The Polish Bishops’ Conference issued a statement today, reaffirming its opposition to blessing same-sex couples, despite a recent document from the Vatican that allowed such practices.
The statement, signed by Fr. Leszek Gęsiak, the spokesman for the Polish Episcopal Conference, said that people who are in same-sex relationships “cannot receive a blessing” because they violate the sixth commandment, which forbids adultery.
“Since practicing sexual acts outside marriage, that is, outside the indissoluble union of a man and a woman open to the transmission of life, is always an offense against the will and wisdom of God expressed in the sixth commandment … people who are in such a relationship cannot receive a blessing. This applies in particular to people in same-sex relationships,” the statement read.
The statement was issued after consulting members of the conference’s Permanent Council, which is composed of the president, vice-president, secretary-general, and 12 regional representatives of the Polish bishops.
The statement contradicts a document released by the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on Monday, which said that priests and ministers can bless same-sex couples as a way of acknowledging their “positive elements” and “sincere will to live in fidelity”.
The document, titled “Responsum ad dubium”, or “Response to a doubt”, was approved by Pope Francis and addressed a question posed by some pastors on whether the Catholic Church can bless same-sex unions.
The document said that while the Church does not approve of same-sex unions as a form of marriage, it does not exclude “the blessings given to individual persons with homosexual inclinations, who manifest the will to live in fidelity to the revealed plans of God as proposed by Church teaching”.
The document also said that such blessings should be given in a private and discreet manner, and should not imply a recognition or approval of same-sex unions by the Church.
The document sparked mixed reactions from Catholics around the world, with some praising it as a sign of compassion and inclusion, and others criticizing it as a compromise of the Church’s doctrine and morality.
The Polish bishops, however, rejected the document as inconsistent with the Church’s teaching and tradition, and said that they would continue to uphold the “truth about marriage and family” as revealed by God.
The statement also urged the faithful to pray for the unity of the Church and the conversion of those who “deviate from the will of God”.
The Polish Bishops’ Conference is known for its conservative stance on social and moral issues, such as abortion, divorce, contraception, and homosexuality. Poland is a predominantly Catholic country, with about 90% of its population identifying as Catholics.
