The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore on Tuesday (Dec 19) reiterated its stance of not blessing same-sex unions and said the recent declaration by the Pope was to set out the rules and boundaries for priests on how they should bless these couples.
In a statement published on its website, the Catholic Church in Singapore said it wanted to clarify a “misimpression” that it has changed its stance on its traditional doctrine about marriage.
Cardinal William Goh, the leader of Singapore’s Catholic Church, said the focus of the Vatican declaration on Monday is not on the blessing of the unions of same-sex couples. Instead, it is about providing guidance in “making a distinction between the Church’s official blessings, and a pastoral blessing for all occasions outside the liturgical and sacramental setting”.
“Unlike the official blessings of the church, which require the use of approved prayers in addition to conditions to be met, pastoral blessings are ad-lib prayers offered spontaneously for the person,” he said, according to the statement by the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore.
“We are not blessing the unions of same-sex couples. We are blessing couples who are in irregular situations such as those who are divorced and remarried, individuals struggling to be faithful to God’s commandments, and those who aborted their babies, just as we bless the sick, the elderly and those who request spiritual and temporal blessings.
“We do not bless the sins of the person, but rather, the individual who is always loved by God, even when he or she is a sinner,” he added.
The Catholic Church said Monday’s eight-page document noted in particular that those who ask for a blessing show themselves “to be in need of God’s saving presence” in their lives by expressing “a petition for God’s assistance, a plea to live better”.
“This declaration, therefore, rather than endorsing the blessing of irregular marriages and same-sex unions, sets out the rules and boundaries for priests as to how they should bless these couples without having these blessings mistaken by others as the Church’s approval of such unions.”
“We are grateful that the Holy Father has authorised this declaration so that Church ministers will not act in a way that gives others the wrong impression that the Church endorses same-sex unions. At the same time, it shows the Church’s mercy and love for all sinners, and that we are all sinners endeavouring to grow in authenticity and perfection,” it added.
The Vatican said on Monday in a landmark ruling approved by Pope Francis that Roman Catholic priests can administer blessings to same-sex couples as long as they are not part of regular Church rituals or liturgies.
The document from the Vatican’s doctrinal office, which effectively reversed a declaration the same body had issued in 2021, said such blessings would not legitimise irregular situations but be a sign that God welcomes all.
It should in no way be confused with the sacrament of heterosexual marriage, it added.
It said priests should decide on a case-by-case basis and “should not prevent or prohibit the Church’s closeness to people in every situation in which they might seek God’s help through a simple blessing”.
The Church teaches that same-sex attraction is not sinful but homosexual acts are. Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has tried to make the more than 1.35-billion-member Church more welcoming to LGBT people without changing moral doctrine.
