They are offering same-sex blessings.
In Kentucky, a Roman Catholic parish is offering scheduled blessings for same-sex couples, a departure from the Vatican’s recent directive that such blessings should be spontaneous.
Historic St. Paul Catholic Church in downtown Lexington is providing this service to any couple who contacts Father Richard Watson, as stated on the parish website, as reported by the Catholic News Agency.
This practice seemingly contradicts the Vatican’s December 2023 “Fiducia Supplicans” guidance, which stirred controversy within the global Catholic Church by allowing “spontaneous blessings” for same-sex couples. The directive does not endorse blessing gay marriages but permits blessings for individuals who request them spontaneously, signifying their sincere openness to transcendence and their need for God.
According to the guidance, these blessings should not be ritualized and must not resemble a formal marriage covenant or an endorsement of homosexual behavior.
Father Watson and Stan “JR” Zerkowski, the director of the church’s LGBTQ+ Ministry, did not respond to The Christian Post’s request for comment at the time of publication.
The website of Historic St. Paul Catholic Church, built in 1865, features LGBTQ-related content, including an image of the Virgin Mary holding a child wrapped in an LGBT pride flag. The website offers a prayer to “Our Mother of Pride,” expressing God’s enduring love for LGBTQ+ individuals.
Zerkowski, who received a note of support from Pope Francis in 2023 for his LGBTQ ministry outreach, recently wrote an article for the parish website. In it, he appears to draw parallels between the mystery of the Trinity and the “mystery” of the transgender experience, emphasizing acceptance and appreciation for diverse expressions of human identity and love.
The Diocese of Lexington made headlines when Brother Christian Matson, a Catholic diocesan hermit, publicly came out as transgender with the support of Bishop John Stowe, who has openly advocated for the LGBT community. Matson emphasized that LGBTQ+ individuals are integral to the Church and called for their inclusion.
During an interview on “60 Minutes,” Pope Francis clarified that the “Fiducia Supplicans” directive permits blessings for individual homosexuals, not for homosexual unions themselves, acknowledging each person’s inherent worthiness of blessings.