German bishop instructs priests to bless same-sex unions
November 06, 2023
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CWN Editor's Note: Bishop Karl-Heinz Wiesemann of Speyer, Germany has authorized priests in his diocese to give church blessings to same-sex couples. He gave the same approval to ceremonies for divorced couples who remarry.
Bishop Wiesemann, in a November 2, became the first German prelate to give explicit approval to blessings for same-sex unions—although other German bishops have said that they will not take action to stop such ceremonies.
In his letter Bishop Wiesemann acknowledged that many priests have already offered blessings to homosexual couples, saying that his policy reflects “a pastoral attitude inspired by the Gospel, as many of you have been practicing for a long time.”
The bishop also assured his priests that he has “campaigned for a reassessment of homosexuality in Church teaching” and hoped that the Synod on Synodality will bring about a change.
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Posted by: Randal Mandock -
Nov. 06, 2023 9:04 PM ET USA
It seems these people need a course in biology, a course in philosophy, and a refresher in theology: (1) man NOT = woman. (2) man + woman produce baby. (3) Christ confirmed the nature of matrimony by referring to Adam and Eve in the Genesis account. The purpose of the Church is the justification and eventual salvation of human persons. Christ is often referred to in "modern" religious studies as being: (A) trapped in a man's body, and (B) trapped in a human culture. He chose A and transcended B.
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Posted by: feedback -
Nov. 06, 2023 11:36 AM ET USA
This is why German Catholics are leaving the Church in droves. Why would any bishop serve the gay agenda before serving Christ and his Church? Perhaps simply because he himself suffers disordered proclivities and chooses to abuse the power of his office to promote immorality by blessing it? It would be honest of that bishop to disclose whether his own inclinations could have caused the conflict of interest. Pope Francis, who just wanted to remove Bishop Strickland, is allowing this to happen.
