Spanish diocese cancels parish prep course for blessing irregular couples

Bishop Santiago Gómez Sierra visits St. Paul Parish in the Diocese of Huelva, Spain, in 2022. / Credit: Diocese of Huelva, Spain

Madrid, Spain, Feb 5, 2025 / 06:00 am (CNA).

The Diocese of Huelva in Spain has “prohibited and disavowed” a planned preparation course for the “blessing of same-sex couples or couples in an irregular situation” that was to be held at one of its parishes. The diocese said it learned about the course through the media.

In a brief statement, the diocese explained that “this way of accompanying Christian faithful who are in such situations does not correspond with the teaching of Pope Francis nor with the pastoral practice of the Church.”

The text concludes by stating that “the Diocese of Huelva provides pastoral accompaniment for all people, offering opportunities for listening, formation, and growth in faith and always in accordance with the teachings of the Church.”

St. Paul Parish, the planned venue for the course, has canceled the event. On its website, the original information was replaced with a message stating: “For reasons beyond our control, we have to cancel this accompaniment.”

The message is illustrated with a drawing of a lamb with the rainbow colors of the LGBT flag next to a shepherd and the message: “I was not lost, they told me I was not welcome.”

A local newspaper, Huelva24, shared a promotional poster for the course that inaccurately quotes the December 2023 Vatican declaration Fiducia Supplicans. The poster features a line that is not in the declaration itself, stating that “the blessing of couples in irregular situations and of same-sex couples is possible … so that human relationships can mature and grow in fidelity to the Gospel message.”

The sentence “it is possible to bless couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples” does not appear in the text of Fiducia Supplicans published by the Vatican. It does appear, however, with this formulation: “Within the horizon outlined here appears the possibility of blessings for couples in irregular situations and for couples of the same sex.”

Regarding the second part, the original Vatican document states that the blessings are for such couples “that they may be freed from their imperfections and frailties, and that they may express themselves in the ever-increasing dimension of the divine love.” 

The declaration Fiducia Supplicans sparked controversy in the Catholic Church by allowing pastoral blessings for couples in irregular situations, including same-sex couples, without altering the doctrine on sacramental marriage.

The controversy arose from divergent interpretations: While some sectors of the Church saw it as a gesture of mercy to address complex realities, other bishops and faithful warned of the risk of doctrinal confusion, fearing that it would be perceived as an implicit validation of unions contrary to traditional teaching.

In May 2024, the bishop of Plasencia in Spain, Ernesto Jesús Brotons, admonished a priest for blessing a homosexual couple in such a way that it caused “scandal” and “confusion.” He had situated the pair in front of the altar similar to a bride and groom and was wearing an alb and red stole.

This story was first published by ACI Prensa, CNA’s Spanish-language news partner. It has been translated and adapted by CNA.