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Ruhrbishop Franz-Josef Overbeck (archive picture)
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Jan-Philipp Strobel / picture alliance / dpa
In a letter to all parishes in the Diocese of Essen, Ruhr Bishop Franz-Josef Overbeck spoke out in favor of a "serious and deeply appreciative re-evaluation of homosexuality" by the Catholic Church.
After the Vatican's no to the blessing of homosexual couples, Overbeck reported, according to a message from the diocese, that he received numerous letters from pastors who had communicated their open rejection of the position of the Vatican.
The doctrine of the Church urgently requires an expanded view of human sexuality, according to Overbeck.
The declaration of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith offended and hurt many people with a homosexual orientation.
Such a position is no longer accepted today.
The attitude of the faithful should not be ignored by the Vatican.
The Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith made it clear on Monday that the Church was not authorized to bless homosexual couples.
Any form of blessing that recognizes a homosexual partnership is not permitted.
A group of more than 300 liberal Roman Catholic chaplains in Austria has already announced that they will ignore the Vatican ban.
"This decree offends many Christians and obscures and discredits the liberating message of Jesus," wrote the movement known as the Pastors' Initiative in a statement.
"We vehemently protest against the assumption that same-sex loving couples are not part of the divine plan."
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