Munich Cardinal Allows Blessings for Same-Sex Couples

Cardinal Reinhard Marx has decided that priests in the dioceses of Munich and Freising may give blessings to same-sex couples, Die Zeit reported.

He based the move on a document by the German Bishops' Conference, Blessing Gives Strength to Love, intended to guide pastoral practice.

The text allows blessings not only for same-sex couples but also for divorced and remarried partners, as well as couples of different identities and orientations. It states that the Church recognizes relationships founded on love and offers pastoral accompaniment.

In 2023, the Vatican, under Pope Francis, permitted the blessing of individuals in same-sex relationships, stressing that such blessings do not constitute the sacrament of marriage. However, the current pope, Leo XIV, has been critical of similar steps.

(mja)