Vatican Says ‘NO GAYS’ and it will not bless same-sex unions, calling LGBTQ a “sin”.

The Vatican said today that the Catholic Church would not bless same-sex unions, in a combative statement approved by Pope Francis that threatens to widen the chasm between the church and much of the LGBTQ community. Explaining their decision in a lengthy note on Monday, the Holy See referred to same-sex unions as a "choice," described them as sinful and said they "cannot be recognized as objectively ordered" to God's plans. The stance is certain to disappoint millions of gay and lesbian Catholics around the world. The church wrote in the statement "The blessing of homosexual unions cannot be considered licit," the Vatican's top doctrinal office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, God does not and cannot bless sin. Pope Francis, who has frequently been praised for his welcoming tone towards LGBTQ people both within and outside the Church, approved the note. The decision is a setback for Catholics who had hoped the institution would modernize its approach to homosexuality. Dozens of countries, include many in western Europe, have legalized same-sex marriages, and the Church's reticence to embrace LGBTQ people has long held the potential to alienate it from younger followers.