Pope Francis recently made the historic announcement that it was OK for Catholic priests to offer blessings to same-sex couples. He stressed this was not the church endorsing same-sex marriage, and that such blessings should not resemble wedding ceremonies.
Even with those caveats, the news was welcomed by some Catholics and gay worshippers around the world. And even if you’re not a believer, it’s an undeniable move in the right direction. For the Catholic church to offer blessings to same-sex couples will chip further away at religious homophobia.
Some priests and bishops have been unhappy with the move. However, one person overjoyed by it is the Rev. James Martin in New York. He has long been an advocate for the church embracing LGBTQ+ parishioners and written a book on the subject.
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It’s therefore little surprise that Rev.Martin was possibly the first Catholic priest in the world to take advantage of the change in teaching. On Tuesday, he blessed a married pair of gay husbands. The New York Times was there to witness the event.
It reported how Damian Steidl Jack, 44, and his husband, Jason Steidl Jack, 38, received the blessing in Martin’s Jesuit residence on the Upper West Side.
Father Martin later said on Facebook that many people had asked him what prayer he’d used for the men.
“It was a simple and traditional prayer taken from the Book of Numbers, which can be used for anyone,” said Martin.
“May the Lord bless you and keep you.
“May the Lord make his face shine on you and be gracious to you.
“May the Lord turn his face toward you and give you peace.
“And may Almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit.
“Amen.”
Damian and Jason Steidl Jack
Damian and Jason married at Judson Memorial Church in the West Village in 2022. Both are Catholics.
In an article for Outreach, Jason expanded on the importance of his faith. He said his and Damian’s marriage was already “blessed”, and their wedding ceremony had been witnessed by their friends and family.
However, “Our faith community is central to our shared life, and it’s fitting that the church also be a public part of our relationship. A formal blessing is a sign of the church’s openness to us and our openness to the church.”
He also said he and Damian were aware of the impact images of the blessing would have around the world.
“Damian and I show that it is possible to be a thriving, married, gay Catholic couple. I hope that we can share God’s light with LGBTQ folks who have only experienced darkness in religious spaces, and I believe that our presence in the Catholic Church is helping Catholics be less homophobic.”
“So far I’ve shared the stories of #LGBT people with the Pope and Vatican officials and have tried to build bridges. I’ll continue to do so.”
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I rejected the Catholic church in my twenties, but can’t begrudge believers the comfort their faith provides. Jason and Damian are a lovely couple and it’s righteous that Fr. Martin, who has been an unwavering advocate for LGBT+ people for decades, is the first priest in centuries to bless a same-sex union with the full support of the pope.
“And even if you’re not a believer, it’s an undeniable move in the right direction.”
Yeah, if you think homosexuals should waste their lives pursuing acceptance in a religion where the source material is homophobic, it’s the beginning of a path to nowhere. Because people will always come along seeking to reform the religion so it’s close to authentic, and so homophobia will always be a feature of Christianity.
Be honest with yourself and the world. Ditch it. But don’t turn into a bigot against Christians, as obnoxious as any homophobe.
You’re delusional. The only time I think about trans is when PC idiots spout nonsense, expecting rational people to give their quiet assent.
And actually, my reaction to trans is about the same as my reaction to religious cults. I don’t accept fringe religion after abandoning Christianity, and I don’t cave to LGBTQIA fringe nonsense, either.
@dbmcvey
If it makes you happy to live your life however you’re living it, go for it. I’m not here to stop you. But poking at me every time I voice a political opinion that you don’t like isn’t winning your cause or anything.
And really, your claiming that I’m a liar, straight, or a Trumper when none of that is true is symptomatic of something with you. It doesn’t affect my worldview at all.
You are though. You’re supporting people who want to take away our rights. It won’t end with trans people, they’re coming after gay marriage and want to make homosexuality illegal.
I’d rather deal with Christians who support my rights that atheists who don’t. (Most atheists do support LGBT rights, but there are atheist NAZIs in the world.
I am both atheist and agnostic. They’re not mutually exclusive.
I don’t believe there is a god and I doubt we can prove if there’s a god.
But I’m talking about what people here on Earth do. I’ve had kindness from both atheists and theists and I’ve had cruelty from both. Neither of them guarantees any kind of morality.
