Church - Bätzing welcomes Vatican decision on homosexual couples
The Chairman of the German Bishops' Conference, Georg Bätzing, has welcomed the Vatican's decision to allow blessings for homosexual couples. "The practice of the Church knows a variety of forms of blessing. It is good that this treasure for the diversity of lifestyles is now being raised," he announced on Monday.
The Vatican had previously published a letter which, according to the official German translation, refers to the "possibility of blessing couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples". "I very much welcome this document and am grateful for the pastoral perspective it takes," said Bätzing. It means that couples who do not have the opportunity to marry in church due to divorce, for example, and same-sex couples can be given a blessing.
Bätzing also welcomed the fact that the Vatican document makes a clear distinction between marriage and blessing and emphasizes the need "not to blur this difference under any circumstances". Marriage is "a lasting and indissoluble bond between a man and a woman that is open to offspring". Bätzing praised the fact that the framework set by the Vatican was clear enough to give ordained ministers the necessary certainty in their actions.
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The decision from the Vatican regarding blessings for homosexual couples has sparked interest in Germany, particularly within the German Bishops' Conference. The head, Georg Bätzing, expressed his gratitude for the document, stating that it emphasizes the difference between marriage and blessing. This new stance allows blessings for couples in irregular situations, such as those unable to marry due to divorce, and same-sex couples within the Roman Catholic Church based in Vatican City. The Church in Bonn, Germany, has also recognized the potential implications of this religious development.
Source: www.stern.de
