A group of priests who have distanced themselves from the Catholic Church are criticizing the Vatican’s Recent Decree that the Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex marriages. The Austrian Priests Initiative, a group of priests leading a campaign of disobedience against the Vatican, said this week that they will continue to bless same-sex couples.
The initiative (also known as the Pfarrer Initiative) said in a statement that members are “deeply shocked by the new Roman decree prohibiting the blessing of same-sex couples.”
“This is a setback to times we hoped to be overcome with Pope Francis,” the group’s statement continues. “In solidarity with so many, we will not in the future reject a loving couple who want to celebrate God’s blessing, which they experience every day in a church service.”
“Reality has long shown that same-sex couples bound together in love can very well celebrate God’s blessing in the church. State-of-the-art theology confirms this responsible practice,” the statement read.
The Austrian Priests Initiative was founded in 2006 by nine priests and now has about 350 members from the ranks of the Roman Catholic Church. Most of the members are from Austria, but the initiative has been extended to other countries. More than 3,000 people support the reform movement led by Father Helmut Schüller.
The group’s call to disobedience aims to reform the Catholic Church. In part, they want to create a new image of a priest so that a man or woman, married or unmarried, can serve as a priest.
“The Austrian Priest Initiative is an Austrian movement of Roman Catholic priests and deacons who follow their conscience and campaign for new paths in the Church,” the group said in its statement. “Its goals are: vibrant congregations, contemporary synodal church structures and above all a credible and open-minded world church focused on sincere service to people.”
The group also said it “vehemently” protests the notion that same-sex couples are not part of God’s divine plan. “We deeply regret that this decree, which seeks to revive the spirit of bygone times, is widening the gap between the Roman bureaucracy and the local church,” said the group. “This decree offends and obscures many Christians and discredits the liberating message of Jesus.”
The Vatican’s decree states that the Church cannot bless gay sexes, as God “cannot bless sin,” according to the Associated Press. reports
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, the Vatican’s Orthodox office, has published a two-page explanation in seven languages and approved by Pope Francis.
The Vatican insists that gays should be treated with respect and dignity, but gay sex is considered “intrinsically disordered”. In Catholicism, marriage is a lifelong union between a man and a woman, is meant to create new life, and is part of God’s plan, the AP reports.