Leo XIV says formalised ceremonies exceed Vatican limits set under Francis.
Pope Leo XIV has openly criticized the expansion of same-sex blessings in Germany, emphasizing that formalising these rites risks deepening fractures within the worldwide Catholic community.
Addressing reporters aboard the flight from Malabo to Rome on Thursday, the pontiff commented on the controversial move by Cardinal Reinhard Marx to implement structured blessings for homosexual couples within the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising.
“The Holy See has already spoken to the German bishops,” Leo stated. “We do not agree with the formalised blessing of couples… beyond what was specifically allowed for by Pope Francis.”
These words represent the strongest response from Rome so far, following Marx’s directive that clergy provide a pastoral framework for blessing same-sex couples and others in “irregular” unions. The German scheme comprises priest training initiatives and mandates that those unwilling to bless such couples refer them to colleagues who will.
Although the Vatican’s 2023 declaration under Pope Francis allowed informal, non-liturgical blessings, it expressly prohibited establishing formal rites resembling marriage. Critics contend that Germany’s approach crosses this boundary.
Leo’s tone starkly contrasts with that of the German bishops, minimizing sexual ethics as the focal point of Church teaching. “The unity or division of the Church should not revolve around sexual matters,” he remarked, highlighting instead larger issues such as justice, religious liberty, and human dignity.
Nonetheless, he warned that exceeding Rome’s guidelines might be counterproductive. “To go beyond that today… can cause more disunity than unity,” he urged, calling on the Church to root its cohesion in “what Jesus Christ teaches.”
The pontiff reaffirmed the Church’s global invitation to all people—echoing Francis’s phrase “tutti, tutti, tutti”—but emphasized this as an appeal for individual conversion and blessing rather than endorsement of particular relationships. “All are invited… to follow Jesus, and all are invited to look for conversion in their lives,” he said.
This statement highlights the widening divide within Catholicism, especially between progressive elements in Germany and conservative factions in regions like Africa and Eastern Europe, where resistance to same-sex blessings remains firm.
In Cologne, Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki has already denounced the new German directives, arguing they surpass Vatican permissions and risk confusing pastoral care with doctrinal teaching.
Original article: europeanconservative.com
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