ABUJA, Nigeria – The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has clarified its position in response to Pope Francis’s recent pronouncement on same-sex unions, reiterating that their stance does not alter the Catholic Church’s teachings on marriage.
This statement was issued on Thursday, December 21, 2023, the President of CBCN, Bishop Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, and the Secretary, Bishop Donatus Ogun.
In their address, the Bishops emphasized that the Pope’s declaration primarily explores various forms of blessings within the Catholic Church.
This includes the consideration of blessings for individuals in non-traditional unions. The CBCN specified that such unions might comprise divorced and remarried couples without annulments, individuals in same-sex unions, polygamous relationships, or those living in concubinage.
The statement from the CBCN reads: “The Declaration acknowledges and carefully distinguishes between ritual, liturgical, and informal blessings. While ritual or liturgical blessings are imparted according to the established norms of the Church, informal blessings refer to prayers over people who ask for them outside the liturgy or any formal celebration in the Church.”
The Bishops further explained that the Declaration considers extending informal blessings to all individuals, irrespective of their moral conditions, if they seek blessings.
However, it strictly maintains that blessings for persons in irregular unions should be non-liturgical to prevent confusion and must not be associated with civil wedding ceremonies or symbols typical of weddings.
Reinforcing the Church’s traditional view on marriage, the Bishops stated: “The declaration upholds the Catholic Church’s old teaching on marriage as an exclusive, stable, and indissoluble union of a man and woman, naturally open to the generation of children” and clearly asserts that the Church cannot bless irregular unions.
The CBCN’s statement also touches on the spiritual aspect of seeking blessings, noting that the act of requesting a blessing indicates a person’s faith in God and their intention to live according to His commandments, regardless of their imperfections.
Concluding their message, the CBCN reassured the People of God that the Church’s teaching on marriage remains unchanged. The Bishops categorically stated that there is no possibility of blessing same-sex unions or activities within the Church, as it would contradict divine law, Church teachings, Nigerian laws, and the cultural values of the Nigerian people.
The CBCN expressed gratitude to the priests for their support of married couples, urging them to continue upholding the sanctity of the sacrament of holy matrimony and to avoid actions that could undermine its sacredness.
