Father Ugochukwu Ugwoke, a Nigerian Catholic priest, has defended Pope Francis after the Catholic Church’s head granted permission to bless same-sex marriage.
Chronicle NG reported on Monday that Pope Francis officially granted priests permission to bless same-sex and “irregular” couples under certain circumstances.
However, the Vatican has stated that blessings should not be included in regular Church rites or be associated with civil partnerships or weddings.
While supporting this development, Father Ugochukwu posted on the title, ‘Has Pope Francis Changed The Church’s Teaching About Marriage?’ via his verified X handle.
He emphasized that, while the topic of same-sex marriage is controversial, legislation is separated into three categories and that Pope Francis has modified the one he can.
Father Ugochukwu wrote, “There has been a whole lot of confusion since the publication of the Vatican Document “Fiducia supplicans,” in which Pope Francis said that priests can bless same-sex couples.
”The confusion is quite anticipated and understandable because the topic of same-sex union is a sensitive one.
“But here is the thing. All the laws and regulations in the Catholic Church may be divided into three kinds:
”Those that the church has no power to change have never changed and will never change.
”Those that she has the authority to change, but most probably never will change.
”Those that she can change have changed and may change again according to the circumstances of a given period of time.”
Concerning the first category of law, he stated that the Catholic Church cannot change two categories of law: natural moral rules and positive divine law.
The cleric said, “Under the first type of laws, there are two kinds of laws that the Catholic Church has no authority to change or tamper with in any way, that she has never changed and never will change. They are natural moral laws and positive divine laws.
“A good example of natural moral laws is the Church’s teaching regarding marriage as a union between a man and a woman.
”As a natural moral law, this teaching is universal, unchanging, and unchangeable. Over such laws, the Catholic Church, headed by the Pope, has no authority other than that of manifesting how clearly they stand out in human nature and reiterating them to the end of time.
”She does not consider such matters open to change or dispute or subject to the votes of a majority of the people, because God has decided these things once and for all in the act of creation.
“So, if you think that the blessing of same-sex couples will lead to the eventual endorsement and approval of same-sex marriage by the Catholic Church, I want to tell you that such will never happen without the Church running into the risks of schism.
”Same-sex marriages are sinful and can never be approved. But then, while the Church rejects same-sex union and considers it disordered, she does not condemn same-sex couples.”
![Rev. Fr. Anthony Odiong, a US-based Nigerian Louisiana Catholic priest, was arrested in Florida on Tuesday for possessing child pornography, according to law authorities. The suspect is reportedly accused of many other cases of sexual assault. The Waco, Texas, Police Department announced in a Facebook post on Tuesday that officers detained Father Anthony Odiong in Ave Maria, Florida, with assistance from the United States Marshals Service. Waco police announced in March that they had received "credible information" about a sexual assault allegedly committed by Odiong in Texas in 2012. “During the subsequent investigation, a case of possession of child pornography was uncovered,” the police said. The priest was apprehended in Florida by the Caribbean Regional Fugitive Task Force. The Waco Police Department said that he will be extradited to Texas. Odiong had previously served in the Archdiocese of New Orleans before being removed as priest in December of last year due to controversy over homilies in which he claimed, among other things, that the Catholic Church was being taken over by "the gays." At the time, the priest was also accused of abusive behaviour; a Louisiana lady claimed in U.S. bankruptcy court that Odiong had committed both financial and sexual abuse against her. Prior to joining the New Orleans Archdiocese, Odiong served in at least two Texas parishes. On Tuesday, Waco police stated that during their sexual assault investigation, "the presence of other survivors was revealed." “Multiple women have come forward to tell similar experiences as the sexual assault survivor who reported the initial allegation,” the police department said. “Survivors’ experiences ranged from sexual assault and indecent assault, more commonly recognised as groping, and financial abuse, with some survivors experiencing every element of Anthony Odiong’s manipulation.” The police said they “believe there may be more survivors, and we wish to speak with anyone who [has] had similar encounters” with the priest. The Archdiocese of New Orleans issued a brief news release on Tuesday noting Odiong's arrest in Florida. The archdiocese “encourages anyone with any information to contact law enforcement,” the release said.](https://chronicle.ng/wp-content/uploads/2024/08/ezgif-6-4730550ede-450x300.jpg "Odiong: US-based Nigerian Catholic priest convicted over sexual assault")
