ROME — Pro-LGBT Catholics like Jesuit Father James Martin have lauded the Vatican’s allowance of blessings for gay couples as “a huge step forward.”

Monday’s Vatican declaration “will long be remembered by LGBTQ people,” writes Father Martin, since it “opens the door, for the first time, for the official blessings of same-sex couples by ministers of the church.”

In his essay, Father Martin addresses and corrects the impression by some well-meaning Catholics that “nothing has changed.”

“But a great deal has in fact changed,” the priest notes. “Before this document was issued, there was no permission for bishops, priests and deacons to bless couples in same-sex unions in any setting. This document establishes, with some limitations, that they can.”

While these blessings were already widespread in German-speaking countries, Martin notes, the change here is “that these blessings are now officially sanctioned by the Vatican.”

“Today, with some limitations, I can perform a public blessing of a same-sex couple. Yesterday, I could not,” he concludes.

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