Buffalo, N.Y. (WBEN) - A new policy from the Vatican will allow Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples. Pope Francis announcing the radical change Monday aimed at making the church more inclusive while still maintaining its strict ban on gay marriage.
"It's not just priests," said Fr. Paul Seil, with the Newman Center at the University at Buffalo. "It's all clerics, and clergy which includes bishops, priests and deacons. But, it's not going to be a liturgical ceremony."
The new policy does not mean the Vatican has changed its stance on same-sex marriage. The document said blessings should not be confused with the sacrament of marriage, maintaining that marriage is a life long sacrament between a man and a woman.
"Really and truly, I think progressive Catholics will see this as an open door to move toward something more inclusive. But it's not going to be opening all kinds of doors," he said.
Conservatives, on the other hand, are already criticizing the Pope's announcement.
Seil, does not speak for the Buffalo Diocese. His opinions are his own.
"I've never been asked to do a same sex blessing," he added. "But I have been asked to give blessings to couples who could not get married in the church."
He said a blessing is simply trying to tap into God's grace and provide an avenue for God's grace. "People come to me all the time and ask for some kind of blessing, often for illness," he added.
Bishop Michael W. Fisher issued a statement on behalf of the Buffalo Diocese.
“With this morning’s release of ‘Supplicating Trust’ from Pope Francis, the pontiff has communicated and responded to themes advanced through the Synod process in the Church’s effort to be more welcoming to all God’s children,” Bishop Fisher said.
“Although we have not had time to study the document more fully, we understand that Catholic priests may now bless a same sex couple, or other unmarried couples, as long as it is not a formal liturgical blessing and that the blessing does not impart the impression that the Church is blessing the union as if it were a marriage.
“Pope Francis insists that marriage is an ‘exclusive, stable and indissoluble union between a man and a woman, naturally open to conceiving children,’ which is why the Church ‘avoids all kinds of rites or sacramentals that could contradict this conviction and imply that it is recognizing as a marriage something that is not.’
“At the same time, the pope said, ‘Pastoral prudence must adequately discern if there are forms of blessing, solicited by one or various persons, that don’t transmit a mistaken concept of marriage.’”
The bishop concluded by saying he will “embrace studying the document more fully and will work with our priests and deacons on how we implement this directive pastorally in the Diocese of Buffalo as we move forward.”