Breaking News: Pope Francis allows priests to bless same-sex relationships

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Catholics.](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnYuBEP0TzaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMi8xOC93b3JsZC9ldXJvcGUvcG9wZS1nYXktbGVzYmlhbi1zYW1lLXNleC1ibGVzc2luZy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTYwJmVtYz1lZGl0X25hXzIwMjMxMjE4Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTAmbmw9YnJlYWtpbmctbmV3cyZyZWY9aGVhZGxpbmUmcmVnaV9pZD03NzY3NDk1MiZzZWdtZW50X2lkPTE1Mjg5NCZ1c2VyX2lkPWFhNDkxZWY3ZjFkOTY0ZTQ5NzlmYjc4NGU3NGUwMWQ3VwNueXRCCmV9RFuAZfJtUoRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~) Monday, December 18, 2023 9:44 AM ET The Vatican announced the new rule on Monday. A church official said the blessings amounted to “a real development” that nevertheless did not amend “the traditional doctrine of the Church about marriage.” [Read more](~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnYuBEP0TuaHR0cHM6Ly93d3cubnl0aW1lcy5jb20vMjAyMy8xMi8xOC93b3JsZC9ldXJvcGUvcG9wZS1nYXktbGVzYmlhbi1zYW1lLXNleC1ibGVzc2luZy5odG1sP2NhbXBhaWduX2lkPTYwJmVtYz1lZGl0X25hXzIwMjMxMjE4Jmluc3RhbmNlX2lkPTAmbmw9YnJlYWtpbmctbmV3cyZyZWY9Y3RhJnJlZ2lfaWQ9Nzc2NzQ5NTImc2VnbWVudF9pZD0xNTI4OTQmdXNlcl9pZD1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkN1cDbnl0QgplfURbgGXybVKEUht0cmlzdHJhbWJhbGR3aW45MEBnbWFpbC5jb21YBAAAAAM~)  ADVERTISEMENT ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnYuBEP0R4aHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9NjI2NTkmbGF5b3V0PW5ld3NsZXR0ZXImbT1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkNyZwPU5BXzIwMjMxMjE4VwNueXRCCmV9RFuAZfJtUoRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnYuBEP0SBaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9MjI5NyZsYXlvdXQ9bmV3c2xldHRlciZzej0xMTZ4MTUmbT1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkNyZwPU5BXzIwMjMxMjE4VwNueXRCCmV9RFuAZfJtUoRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~ ~/AAAAAQA~/RgRnYuBEP0SBaHR0cHM6Ly9saXZlaW50ZW50Lm5ld3lvcmt0aW1lc2luZm8uY29tL2NsaWNrP3M9OTYxNDkmbGF5b3V0PW5ld3NsZXR0ZXImc3o9Njl4MTUmbT1hYTQ5MWVmN2YxZDk2NGU0OTc5ZmI3ODRlNzRlMDFkNyZwPU5BXzIwMjMxMjE4VwNueXRCCmV9RFuAZfJtUoRSG3RyaXN0cmFtYmFsZHdpbjkwQGdtYWlsLmNvbVgEAAAAAw~~ You received this email because you signed up for NYTimes.com’s Breaking News Alerts. 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