The letter banning same-sex blessings was approved by Pope Francis. (Getty/ Lisa Maree Williams)
Catholic leaders in Germany have organised a mass blessing of same-sex couples in open defiance of the Vatican’s ban.
Last month, the Congregation for the Doctrine of Faith insisted that God “does not bless sin” when responding to the question of whether Catholic churches can bless same-sex unions.
In response to the ban, LGBT+ Catholics and their allies around the world have expressed their disappointment and anger, as many hoped Pope Francis might move the Catholic church in a more progressive direction.
The group of Catholic leaders in Germany have scheduled the mass blessing of same-sex unions for 10 May, and have titled the event “Love wins, blessing service for lovers”, according to Crux.
The event will see blessings take place across the country, and the group wrote on its website: “Love wins. Love is a blessing. People who love each other are blessed.
“On 10 May, 2021, we invite you to various places in Germany to blessing services.
“We don’t want to exclude anyone. We celebrate the diversity of people’s different life plans and love stories and ask for God’s blessings. Without any secrecy.
“On this page you will find the services that take place and you can register for a service and send us a blessing.”
For Catholic LGBT+ allies in Germany who will not be at a blessing, the group has advised that on the same day they use “creative symbols to make visible how many people in the Church perceive the colourful diversity of different life plans and love stories of people as an enrichment and a blessing”.
The German group are among many Catholic leaders around the world who have vowed to defy the Vatican ban on same-sex blessings.
The Pfarrer-Initiative (Priests’ Initiative), a collective of more than 350 priests and deacons led by Catholic church reform leader father Helmut Schüller, declared last month that they would “not reject any loving couple”.
Many high profile Catholic figures have also spoken out against the Vatican ban, including US president Joe Biden and racing driver Lewis Hamilton.