As Prefect of the Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life, Cardinal Kevin Farrell is the Vatican's top official in charge of caring for families.
When asked why the Church cannot accept blessing same-sex couples, he spoke of the need to distinguish between civil unions and sacramental marriage.
CARDINAL KEVIN FARRELL
Prefect, Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life
“Sometimes we fail to understand also a distinction that must be made, and that is that when the Church speaks about marriage, it speaks about sacramental marriage. It doesn't speak about civil unions. It doesn't speak about other forms of marriage. It speaks about sacramental marriage.”
Blessings are related to sacraments, he said. They are ways to receive or to remember, that sacrament. Which is why blessings cannot be adapted to other circumstances, or to fulfil other purposes.
CARD. KEVIN FARRELL
Prefect, Dicastery for Laity, Family and Life
“That does not mean that they are not to be accompanied by us, and by the people of parishes. We accompany all people.
But I do want to insist that nobody, nobody must ever be excluded from the pastoral care, and love and concern, of the Church”.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith has already explained that Church blessings of same-sex couples risk creating confusion, insofar as they appear to give civil unions the same importance as sacramental marriage.
However, this does not mean blessings cannot be given to individuals who may need, or request them.
JMB
