THE VATICAN has ruled that the Catholic Church may not bless same-sex marriages, in a blow for those hoping for progression from the church.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF) has responded to calls from some parishes to allow the blessing of same-sex unions and has ruled that the church does not have the power to do so.
In the ruling, the CDF stated that while "God loves every person and the Church does the same", and rejects all unjust discrimination, the church cannot bless a same-sex union as it does not follow the plan of the Creator.
The blessing of same-sex unions, the CDF said, is not "licit" and "here are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God's plan for marriage and family".
The ruling insisted that this is not a "form of unjust discrimination" and that a gay person can be blessed individually, but the blessing of a same-sex union cannot take place as a "reminder of the truth... of the very nature of the sacramentals".
The blessing of a same-sex union cannot take place because God "does not and cannot bless sin", the CDF has ruled.
In the statement from the CDF, it confirmed that Pope Francis was informed and gave his consent for the ruling to be published.
Pope Francis made headlines across the globe late last year when he appeared to voice his support for same-sex families, as he spoke in a new documentary stating "homosexual people have a right to be in a family" .
in a significant departure from the stance of the Catholic Church and his predecessors.
"What we have to create is a civil union law," he added. "That way they are legally covered."
"[Gay people] are children of God and have a right to a family."
"Nobody should be thrown out or made miserable over it."
However, the Vatican later released a statement insisting the Pope's comments were taken out of context and the Church's stance on the LGBT community and gay marriage has not changed.