I think it’s likely there is a god, but I don’t know if it’s the god I was taught. I didn’t stop believing for intellectual reasons. Those came later. I stopped believing because I was sick of being lonely and wanted male companionship that is forbidden in biblical Christianity. At the very back of my mind, I still entertain the possibility that Jesus will return in my lifetime, but I’ve made my choice already. This life is what’s important.
Gee Freddie, give it a rest for the love of God! Why not be happy for these guys and the other gay Catholics who look at this as a step in the right direction? Evidently you’ve got a beef with the Catholic Church and that’s your issue but look at this as a step in thee right direction after years of indifference and unacceptance. God made everybody in his image and likeness and God being infallible doesn’t make mistakes and that means gay people aren’t some kind of an abomination or freak of nature. I case you weren’t aware, there are many faithful Catholics that’re gay, some celibate and others in committed partnerships trying to live their faith
@winemaker
Of course I’m aware that many gays are Catholic. And I’m aware that lots of them are priests.
The most important Christian virtue (or virtue of any kind) is honesty. I don’t think you can be an honest, gay Christian. You can redefine your religion so it isn’t an issue, but I think that’s also dishonest.
If it doesn’t bother you, it’s your life. But don’t expect me to say it’s good.
I’m speaking of being gay in practice as well as orientation. If you’re a celibate gay Catholic, that’s another thing entirely. I’ve been there as a Baptist. I found it deeply unsatisfying.
It can be hard to recognize progress and accomplishments when they manifest cause disappointment comes often enough. This is a great and good thing for the Catholic church. Be proud! MLK didn’t tell people to pack up and leave America because of segregation. He organized and peacefully marched and dissented against it and BELIEVED in unity.
Perseverance and Fortitude! I know the other lion’s name is Patience, but perseverance seems more poignant in this context. It just proves that over time, you can change hearts and minds. Depending on what you believe, only God made Earth in 7 days. No one’s broken that record.
Anyone who thinks this is any kind of “progress” doesn’t know the first thing about how the Catholic Church works. If you look back over the history of this current Pope you’ll see numerous statements related to homosexuals that indicate the church is somehow changing its attitude. Except they’re all illusory. They are less than window dressing. There is never any actual change in beliefs or policy, and every statement, if you care to read the fine print as it were, comes with the same “love the sinner, hate the sin” caveat. That is, same sex attraction is still wrong, you’ll still go to hell and the church will not endorse your relationship. A “blessing” means precisely nothing. Priests will bless your pet, your house, your rosary beads. They’d bless your sex toys if they thought it would bring you to church and get you to make an offering when the collection plate comes around. These people are the worst con men in history. Don’t be fooled.
Charles and Camila had to settle for an Anglican church blessing for their civil marriage, and they’re now King and Queen of the UK, so this sounds like progress for the average gay Catholic couple. The right-wing Catholic bishops in the U.S. must have steam coming out of their ears.
It’s the easy way out to simply “leave”. It is the less traveled and righteous path the stoic man takes and do the hard work to transform the world. Whether you live in a poor inner city area and work to transform the lives around you, whether you may be 1 of a few gay people who live in a small close minded town, you will have helped to transform things over time and make a difference. It may take 35 years to do it.
The “easy” and “glamorous” life of Manhattan and LA or Miami is always a tempting option, but the majority of people don’t live there.
This is real change. This didn’t exist before today, and this will change things after.
Thanks for the response…counterpoint – will acceptance of LGBT people in education stop child rape? Seems to be ongoing in K-12 grades. I think greater oversight and awareness of wrongdoing is key.
It absolutely sucks and is despicable that that stuff goes on where children are present. Those priests ought to be charged and go to prison. I have no need for and politics of appearance rot institutions from the inside out.
This is why this moment is big news! Institutions need reforming in order to serve the communities where they exist. It would be nice to get back the church that existed 1930’s to circa 1970’s.
Labor unions organized in their basements and communities held affairs with their churches. Think more along the lines of ‘Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility’.
Sure. Stay and spend your short life antagonizing and being antagonized by conservative Christians. You may make some progress, but it will be undone in short order whenever some straight, true believer takes the Bible at face value and thinks he hears a divine call to reform.
Give me the easy way. Remove yourself from the discussion. Live your life as you want, and leave straight Christians to live theirs as they feel convicted. Your efforts to turn Christianity into something it isn’t cannot succeed in the end.
