Former President of Ireland Mary McAleese has said Pope Francis has shown a change in attitude after suggesting there could be ways to bless same-sex unions.
The leader of the Roman Catholic Church made the remarks yesterday when responding to five conservative cardinals who challenged him to affirm church teaching on homosexuality ahead of a three-week synod that begins in the Vatican tomorrow.
Pope Francis wrote that there are "situations" where a priest can assess, on a case-by-case basis, whether blessings may be given to gay couples — as long as they are kept separate from the sacrament of marriage.
The latest synod is a culmination of a two-year canvassing of Catholics across the world, including Ireland, about their hopes for the future of the Church.
Dr McAleese, who has a doctorate in Catholic canon law, said it is very clear that the latest document is completely contradictory to what Pope Francis said in 2021 through a document issued by the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith.
She said that at that time they were trying to stop blessings of gay couples.
Speaking on RTÉ's Morning Ireland, she explained that the German Synod "had decided this was something that they planned to do, and the Congregation of the Doctrine of the Faith with the Pope's full approval, slammed that door firmly shut, said it was not possible".
She said: "So, what you had then, a really remarkable reaction from priests and bishops and laity in the synods that have taken place, all Synodal Journey that's taken place for the last two years.
"There has been virtual unanimity among the faithful including priests and many bishops that this was simply not acceptable.
"And then we had the remarkable thing that happened in Belgium last year when Bishop (Johan) Bonny issued a new liturgy precisely for gay couples, gay married couples who wanted a blessing in the Catholic Church.
"So, this is Francis losing the old tin ear and listening to the voice, the very strong voice, that has come from right around the world and will certainly be heard...inside the Vatican.
"It won't be heard outside of it because it is going to be in closed session and secret session. But it will be heard undoubtedly."
Dr McAleese said it is "very clear" that there is no change to the Catholic definition of marriage.
She said: "In fairness to the priests and bishops who have already been offering these blessings, they are not saying that these are either an extension of gay of Catholic marriage.
"They are saying these are simply what they are, a blessing of an existing loving relationship and that they don't in any way impact on the Church's teaching.
"This was a very strong point made by the Belgians, to develop the liturgy, they said, look, this doesn't offend Catholic teaching at all.
"There's no ceremony, there's no big church ceremony. There's nothing that equates to Catholic marriage.
"All that this is, is a recognition that people who have a loving relationship and who believe in God are entitled to ask for a blessing."
She said that in 2021, the document from the Congregation of the Doctrine as Faith "actually went as far as saying that Catholic married gay couples were not capable, their words, not mine, were not capable of receiving or expressing God's grace".
She said that "provoked an absolute outrage among priests and certain bishops and the faithful, including even bishops here in Ireland".
Dr McAleese said the "change in attitude" from Pope Francis has been greatly helped by the work that was done in Ireland by Ursula Halligan's LGBTI Focus Group that put in a report through the Bishop of Elphin Kevin Doran.
"Their document really went viral. Just went viral," she said.
We need your consent to load this rte-player contentWe use rte-player to manage extra content that can set cookies on your device and collect data about your activity. Please review their details and accept them to load the content.Manage Preferences
Dr McAleese added that there is no reason why Pope Francis would not conduct a blessing of a gay couple himself.
She said: "Why not? I mean that's what we would expect, is it not, from the man who is, after all the leader who led us once in the wrong direction and now has the courage to lead in another direction.
"I'd like to think so. But in any event, whether he does or whether he doesn't, in some sense, it doesn't really matter. Because frankly, these blessings are happening every day of the week", she said.
In relation to the 'People Synod’ that is running for three weeks, she said that it started out as the Pope’s Synod.
Dr McAleese added: "He tried very hard to shape the agenda and keep it away from issues that were contentious, difficult. And as the people gathered, they said 'no’.
"They wanted to discuss what they wanted to discuss and so what has happened is all the items that are on the agenda are the things that he would not have wished to be on the agenda."
