Northeast Desk, 23rd December: In a historic move, the Shillong Archdiocese of the Catholic Church has granted permission for priests to offer blessings to same-sex couples. However, these blessings will not involve any church ritual resembling a marriage ceremony.
Archbishop Victor Lyngdoh conveyed this decision through a letter on December 22, 2023. The letter, based on the ‘Fiducia Supplicans’ declaration issued by The Dicastery for the Doctrine of Faith and approved by Pope Francis on December 18, 2023, makes it clear that these blessings should not be misconstrued as official liturgical and ritual blessings of the Church during marriage.
The letter emphasizes that the declaration doesn’t alter the Catholic Doctrine of Marriage, and the blessing itself does not signify approval of the union. This significant decision follows extensive discussions and reflects the Catholic Church’s recognition of the necessity to be more inclusive, especially towards the LGBT community. Pope Francis had authorized priests to bless same-sex couples on December 18, 2023.
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