Catholic church allows same sex blessings

RELIGIONS NEWS AGENCY (REDNA) – The Vatican’s department for doctrine has announced that priests will be allowed to bless same sex couples, without them being part of a regular church ritual or related to civil unions or weddings.

The announcement, made with the approval of the Pope, said it was a sign that God welcomes all, but remains firm on the traditional doctrine of marriage as between one man and one woman and the blessing does not indicate approval of the union.

Priests must decide who to bless on a case by case basis, but people receiving a blessing “should not be required to have prior moral perfection”.