Pope did not approve blessing for same-sex couples – Kaigama

Media reports indicating that Pope Francis had granted blessings for same-sex couples are erroneous, according to Ignatius Kaigama, the Catholic Archbishop of Abuja.

During the Christmas Mass he presided over at Abuja’s Our Lady Queen of Nigeria Catholic Pro-Cathedral, Kaigama provided the clarification in his homily.

The malicious claim has gone viral, but according to Kaigama, it is all part of a larger plot to confuse Catholics and undermine the Catholic Church.

The Church’s stance on this matter is quite clear and has not changed, so just to clarify things up, the Pope has not and will not grant blessings for any intended same-sex couples.

Being the official representative of the Pope here means that I will be the first to know about any approval or direction and will communicate it to my fellow brothers.

He added that those who oppose the Church have spent millions of dollars trying to overthrow the Church without success, so they are orchestrating the media’s coverage of this issue.

He urged Christians not to give up hope or allow the church’s relentless persecution to weaken their faith, saying that good will ultimately triumph over evil just as light will ultimately triumph over darkness.

Speaking on the widespread instability in the country, Kaigama encouraged Christians to be strong in their faith and pray constantly, emphasising that the difficulty will soon be over.

For fear of God’s wrath, the priest admonished those who commit crimes, particularly the widespread abduction of Catholic priests, to stop.

He hoped that Nigeria and its government would prosper and called on the federal government to increase security to combat the rising crime rate and apprehend criminals.

Kaigama contends that by emulating the aforementioned biblical ideals—peace, love, caring, change, and new birth—which are all symbolic of Christmas—Christians should work to become more like Christ.