A dissident band of Roman Catholic priests leading a disobedience campaign against the Vatican said yesterday they would carry on blessing same-sex couples in defiance of Church orders. In some countries, parishes and ministers have begun blessing same-sex unions in lieu of marriage, and there have been calls for bishops to institutionalise de facto such blessings. Conservatives in the 1.3 billion-member Roman Catholic Church have expressed alarm over such practices. “We members of the Parish Priests Initiative are deeply appalled by the new Roman decree that seeks to prohibit the blessing of same-sex loving couples. The group wants Church rules changed so that priests can marry and women can become priests.

Source: Irish Independent March 17, 2021 02:26 UTC