(WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- Chicago’s Michael Pfleger -- long known as a Catholic priest who walks his own road -- says he is surprised and saddened at some of the reaction to his decision to bless same sex couples.
"Just seeing something as simple as a blessing getting so many people upset: My God, really?"
Father Pfleger said he's only received positive reaction from his own St. Sabina parishioners, after he was quoted in the Sun-Times this week saying the pope's decision to allow blessings for same-sex couples was "long overdue."
But he says he's gotten more than two dozen negative emails and phone calls and comments on social media.
"It's just shocking to me that people can say or think things like that while they're calling themselves good Christians,” he told WBBM Newsradio on Thursday.
Pfleger said he has received one request from a same-sex couple for a blessing in the new year.
“He said he’d be honored,” Michael Thiry, who is legally married to Nate Washington, tells the Sun-Times.
The couple hasn’t set a date yet, and they don’t know what the blessing will look like, but Francis’ document leaves a lot of that to be decided by individual priests.
Thiry and Washington have been attending St. Sabina for a year and a half and said they were drawn to the church because of Pfleger.
“He’s important to us,” Washington said. “He is truly a man of God.”
Chicago's Cardinal Blase Cupich on Monday welcomed the pope’s declaration but emphasized in a long statement that blessings must not resemble marriage ceremonies or be confused with them. The Catholic Church still opposes same-sex unions.
Contributing: Chicago Sun-Times Media Wire
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