Catholic Church in Malawi At Odds With Pope Francis Over Same Sex Marriage Blessing

By Joseph Dumbula

The Roman Catholic Church in Malawi has expressed its opposition to the blessing of same-sex unions by its priests.

The stand follows a view by Pope Francis, who says priests can now administer blessings to same-sex couples as long as they are not part of regular Church rituals or liturgies.

This is according to a document from the Vatican’s doctrinal office, which effectively reversed a declaration the same body had issued in 2021.

There was  incessant reaction on social media before the church in Malawi said it was working on a statement given the virality of the matter.

But in a statement, the Episcopal Conference of Malawi (ECM), an assembly of Catholic bishops in Malawi has said they take the position because it is in alignment with the Church’s long-standing view, which does not acknowledge same-sex marriages as sacramental unions.

The ECM has unequivocally stated that its priests should not extend blessings of any sort to partnerships solely comprising individuals of the same gender.

The church said that it seems that some people are misinterpreting what the headquarters of the church in the Vatican in Italy has issued regarding the blessing of such friendships.

In a letter which, among others, has been signed by ECM leader Archbishop George Desmond Tambala, the organization said that the letter approved by Pope Francis does not approve of blessing such partnerships as legal marriages, but that marriage is between a man and a woman.

Instead, the organization said that what the letter means is that just as a blessing can be given to a person, a place of work, the fruits of the world, the same blessing can be given to a person or anything.

Earlier this year, the Catholic Church and other groupings held nationwide staged an anti-LGBTQ protests sending against a message against calls to legalize the same.

This was in the wake of a court case brought by a Dutch national and transgender woman from Malawi who are challenging the constitutionality of the country's laws on homosexuality.