Same-sex blessing not act of rebellion, says priest
The Swiss priest who controversially blessed a lesbian couple in the canton of Uri last year has revealed that he had no intention of creating an example or challenging established dogma.
In an interview published in German-language Neue Luzerner Zeitung newspaper on Saturday, priest Wendelin Bucheli admitted that the blessing of a lesbian couple in his parish of Bürglen was a personal decision that was based on his familiarity with them.
“The two women live in a deep relationship with Christ,” he said. “From my point of view it was therefore justifiable to grant them a blessing.”
His decision to bless the same-sex couple in October 2014 resulted in an order from the Bishop of Chur calling for his dismissal. Bucheli was due to leave his parish in summer and be re-assigned but an apology issued by him in April caused the dismissal to be revoked.
“It was never my goal to send a signal to the public or set something new in motion,” he stated in the interview with the central Swiss paper. He also added that he was a loyal member of the Catholic church and had never wanted to come across as a rebel.
He shared that he was willing to follow the bishop’s line on the matter and not bless any more same-sex couples in the future.
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