'A step forward' or 'contradictory'? Catholic reactions to approval of blessings for LGBT couples

Catholic Church leaders and prominent lay Catholics in American politics and culture have offered mixed reactions to the Vatican's recent declaration "Fiducia Supplicans."

The document issued by the Vatican's Dicastery for the Doctrine of the Faith was approved by Pope Francis on Dec. 18, allowing priests to "bless couples in irregular situations and same-sex couples without officially validating their status or changing in any way the Church's perennial teaching on marriage." The Vatican advises that "one should neither provide for nor promote a ritual for the blessings of couples in an irregular situation."

While some praised the Vatican for what they viewed as an overdue gesture, others lamented the development as a contradiction to traditional Catholic teaching.

The following pages highlight nine reactions to "Fiducia Supplicans."