Vatican refuses to bless same-sex marriages, calls them a ‘sin’ and ‘a choice’

The Church said the union goes against "God's plans" for us...

In an official statement released today, The Vatican said that the Catholic Church would not bless same-sex marriages.

This announcement will be met with frustration by many, including the LGBTQ community, as the rift between an institution built upon deeply rooted beliefs and modern society continues to widen.

The statement, which has been translated into several languages, was approved by Pope Francis.

In a statement from the Holy See Press office, a spokesperson for the Church said that same-sex relationships are not lawful as the union is "not ordered to the Creator’s plan."

The Holy See described "homosexuality" being "sinful" and a "choice" that is actively made by an individual.

The statement went on to say that the Church could not give its "blessing" to people engaging in any form of "sexual activity outside of marriage", no matter how "stable" the relationship was.

Referring back to Catholic teachings, the statement said: “There are absolutely no grounds for considering homosexual unions to be in any way similar or even remotely analogous to God’s plan for marriage and family.”