Cardinal Marx: Church should offer blessings for same-sex couples
February 05, 2018
Cardinal Reinhard Marx of Munich has suggested that pastors should offer blessings for homosexual couples.
In a Bavarian state radio interview, the cardinal—who is one of the top advisers to Pope Francis—said that priests and parish staff workers should provide encouragement for same-sex couples. “I don’t see any problems there,” he added.
When asked whether that encouragement could include some sort of liturgical blessing, Cardinal Marx replied: “Yes.”
“However, there are no blanket solutions,” the cardinal quickly added. He said that the pastor should determine how best to serve the couple’s needs.
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Further information:
- Cardinal Marx endorses blessing ceremonies for same-sex couples (CNA)
- Cardinal Marx promotes false news about blessings and “homosexual unions” (Catholic World Report)
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Posted by: grateful1 -
Feb. 06, 2018 9:21 PM ET USA
Pope Francis is Cardinal Marx's shepherd. Don't expect the shepherd to bring the sheep back into the fold, which the shepherd himself is, sadly, doing his darnedest to scatter.
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Posted by: feedback -
Feb. 06, 2018 12:59 PM ET USA
Many strange characters among the clergy decide to come out of hiding under Pope Francis.
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Posted by: garedawg -
Feb. 06, 2018 10:43 AM ET USA
So what does he mean? Bless the individuals? Well, no big deal, priests do that all the time. Bless the relationship? That would be a problem.
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Posted by: keelergmom2722 -
Feb. 06, 2018 12:10 AM ET USA
I am frequently reminded these days of Our Lords words to the women He met on the road to Calvary:If this is what they do in green wood, what will they do in the dry.
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Posted by: james-w-anderson8230 -
Feb. 05, 2018 11:23 PM ET USA
There is an old saying that you can know a person by his friends. If you look at most of the people that Pope Francis surrounds himself with and who he depends on, it form a very distressing picture. Pray for the Church.
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Posted by: [email protected] -
Feb. 05, 2018 10:39 PM ET USA
This Cardinal is preaching we should bless sin. Has he lost his mind and soul. How can our priests give blessings to sex couples. First get them to confession and repentance. See if they change their lives. Christ forgave those who sinned but added go and sin no more. He knew if they changed, we need to verify. If the Cardinal is talking about repentance and confession,fine. But I doubt he is. It is sad but there is war ongoing for the soul of the Church. Mary,Mother of God, help us.
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Posted by: TheJournalist64 -
Feb. 05, 2018 6:39 PM ET USA
This is an abomination. Yes, I chose the word carefully. Cdl Marx should apologize to all married people and go into a period of penance--a long one.
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Posted by: Jim Hanink -
Feb. 05, 2018 6:24 PM ET USA
Cardinal Marx's comments, as reported, are deeply misguided. What will be most important, perhaps, is that the Cardinal, and those supporting him, engage in a public theological analysis of just what is at issue in his position. This analysis will be productive in underscoring the theological anthropology and moral theology about which he seems thoroughly confused.
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Posted by: KC627 -
Feb. 05, 2018 5:35 PM ET USA
This is very troubling in the sense it seems Pope Francis is very open to suggestions from the German Bishops - example - allowing the Kasper proposal on the possibility for divorced and remarried couples to receive communion to be debated at the Synod of Bishops on Marriage. The result was the current confusion of A.L.
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Posted by: Sed contra -
Feb. 05, 2018 1:22 PM ET USA
More proof that the rejection of Catholic sexual morality has become the Arianism of our times, when even high-ranking prelates preach false doctrine. O tempora, o mores!
