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Local faith leaders speak up for LGBTQ+ community, marriage equality after Vatican reaffirms doctrine of not blessing gay unions

Vatican distinguishes between the church’s blessing of gay people, which it upholds, but not their unions. Local faith leaders say this differs from pope's comments.

WTOL Newsroom, Associated Press

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Published: 1:42 PM EDT March 20, 2021
Updated: 2:02 PM EDT March 20, 2021

In the wake of the Vatican's announcement this week reaffirming the Catholic church’s refusal to sacramentally bless same-sex unions, local faith leaders are speaking up for the LGBTQ community and marriage equality.

On Monday, the Vatican’s orthodoxy office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, issued a formal response to a question about whether Catholic clergy have the authority to bless gay unions. The answer, contained in a two-page explanation published in seven languages and approved by Pope Francis, was “negative.”

The note distinguished between the church’s welcoming and blessing of gay people, which it upheld, but not their unions. It argued that such unions are not part of God's plan and that any such sacramental recognition could be confused with marriage.

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