Vatican to give blessings for same-sex couples – level 3

Vatican to give blessings for same-sex couples

25-12-2023 15:00

In a historic decision approved by Pope Francis, the Vatican announced that Roman Catholic priests can now give blessings to same-sex couples.

This landmark ruling overturned a 2021 declaration, and it allows priests to perform blessings as long as they aren’t part of regular Church rituals. The Vatican emphasizes that such blessings don’t legitimize irregular situations but symbolize God’s acceptance of all individuals. It explicitly distinguishes these blessings from the sacrament of heterosexual marriage. Priests are granted discretion on a case-by-case basis to support individuals seeking God’s help through a simple blessing.

While the Church maintains that same-sex attraction is not sinful, it acknowledges that homosexual acts are. The move has been praised by advocates for LGBT rights in the Church but is likely to face opposition from conservatives, raising concerns about potential schisms.

Difficult words: explicitly (in a clear and detailed manner), sacrament (an important religious ceremony in the Christian Church), schism (a division or conflict within an organization).

You can watch the video news lower on this page.

What is the significance of this new ruling from the Vatican regarding blessings for same-sex couples and what impact do you think it will have on the Catholic Church moving forward?

LEARN 3000 WORDS with NEWS IN LEVELS

News in Levels is designed to teach you 3000 words in English. Please follow the instructions
below.

How to improve your English with News in Levels: 

Test

  1. Do the test at Test Languages.
  2. Go to your level. Go to Level 1 if you know 1-1000 words. Go to Level 2 if you know 1000-2000 words. Go to Level 3 if you know 2000-3000 words.

Reading

  1. Read two news articles every day.
  2. Read the news articles from the day before and check if you remember all new words.

Listening

  1. Listen to the news from today and read the text at the same time.
  2. Listen to the news from today without reading the text.

Writing

  1. Answer the question under today’s news and write the answer in the comments.

Speaking

  1. Choose one person from the Skype section.
  2. Talk with this person. You can answer questions from Speak in Levels.

 

Stock images by Depositphotos