The Archbishop of Nairobi, Reverend Philip Anyolo, has publicly defied Pope Francis’ recent move to allow the Roman Catholic Church to bless same-sex couples.
Bishop Anyolo, in a statement to all Catholic churches under his Archdiocese clarified that the declaration goes against the Word of God, the teaching of the Church, and African Cultural Traditions.
“All Clergy residing and ministering in the Archdiocese of Nairobi are prohibited from blessing irregular relationships, unions, or same-sex couples,” Archbishop Anyolo said.
Additionally, he declared that such blessings would be “scandalous to the faith” and would contradict the teachings of the Church, the Bible, and African cultural traditions.
“Any form of blessing of same-sex unions and activities would go against God’s word, the teachings of the Church, the African cultural traditions, the laws of our nations, and scandalous to the faithful,” he said.
According to Archbishop Anyolo’s blessings for same-sex couples would be perceived as condoning sin, which the Church cannot do in good conscience.
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Nonetheless, he reiterated the Church’s longstanding definition of marriage as an exclusive union between a man and a woman, ordained for the purpose of procreation.
Anyolo on Legalizing LGBTQ in Catholic Church
“The notion of blessing same-sex couples, or irregular unions, can be perceived as legalizing these relationships, which the Church has no authority to do in faithfulness to the Gospel and the institution of marriage,” the statement read in part.
Nonetheless, Anyolo’s statement clarified that even if blessings for same-sex couples were to occur outside of formal liturgical settings, they would still need to adhere to the principles of God’s will as outlined in the Church’s teachings.
“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 and that the Church does not have the power to impart blessings on unions of persons of the same sex,” Anyolo added.
Also Read: Pope Francis Allows Blessings for Same Sex Couples in Major Shift
Anyolo took the stance barely days after the Kenya Conference of Catholic Bishops (KCCB) attempted to clarify the Vatican’s position on blessings for same-sex couples.
The KCCB emphasized that any such blessings would be “simple blessings” and would not constitute a recognition of same-sex marriage.
Pope Francis, in a landmark shift in tone, had recently hinted at a potential willingness to bless same-sex unions, while still upholding the Church’s traditional stance that such relationships are “objectively sinful.”
This sparked heated debate within the Church, with some hailing the move as a step towards greater inclusivity, while others voiced strong opposition.