Archbishop summons priest over gay blessing

A Maltese priest, Fr Mark Montebello, was summoned before the Archbishop of Malta, Charles Scicluna, on Tuesday, to explain the appearance on Facebook of pictures showing Fr Montebello blessing the rings of two men who had got engaged to one another, writes James Roberts.

In a statement the archdiocese said: “During the cordial meeting, the archbishop encouraged Fr Mark to continue his outreach to gay people, and asked that he continue to follow church practice and discipline in his ministry.” Fr Montebello reportedly agreed that in his pastoral ministry to gay people he would continue to follow church practices and discipline.

An archdiocesan spokesman  added: “In terms of practice and discipline, the ritual blessing of engagement and wedding rings, and of engagement promises and marriage consent, is only allowed for engagements and marriages between a man and a woman.”