No blessings for same-sex unions in Nigeria, Catholic bishops insist

The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, CBCN, has declared that the Church cannot bless same-sex unions and activities.

They stated that such actions would contradict God’s law. They said it was also against the teachings of the Church, the laws of Nigeria, and the cultural sensibilities of the Nigerian people.

In an unequivocal statement issued on Thursday, the Catholic Bishops reiterated the Church’s teaching on marriage. The Catholic clergy said marriage is an “exclusive, stable, and indissoluble union of a man and a woman”.

This clarification from the CBCN follows a recent reaffirmation by the Catholic Secretariat of Nigeria, CSN.

CSN said the Church’s teachings on the sacrament of marriage remain unchanged, despite the Vatican’s recent decision to allow blessings for same-sex couples.

An official from the Secretariat spoke to Vanguard on condition of anonymity. The official noted, “It’s crucial to reiterate that this does not change the Church’s teaching on the sacrament of marriage. The Church’s view on same-sex marriage remains unaltered.”

The Catholic bishops made their stand known in a statement by Lucius Iwejuru Ugorji, Archbishop of Owerri and President of Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria, and Donatus Ogun, Bishop of Uromi and Secretary of CBCN.

It was issued in response to the Vatican Declaration, ‘Fiducia Supplicans’ (i.e. pleading with courage).

“The Declaration seeks to clarify the different forms of blessing that can be given to persons and objects in the Catholic Church. Including the possibility of blessing persons in irregular unions,” the CBCN stated.

The CBCN statement identifies irregular unions as including, but not limited to, divorced and remarried couples whose previous marriages had not been annulled. Also, those in same-sex unions, those in polygamous unions, and those in concubinage, among others.