I attended a gay-inclusive Baptist church in Memphis when I came out. I thought I should try hard to turn myself into a liberal to retain my religion, which had meant so much to me before.
The old hippie crowd at that church had marched in the civil rights movement and had installed the first female pastor in the SBC, before they were booted out. The interesting thing they told me is that many of their kids had reverted to being traditional Baptists and were attending conservative churches.
That’s always going to happen, so bear it in mind while you’re spending yourself to change your religion.
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Cato
I rejected the Catholic church in my twenties, but can’t begrudge believers the comfort their faith provides. Jason and Damian are a lovely couple and it’s righteous that Fr. Martin, who has been an unwavering advocate for LGBT+ people for decades, is the first priest in centuries to bless a same-sex union with the full support of the pope.
FreddieW
“And even if you’re not a believer, it’s an undeniable move in the right direction.”
Yeah, if you think homosexuals should waste their lives pursuing acceptance in a religion where the source material is homophobic, it’s the beginning of a path to nowhere. Because people will always come along seeking to reform the religion so it’s close to authentic, and so homophobia will always be a feature of Christianity.
Be honest with yourself and the world. Ditch it. But don’t turn into a bigot against Christians, as obnoxious as any homophobe.
dbmcvey
Even worse are the homosexuals who base their personalities on being anti-trans.
FreddieW
You’re delusional. The only time I think about trans is when PC idiots spout nonsense, expecting rational people to give their quiet assent.
And actually, my reaction to trans is about the same as my reaction to religious cults. I don’t accept fringe religion after abandoning Christianity, and I don’t cave to LGBTQIA fringe nonsense, either.
dbmcvey
No. Just calling out the conservative anti-KGBT trolls in our midst.
You support people who want to take away our rights. That’s no better than going to a church that wants to take away our rights.
FreddieW
@dbmcvey
If it makes you happy to live your life however you’re living it, go for it. I’m not here to stop you. But poking at me every time I voice a political opinion that you don’t like isn’t winning your cause or anything.
And really, your claiming that I’m a liar, straight, or a Trumper when none of that is true is symptomatic of something with you. It doesn’t affect my worldview at all.
dbmcvey
You are though. You’re supporting people who want to take away our rights. It won’t end with trans people, they’re coming after gay marriage and want to make homosexuality illegal.
I’d rather deal with Christians who support my rights that atheists who don’t. (Most atheists do support LGBT rights, but there are atheist NAZIs in the world.
FreddieW
@dbmcvey
I don’t possess the certainty to be an atheist. I’m agnostic.
But regarding your post otherwise … yada, yada, yada.
dbmcvey
I am both atheist and agnostic. They’re not mutually exclusive.
I don’t believe there is a god and I doubt we can prove if there’s a god.
But I’m talking about what people here on Earth do. I’ve had kindness from both atheists and theists and I’ve had cruelty from both. Neither of them guarantees any kind of morality.
FreddieW
I think it’s likely there is a god, but I don’t know if it’s the god I was taught. I didn’t stop believing for intellectual reasons. Those came later. I stopped believing because I was sick of being lonely and wanted male companionship that is forbidden in biblical Christianity. At the very back of my mind, I still entertain the possibility that Jesus will return in my lifetime, but I’ve made my choice already. This life is what’s important.
winemaker
Gee Freddie, give it a rest for the love of God! Why not be happy for these guys and the other gay Catholics who look at this as a step in the right direction? Evidently you’ve got a beef with the Catholic Church and that’s your issue but look at this as a step in thee right direction after years of indifference and unacceptance. God made everybody in his image and likeness and God being infallible doesn’t make mistakes and that means gay people aren’t some kind of an abomination or freak of nature. I case you weren’t aware, there are many faithful Catholics that’re gay, some celibate and others in committed partnerships trying to live their faith
PubisHairus
Winomaker represents the cross section a gay man who is bitterly celibate AND a religious nut.
FreddieW
@winemaker
Of course I’m aware that many gays are Catholic. And I’m aware that lots of them are priests.
The most important Christian virtue (or virtue of any kind) is honesty. I don’t think you can be an honest, gay Christian. You can redefine your religion so it isn’t an issue, but I think that’s also dishonest.
If it doesn’t bother you, it’s your life. But don’t expect me to say it’s good.
