Belgian bishops plan to bless same-sex relationships

According to the bishops, same-sex couples often ask for a moment of prayer to ask God for a blessing over their “engagement of love and faithfulness”. That is reported by the Dutch daily Nederlands Dagblad.

The Belgian clergy are the first bishops in the world who explicitly permit same-sex couples to receive a blessing in church. However, they note that the blessing of a same-sex relationship should remain different from what the Church calls a “sacramental marriage”, which refers only to the lifetime union between a man and a woman.

The short liturgy for blessing same-sex couples contains prayers, Scripture reading and “a moment of engagement of both persons” in which they express before God that they are willing to “be there for each other in all circumstances of life”. Furthermore, they pray for the “strength to remain faithful to each other and deepen their engagement.”

Contradicting Vatican

The ruling explicitly breaks with the doctrine of the Vatican. Last March, the Vatican declared that God does “not bless sin.”

The official Roman Catholic doctrine teaches that sexuality can only occur in an unbreakable marriage union between man and woman without using artificial contraceptives to prevent conceiving new life.

The Belgian Roman Catholic Church has not asked the Vatican for permission to establish the possibility of a moment of prayer for a blessing of a same-sex couple, Geert de Kerpel, spokesperson of the Church, says.

Furthermore, the Flemish Roman Catholic Church will establish a reference point where same-sex couples can get pastoral care and guidance.

Pastoral ruling

Roman Catholics disagree on the ruling with each other. Some call it a good development, while others are worried.

Father Mark-Robin Hoogland says that this ruling is very pastoral. He argues that the decision is based on the view of relationships which are based on values, such as “stability, sustainability and faithfulness.” “Those are general Christian values, which are also recognisable for people not affected by it.” He adds that same-sex couples who request a blessing are “believing people who belong to the church.”

Rejected

The Vatican has not officially responded to the decision of the Flemish Catholic Church yet. However, the Vatican is known for its opposition to same-sex marriages. Recently, it rejected the liberal decisions of the German Synodal Path, which voted in favour of blessing same-sex marriages in the Church.