Chasten Buttigieg doesn’t really care if the Pope thinks same-sex unions are a ‘sin’
Chasten Buttigieg had the best response to the Catholic Church’s ban on blessings for same-sex unions, after the Pope’s recent comments about gay marriage.
There was widespread disappointment in the LGBT+ community on Monday (15 March) when the Vatican announced that priests must not bless same-sex unions because God “cannot bless sin”.
Chasten Buttigieg responded to the news by sharing a photo of himself with his husband, transport secretary Pete Buttigieg, on their wedding day.
The gorgeous black and white image shows Pete and Chasten lovingly embracing in the back seat of a car on their wedding day.
“Love is love. Gay marriage is legal. The Pope isn’t your County Clerk. Register for the fancy sheets and wine glasses. Peace and blessings,” Chasten wrote.
Pete and Chasten Buttigieg praised for ‘saving lives’
The heartwarming gay marriage tweet has already been liked more than 140,000 times, while many people replied to share their own responses to the Popes stance on same-sex civil unions.
“I’m not taking any moral guidance from the Vatican. They have no credibility. Love is love!” one person replied.
Another shared a list of churches that are inclusive of LGBT+ couples, pointing out that queer religious people who want to marry in a church can do so in other denominations.
One person simply replied: “You two save lives. Just by being. Never forget that.”
🏳️🌈 Love is love.
💍 Gay marriage is legal.
👋 The Pope isn’t your County Clerk.
🍷 Register for the fancy sheets and wine glasses.
❤️ Peace and blessings. pic.twitter.com/WNuKQOQujm
— Chasten Glezman Buttigieg (@Chasten) March 15, 2021
The Vatican clarified the Church’s stance on blessings for gay marriage in an explanatory note released on Monday.
The letter, which was approved by Pope Francis, said blessings can only be given to couples who live their lives according to “the designs of God inscribed in creation”.
“The presence in such relationships of positive elements, which are in themselves to be valued and appreciated, cannot justify these relationships and render them legitimate objects of an ecclesial blessing, since the positive elements exist within the context of a union not ordered to the Creator’s plan,” the note said.
While the Vatican insisted that God loves all his children, it also said God “does not and cannot bless sin”.
“He blesses sinful man, so that he may recognise that he is part of his plan of love and allow himself to be changed by him,” the note said.
The Catholic Church and the Pope have faced an avalanche of criticism for the gay marriage policy from high profile figures such as Elton John and Dan Levy.
New Ways Ministry, an organisation that advocates for LGBT+ justice and inclusion within the Church, blasted the ruling as “disappointing”.