Nairobi Archbishop Philip Anyolo has opposed Pope Francis’ decision to allow Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples.
In a statement Anyolo pointed out that the decision by the Vatican contradicts traditional Catholic doctrine on marriage and family, including the disapproval of the Catholic Church of homosexual unions.
“This Declaration confirms and reiterates the perennial teaching of the Church that marriage is to be affirmed as an “exclusive, stable and indissoluble union of a man and a woman, naturally open to the generation of children” (n. 4),” the statement read in part.
Anyolo at the same time prohibited all clergy residing and ministering in the Archdiocese of Nairobi from blessing irregular relationships, unions, or same-sex couples.
“To make sure the fundamental doctrinal positions affirmed in the declaration and the perennial teachings of the Church on marriage, is upheld, all Clergy residing and ministering in the Archdiocese of Nairobi are prohibited from blessing irregular relationships, unions, same sex couples,”Anyolo said.
He further said it is for this reason that the Church excludes those living in irregular situations of marriage from full sacramental participation in the life of the church.
His statement comes days after the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops came out to clarify Pope Francis’s remarks on the blessing of same-sex couples.
The Catholic Bishops noted that the document does not approve same-sex marriages or change the understanding of Marriage as a Sacrament in the Church.
“This declaration does not in any way approve of “same-sex marriages” nor try to give a back-door recognition of such a union. It does not seek an alternative “union blessing” to substitute a Sacramental marriage,” read the statement in part.
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