Despite the conditions set by the Pope, the head of the Catholic Church is breaking with a doctrine that was tightened in 2021. At that time, the Vatican decided that people "committing a sin" should not be blessed. The statement issued by the Holy See at that time stated, "There is absolutely no reason to believe that homosexual relationships are equal to God's plan for marriage and family." The statement further mentioned that God "does not bless sins."

Now, the Pope is taking a different path. In the document published by the Vatican today, it is stated that "couples with irregular circumstances or same-sex couples" may be blessed. According to the Vatican, people who seek God's love and grace should not receive "exhaustive moral analysis" to be eligible for it.

However, the Church still maintains a clear distinction between traditional rituals and the expanded blessing doctrine. Same-sex couples can only receive a blessing outside the traditional church service. Furthermore, the ceremony must not resemble a wedding or take place in conjunction with a same-sex marriage.

Despite not altering the Church's stance on same-sex marriage, Pope Francis is taking small steps towards LGBTQ+ emancipation. He has previously expressed support for civil partnerships outside the Church and is against criminalizing homosexuality.