RCC cardinal on blessing gay couples: Church is open to signs of the times

Pietro Parolin. Photo: TASS

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said that the debate surrounding the Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith’s declaration on the possibility of blessing gay couples is a "normal reaction and healthy part" of the Catholic Church "learning how to take Gospel values and apply them to new situations," Catholic Standart writes.

"There has always been change in the Church," Parolin said.  "The Church of today is not the Church of 2,000 years ago. The Church is open to the signs of the times." He said, "It is attentive to needs that arise, but it also must be faithful to the Gospel, it must be faithful to tradition, faithful to its heritage."

At the same time, he acknowledged that the decision to bless same-sex couples means that "a very, very delicate, very sensitive point has been touched upon."

Earlier, the UOJ wrote that the Vatican allowed gay couples to be blessed in St. Peter's Basilica.

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