Same-Sex Marriage: Catholic Bishops Give 4 Reasons Pope's Directive Will Not Stand

• The Catholic bishops in Nigeria, under the umbrella of the CBCN, have said the Catholic teaching on marriage remained unchanged
• In their reactions to the directive by Pope Francis that Catholic priests should bless same-sex marriage, they gave four reasons for going against the Vatican's rulings
• According to the Christian body, the directive of the Pope to bless same-sex marriage was against God's law, the church's teachings, among others

Legit.ng journalist Bada Yusuf is an accomplished politics and current affairs editor, boasting over seven years of experience in journalism and writing.

Ibadan, Oyo - The Catholic Bishops Conference of Nigeria (CBCN) has explained four reasons why the body is against Pope Francis' directive that Catholic bishops should bless same-sex marriage.

On Monday, December 18, Pope Francis approved a judgment that allowed Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples, stating that it would not legalise situations that are far from regular.

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He argued that it would be a sign that God welcomed everyone.

But the CBCN on Thursday, December 21, said the directive from the Vatican would not stand as far as Nigeria is concerned, citing four reasons, The Nation reported.

Reasons Nigerian Catholics reject Pope Francis's directive on same-sex marriage

According to the CBCN, the four reasons why the Pope's directive will not stand are listed below:

1. It is against God's law.
2. It is against the teachings of the Church.
3. It is against the laws of Nigeria.
4. It is against the cultural sensibility of Nigerians

The Bishops made this known in a statement they made available to journalists in Ibadan, the Oyo state capital.

Most Rev. Lucius Ugorji and Most Rev. Donatus Ogun, the CBCN President and Secretary, signed the statement along with a few other executives of the Christian body.

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The religious leaders maintained that the teachings of the Catholic Church on marriage have not changed.

Their statement reads in part:

“There is, therefore, no possibility in the church of blessing same-sex unions and activities that will go against God’s law, the teachings of the church, the laws of our nation and the cultural sensibilities of our people."

Benue Catholic priest allegedly died of thunder strike

Legit.ng earlier reported that the Catholic Priest of the St. Joseph Catholic Church Jootar, in the Ukum LGA of Benue State, Reverend Father Faustinus Gundu, reportedly died during a thunder strike.

Another version of the story said the cleric slumped and died while trying to pick up his towel on the linen when the rain initially started.

The police confirmed the death of the religious leader but could not ascertain if it was due to the thunderstorm or if he slumped and died.

Source: Legit.ng