I’m speaking of being gay in practice as well as orientation. If you’re a celibate gay Catholic, that’s another thing entirely. I’ve been there as a Baptist. I found it deeply unsatisfying.
ZzBomb
Cute couple, sorry they suffer from the mass grand sky daddy delusion.
Jesus Never Existed.
Happy Holidays
Man About Town
Sure he did. You just don’t know him by his stage name, Jackie Christ, legendary Borscht Belt comedian!
(props to National Lampoon’s Lemmings)
JOJO
It can be hard to recognize progress and accomplishments when they manifest cause disappointment comes often enough. This is a great and good thing for the Catholic church. Be proud! MLK didn’t tell people to pack up and leave America because of segregation. He organized and peacefully marched and dissented against it and BELIEVED in unity.
Perseverance and Fortitude! I know the other lion’s name is Patience, but perseverance seems more poignant in this context. It just proves that over time, you can change hearts and minds. Depending on what you believe, only God made Earth in 7 days. No one’s broken that record.
Joshooeerr
Anyone who thinks this is any kind of “progress” doesn’t know the first thing about how the Catholic Church works. If you look back over the history of this current Pope you’ll see numerous statements related to homosexuals that indicate the church is somehow changing its attitude. Except they’re all illusory. They are less than window dressing. There is never any actual change in beliefs or policy, and every statement, if you care to read the fine print as it were, comes with the same “love the sinner, hate the sin” caveat. That is, same sex attraction is still wrong, you’ll still go to hell and the church will not endorse your relationship. A “blessing” means precisely nothing. Priests will bless your pet, your house, your rosary beads. They’d bless your sex toys if they thought it would bring you to church and get you to make an offering when the collection plate comes around. These people are the worst con men in history. Don’t be fooled.
Fahd
Charles and Camila had to settle for an Anglican church blessing for their civil marriage, and they’re now King and Queen of the UK, so this sounds like progress for the average gay Catholic couple. The right-wing Catholic bishops in the U.S. must have steam coming out of their ears.
PubisHairus
Psst… Jesus was non-binary. Pass it on.
JOJO
It’s the easy way out to simply “leave”. It is the less traveled and righteous path the stoic man takes and do the hard work to transform the world. Whether you live in a poor inner city area and work to transform the lives around you, whether you may be 1 of a few gay people who live in a small close minded town, you will have helped to transform things over time and make a difference. It may take 35 years to do it.
The “easy” and “glamorous” life of Manhattan and LA or Miami is always a tempting option, but the majority of people don’t live there.
This is real change. This didn’t exist before today, and this will change things after.
LegionKeign
Really? This will stop the child rapes?
JOJO
@legion Keihn
Thanks for the response…counterpoint – will acceptance of LGBT people in education stop child rape? Seems to be ongoing in K-12 grades. I think greater oversight and awareness of wrongdoing is key.
It absolutely sucks and is despicable that that stuff goes on where children are present. Those priests ought to be charged and go to prison. I have no need for and politics of appearance rot institutions from the inside out.
This is why this moment is big news! Institutions need reforming in order to serve the communities where they exist. It would be nice to get back the church that existed 1930’s to circa 1970’s.
Labor unions organized in their basements and communities held affairs with their churches. Think more along the lines of ‘Our Lady of Perpetual Responsibility’.
FreddieW
Sure. Stay and spend your short life antagonizing and being antagonized by conservative Christians. You may make some progress, but it will be undone in short order whenever some straight, true believer takes the Bible at face value and thinks he hears a divine call to reform.
Give me the easy way. Remove yourself from the discussion. Live your life as you want, and leave straight Christians to live theirs as they feel convicted. Your efforts to turn Christianity into something it isn’t cannot succeed in the end.
FreddieW
I attended a gay-inclusive Baptist church in Memphis when I came out. I thought I should try hard to turn myself into a liberal to retain my religion, which had meant so much to me before.
The old hippie crowd at that church had marched in the civil rights movement and had installed the first female pastor in the SBC, before they were booted out. The interesting thing they told me is that many of their kids had reverted to being traditional Baptists and were attending conservative churches.
That’s always going to happen, so bear it in mind while you’re spending yourself to change your religion.
Thad
Rev. Martin’s prayer is known as the Mizpah Benediction. I consider it one of the loveliest things about Christianity.