Singapore's Catholic Church reaffirms stance on marriage, amid Vatican nod for blessings for same-sex couples

SINGAPORE — The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Singapore has clarified that the Catholic Church has not changed its traditional stance on marriage, amid the recent declaration from the Pope that approves blessings for same-sex couples.

In a statement posted on its website on Tuesday (19 December), the Catholic Church in Singapore pointed out that “the focus of the Declaration is not on the blessing of the unions of same-sex couples".

Distinguishing between official church blessings and pastoral blessings

Cardinal William Goh, Archbishop of Singapore and leader of the Catholic Church, clarified in the statement that the Vatican's recent declaration focuses on the distinction between the Church's official blessings and pastoral blessings for all occasions outside the liturgical and sacramental settings.

In doing so, he hopes to correct the misimpression that the Church has changed its stance on its traditional doctrine about marriage.

He added that while official church blessings involve approved prayers in addition to conditions to be met, pastoral blessings are ad-lib prayers extended spontaneously to individuals.

"We are not blessing the unions of same-sex couples," he said in the statement. "We are blessing couples who are in irregular situations, such as those who are divorced and remarried, individuals struggling to be faithful to God's commandments, and those who aborted their babies, just as we bless the sick, the elderly, and those who request spiritual and temporal blessings.

"We do not bless the sins of the person, but rather, the individual who is always loved by God, even when he or she is a sinner."

Embracing mercy without endorsing irregular marriages or same-sex unions

The Catholic Church said the recent document provides guidelines for priests to bless couples in these situations, specifying that "This declaration, therefore, rather than endorsing the blessing of irregular marriages and same-sex unions, sets out the rules and boundaries for priests as to how they should bless these couples without having these blessings mistaken by others as the Church's approval of such unions."

The Church also expressed gratitude for the directive, saying, "We are grateful that the Holy Father has authorised this declaration so that Church ministers will not act in a way that gives others the wrong impression that the Church endorses same-sex unions.

"At the same time, it shows the Church's mercy and love for all sinners, and that we are all sinners endeavouring to grow in authenticity and perfection."

What does the landmark Vatican ruling signify?

The Vatican said on Monday that a landmark ruling approved by Pope Francis allowed for Roman Catholic priests to bestow blessings upon same-sex couples. However, these blessings are permitted only outside regular church rituals or liturgies.

This ruling, a reversal of the Vatican's 2021 declaration, clarifies that these blessings do not confer legitimacy upon irregular situations but symbolise God's inclusive acceptance of all individuals.

The Vatican emphasised that these blessings should in no way be confused with the sacrament of heterosexual marriage. It highlighted that priests should decide on a case-by-case basis and should not prevent or prohibit the Church’s closeness to people in every situation in which they might "seek God’s help through a simple blessing".

The Church's teachings distinguish that same-sex attraction is not considered a sin, while homosexual acts are. Pope Francis, since assuming the papacy in 2013, has aimed to foster a more inclusive environment for the church's 1.35 billion members without altering its moral doctrines.

In Singapore, the Parliament voted in December 2022 to repeal Section 377A of the Penal Code, a colonial-era law which criminalises gay sex between men. It also voted to endorse amendments to the Constitution to protect the current definition of marriage from legal challenge.

Do you have a story tip? Email: sgnews.tips@yahooinc.com.

You can also follow us on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok and Twitter. Also check out our Southeast Asia, Food, and Gaming channels on YouTube.