In Germany, the Cardinal of the RCC has obliged Munich priests to conduct blessings for same-sex couples

Cardinal Reinhard Marx, who has headed the Archdiocese of Munich and Freising since 2008, has officially ordered the introduction of the practice of blessing same-sex couples and divorced Catholics who have remarried. As a basis for pastoral care, clergy are instructed to use the teaching manual “Blessing gives strength to love” (Segen schenkt Stärke zum Lieben).

According to EWTN News, the new initiative will come into full effect in June, when the archdiocese’s specialized departments will begin training staff on how to organize appropriate ceremonies. Cardinal Marks emphasized that priests who refuse to perform such rites are required to refer couples to the dean or other pastoral staff.

Despite the introduction of the new rites, Marks noted that “the blessing is not a celebration of sacramental marriage.” This does not mean, he said, that couples in non-sacramental unions should be on the periphery of the church community. The allowance to which the cardinal refers was adopted in March 2023 as part of the “Synodal Way” in Germany, receiving 92% support in the vote.

The initiative is causing serious debate within the German Church. While the dioceses of Limburg, Osnabrück and Trier have issued official recommendations to support such blessings, the Archdiocese of Cologne and the dioceses of Augsburg, Passau and Regensburg have rejected the practice. Opponents cite the Vatican declaration Fiducia Supplicans, which, while allowing pastoral blessings in “unsettled situations,” forbids the use of rituals that mimic the sacrament of marriage or involve the civil registration of a union.

According to the official Catechism of the Catholic Church, homosexual acts are characterized as “intrinsically disordered,” and marriage is recognized solely as the union of a man and a woman for the procreation of children. At the same time, the church calls for people with homosexual tendencies to be treated with respect and compassion. Amid these internal disputes, statistics from the German Bishops’ Conference (DBK) show a continuing exodus of the faithful: there are now only 19.22 million Catholics left in Germany.