African Catholic bishops reject Vatican's same-sex blessings

Pope Francis meets Roman Catholic bishops in Kinshasa, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Feb. 3, 2023. [Reuters]

The Roman Catholic bishops of Africa and Madagascar on Thursday issued a statement refusing to follow Pope Francis' declaration permitting priests to offer blessings to same-sex couples.

Signed by Congolese Cardinal ="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/world/article/2001487497/pope-approves-blessings-for-same-sex-couples-if-the-rituals-dont-resemble-marriage">Fridolin Ambongo on behalf< of the Symposium of Episcopal Conferences of Africa and Madagascar, or SECAM, the statement said such unions were "contrary to the will of God."

="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/counties/article/2001468160/not-on-my-watch-ruto-declares-stand-on-same-sex-relations">The move comes after Francis< on December 18 approved a declaration allowing priests to offer blessings to same-sex couples, which was welcomed by LGBTQ Catholics.

In the declaration, the Vatican reaffirmed the traditional Church teaching that marriage is only between a man and a woman but said priests could offer non-liturgical blessings to same-sex couples, as long as those blessings weren't confused with a wedding.

African Catholic bishops said the Vatican's declaration contradicted "the cultural ethos of African communities." Homosexuality remains illegal in many African countries.

"The Church's doctrine on ="https://www.standardmedia.co.ke/article/2001474007/same-sex-couples-to-face-death-penalty-as-museveni-assents-to-anti-homosexuality-bill">Christian marriage and sexuality< remains unchanged," SECAM said in a statement from Accra, Ghana's capital.

"For this reason, we, the African Bishops, do not consider it appropriate for Africa to bless homosexual unions or same-sex couples," the statement added.

The pushback underscores a gap between the pope's progressive, reform-oriented leadership and conservatives in much of the Catholic community.