blessing ceremonies,” which violate the stipulations of Fiducia Supplicans.
The controversial Francis declaration, which was formally rejected by the bishops of Africa, specifies that “the form of [blessings for couples in irregular situations and for couples of the same sex] should not be fixed ritually by ecclesial authorities to avoid producing confusion with the blessing proper to the Sacrament of Marriage,” and again, that “one should neither provide for nor promote a ritual for the blessings of couples in an irregular situation.”
Leo told reporters on the plane, “The Holy See has already spoken to the German bishops. The Holy See has made it clear that we do not agree with the formalized blessing of homosexual couples or couples in irregular situations, beyond what was specifically allowed by Pope Francis, saying: all people receive blessings.”
“We do not agree with formalized blessing,” the Pope reiterated, adding: “All are welcomed, all are invited, all are invited to follow Jesus, and all are invited to seek conversion in their lives.”
Fiducia supplicans specifically allows “the possibility of blessing couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples without officially validating their status or changing in any way the Church’s perennial teaching on marriage.”
The Pope’s remarks were made in response to the question: “How do you assess the decision of Cardinal Marx, Archbishop of Munich and Freising, on the permission he gave to bless same sex couples in his diocese?” asked by German journalist Verena Schälter. “In light of different cultural and theological perspectives, especially in Africa, how do you intend to preserve the unity of the global church on that particular matter?"
“First of all, I think it’s very important to understand that the unity or division of the Church should not revolve around sexual matters,” the Pope began.
“When a priest gives a blessing at the end of Mass, when the Pope gives a blessing at the end of a large celebration such as we had today, there are blessings of all people,” the Pope stated by way of example.
The rejection of Fiducia Supplicans by more-orthodox bishops around the world was severe. Apart from the total rejection of the African Bishops’ Conference, Kazakhstan Archbishop Tomasz Peta and Bishop Athanasius Schneider decried “the great deception and the evil that resides in the very permission to bless couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples. Such a blessing directly and seriously contradicts Divine Revelation and the uninterrupted, bimillennial doctrine and practice of the Catholic Church.”
Basing their remarks on the unchanging Tradition of the Catholic Church, the Kazakhstan bishops said, only a “sincerely repentant sinner with the firm intention to no longer sin and to put an end to his public sinful situation (such as, e.g., cohabitation outside of a canonically valid marriage, union between people of the same sex) can receive a blessing.”
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Ping
Guess this guy hasn’t read about it in Romans and 1 Corinthians 5:1,Ezekiel 22:11, etc ....
I love Jesus. He said a something about ‘woe to a man who looks at a woman with lust...’
Fortunately our modernist hierarchy knows better. Sex trafficking, abortion....all lesser.
Pretty tough being a real Catholic these days...?
Leviticus 20:13 ~ If a man lies with a male as with a woman, both of them have committed an abomination; they shall surely be put to death; their blood is upon them.
“[Catholic Caucus] Pope Leo XIV affirms informal blessing for homosexual couples and downplays sexual sin”
Why wouldn’t a “man of God”, the “holy” father, bless something that God calls an abomination?
Makes perfect sense. /S
Next he’ll affirm a blessing for priests who molest little boys. Makes perfect sense if you are controlled by satan, as the new pope (same as the old pope) is.
The Old Testament apparently means nothing to him.
Woah! Anyhow, Mary is a virgin and Babylon is a whore.
Informal blessing for an informal definition of marriage. It’s starting; the foot’s in the door.
There are a few things the Lord describes as “an abomination”. This is one.
I might be mistaken, but I had thought, that in a different post that the Pope took an opposite view.
No, your ability to “notice” is correct, Oldtech. The author and publisher of the article use language that confuses the truth. But don’t be confused this article is false.
This is what the Pope actually said: the Church does not approve the formalized blessing of couples in same‑sex or other “irregular” unions, but that all persons(not gay/irregular couples) may receive simple, non‑ritual blessings as individuals.
Not quite the same is it as what is published here, is it? It is as if a donkey democrat from MSNow/CNN wrote the article.
The Great Apostasy.
Actually, the article is true. Unfortunately.
Bur priests can’t get married
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