The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has stated that same-sex unions would not be blessed by Catholic Churches in the country.
The bishops stated that blessing same-sex unions is against God’s law, church teachings, and national law.
They made this clear in a statement issued on Wednesday and signed by the conference’s president, Lucius Ugirji, and secretary, Donayus Ogun.
They said, “The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria assures the entire people of God that the teaching of the Catholic Church on marriage remains the same. There is, therefore, no possibility in the teaching of the Church of blessing same-sex unions and activities.
“That would go against God’s law, the teachings of the Church, the laws of our nation, and the cultural sensibilities of our people.”
The bishops, on the other hand, argued that Pope Francis’ approval of the same-sex marriage blessing was misconstrued.
The Chronicle NG reported that Pope Francis officially permitted priests to bless same-sex and “irregular” couples under certain circumstances.
Speaking on the Pope’s statement, the bishops said, “The declaration seeks to clarify the different forms of blessing that can be given to persons and objects in the Catholic Church, including the possibility of blessing persons in irregular unions.
“Such unions include but are not limited to divorced and remarried couples whose previous marriages had not been annulled, those living in same-sex unions, those in polygamous unions, in concubinage, etc.”
“The declaration acknowledges and carefully distinguishes between ritual, liturgical, and informal blessings.
“While ritual or liturgical blessings are imparted according to the established norms of the Church, informal blessings refer to prayers over people who ask for them outside the liturgy or any formal declaration that offers consideration of the possibility of extending the informal blessing to all Cod’s children, irrespective of their moral condition, when they ask to be blessed.
“Nevertheless, the Declaration insists that the blessing of persons in irregular unions—and never the union itself—can only take a non-liturgical form to avoid confusion.
“It should not be imparted during or in connection with a civil wedding ceremony or with clothing, words, and signs associated with a wedding.
“The Declaration reiterates the Catholic Church’s perennial teaching on marriage as an “exclusive, stable, and indissoluble union of a man and woman, naturally open to the generation of children,” and emphatically states that the Church does not have the power to impart a blessing on irregular unions.
“The Declaration also reinforces the truth about God’s mercy. For one to willingly ask for a blessing demonstrates one’s trust in God and the desire to live according to God’s commandments. Asking for God’s blessing is not dependent on how good one is. Imperfection is the reason for seeking God’s grace.
“Therefore, those in irregular unions are invited never to lose hope but rather to ask for God’s grace and mercy while remaining open to conversion.”
The bishops, on the other hand, advised priests not to violate the sanctity of holy matrimony, saying, “The CBCN thanks all the priests for their accompaniment of married couples, asking them to continue to stain the sacrament of holy matrimony and never to do anything that would detract from the sacredness of this sacrament. May the Lord bless you and keep you. Amen! We wish everyone a merry Christmas.”
