Catholic News Agency reported on the views expressed by Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich, S.J., Archbishop of Luxembourg talked about at a Vatican press conference. For the cardinal, same-sex marriage is still "not a settled matter."
The comment was directed to the alleged plans of the Catholic bishops in Belgium to support giving blessings to such unions. According to the article, the move would be directly in defiance of the Holy See. Even with the contentions of the cardinal, the doctrine office of the Vatican reiterated that the "Church does not have the power to bless" such unions.
Contentions of Cardinal Jean-Claude Hollerich on Same-Sex Marriage
In the article, the cardinal asked the question if God would ever call the love between two people as "bad." He added by asking more questions about the growth of the visibility of homosexual orientations in society today and what he contends as the higher percentage of homosexuals in ecclesial institutions. It should be noted that the claims of the cardinal were not supported by any sources and could be seen as mere hearsay.
The cardinal then talked about the lack that he perceives when it comes to sacramental marriage for same-sex marriages as they would not have the procreative character of traditional marriage. He added that even without such, the relationships should not be seen as lacking when it comes to their effectiveness.
He then called for the church to look at the teachings of Pope Francis about theology and its need to originate and develop in human experiences. He added that people of such sexual orientations did not choose their inclinations and that they should not be seen as what he calls "bad apples."
He also talked about the views apparently dissuading people from participating in the church. He spoke about an example where a woman wanted to leave the church as she felt that it was not welcoming to the LGBTQ+ community.
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Vatican's Stance When it Comes to Same-Sex Relationships
The same article said that the Vatican explained the sacramental nature of blessings. It added that when it comes to blessings for human relationships, the church can only be follow what is "objectively and positively ordered" by the designs of God.
The New Yorker reported that last year, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith answered that the Catholic church cannot bless same-sex unions. It contained a similar explanation that talked about marriage being "God's plan" as written to be between man and woman, preventing the church from giving sacramental recognition to same-sex unions.
It added that these unions are outside the sexual relationship recognized in marriage and are technically a sin. Therefore, the church could not bless such unions as the church could not provide a justification for them.
The article also talked about the "striking openness" that Pope Francis has when it comes to same-sex partnerships. It noted that in 2013, the pope said, "If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and he has good will, who am I to judge?"
It added that the leader of the Vatican has gone on record, as supporting legal protection for same-sex couples.
Related Article: Weaponizing God's Word: LGBTQ+ Ally and Researcher Probes on Biblical Mistranslations
