Pope Leo: Holy See does not approve formalized blessings of same-sex unions, but ‘all are welcome’ in Church
Pope Leo XIV clarified that the Holy See does not support formal blessings for same‑sex couples. He stressed that Church unity should not revolve around sexual matters. The pope reiterated that all people are welcome in the Catholic Church. His remarks were made on the papal plane after an 11‑day apostolic journey to Africa. He spoke to journalists during the flight back to Rome.
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Pope Leo XIV reiterated that the Holy See does not sanction formal blessings for same‑sex couples, while affirming that every person is welcome in the Catholic Church. Speaking aboard his return flight from an 11‑day African apostolic journey, he linked this stance to broader themes of Church unity, migration, global conflicts and the Vatican’s diplomatic engagement with authoritarian regimes.
Pope Leo XIV told journalists that the Holy See “does not agree with the formalized blessing of couples, in this case homosexual couples, or couples in irregular situations” 1. He noted that the Vatican had already communicated this view to the German bishops after Cardinal Reinhard Marx authorized such blessings in his archdiocese.
The pontiff argued that the Church’s unity “should not revolve around sexual matters,” stressing that justice, gender equality, and religious freedom are higher priorities 1. He invoked Pope Francis’s “Tutti, tutti, tutti” (“everyone, everyone, everyone”) as an expression of the Church’s belief that all are invited to follow Christ, distinguishing it from formalized same‑sex blessings.
Addressing migration, Leo affirmed a state’s right to set border rules while insisting migrants must be treated “humanly—not worse than household pets or animals” 1. He called on wealthier nations to address root causes of African migration, urging greater global justice and equality.
On the war in Iran, the pope urged continued dialogue and the protection of civilians, sharing a personal anecdote about a slain Muslim child. He condemned “all actions that are unjust,” including capital punishment, emphasizing the sanctity of life from conception to natural death 1.
When questioned about meetings with leaders such as Equatorial Guinea’s President Teodoro Obiang Nguema Mbasogo and Cameroon’s President Paul Biya, Leo explained that the Holy See maintains “neutrality” to work behind the scenes for justice, humanitarian aid and the possible release of political prisoners 1.
Leo described the trip as an opportunity to proclaim the Gospel and draw near to people in joy and suffering. He left Africa “with an immeasurable treasure of faith, hope and charity,” seeing the continent’s contribution as decisive for the Church’s missionary character 1.
Explore Catholic teachings on inclusivity versus formal blessings
Catholic teaching distinguishes between pastoral closeness that welcomes people “without exclusion” and formal/ritualized blessings that could be misunderstood as legitimizing what the Church cannot recognize as marriage. The Church’s goal is inclusivity of persons and of the Church’s mercy—while maintaining doctrinal clarity about marriage, sexuality, and the sacraments.
Catholic “inclusivity” does not mean relativism or doctrinal silence. It begins with the conviction that God “does not want to exclude anyone, but wants to include everyone,” and that Christians are invited to act with mercy as a way of including others in daily life.
Pope Francis frames the Church as the “home of everyone” and insists that communities should avoid the “road of exclusion,” calling for conversion into “inclusion.”
This inclusion has concrete pastoral expressions:
Key point: Inclusivity is fundamentally about welcoming persons and facilitating access to God’s help, while still guiding people toward truth and conversion.
The Catholic approach to blessings is not just “who is included,” but how blessing is expressed.
In Fiducia supplicans, the Church teaches that one should not provide or promote a ritual for blessings in irregular situations, because doing so could create confusion with what belongs to the Sacrament of Marriage.
The accompanying presentation/press material is explicit that the document “remains firm on the traditional doctrine… not allowing any type of liturgical rite or blessing similar to a liturgical rite that can create confusion.”
So the Church rejects “formalization” that would function like a public ecclesial recognition of marital status.
The rationale is doctrinal and pastoral at once:
This is why the Church draws a boundary between pastoral closeness and public, ritual recognition.
The Church does not say “no blessing.” It distinguishes types of blessings.
The Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith explains that the “real novelty” is the invitation to distinguish:
The same material stresses that non-ritualized blessings are not:
Fiducia supplicans describes a blessing form that:
It also connects this to grace: such a blessing “invokes… God’s light and strength… so that… relationships may mature and grow in fidelity to the Gospel,” in a way that is compatible with the Church’s moral discernment.
The text also instructs that the ordained minister should not prevent the Church’s closeness to people seeking God’s help through a simple blessing—including a brief prayer that asks for peace, patience, dialogue, mutual assistance, and God’s light to fulfill His will.
Because misunderstandings are possible, the Church explicitly calls for catechesis. It says these gestures are “simple expressions of pastoral closeness” and are “far from being a sacrament or a rite,” and clarifies that the minister is not acting against doctrine.
Put simply, Catholic teaching addresses the tension like this:
A Catholic “inclusive” pastoral approach is therefore not primarily about what is formally permitted but about the Church’s mode of accompaniment:
Catholic doctrine supports a form of inclusivity grounded in mercy: the Church must draw near to people in every situation and offer pastoral access to God’s help. At the same time, it limits formal/ritualized blessings because the Church must prevent confusion with the sacramental meaning of marriage and avoid giving the appearance of legitimizing what the Church cannot recognize as marriage.