Terminus Est said:
Cardinal Ferandez responded to some poignant questions proffered by The Pillar with one of the most bizarre answers I've ever seen. As always it seems that the most gerrymandered convoluted examples are given to justify the other 99.99% of situations that are objectively sinfulQuote:
As I was saying, sometimes the priest, on a pilgrimage, does not know that couple, and sometimes they are two very close friends who share good things, sometimes they had sexual relations in the past and now what remains is a strong sense of belonging and mutual help. As a parish priest, I have often met such couples, who are sometimes exemplary.
Therefore, since it is not a question of the sacrament of confession(!), but of a simple blessing, it is still asked that this friendship be purified, matured and lived in fidelity to the Gospel. And even if there was some kind of sexual relationship, known or not, the blessing made in this way does not validate or justify anything.
So you've got a random priest on a pilgrimage who is spontaneously asked by two dudes who he doesn't know for a blessing, and while they used to have sex, are now josephite friend bros who cohabitate and share good things.
The only good stuff from the article is that it seems a crackdown on the German church is coming and the Vatican is definitely feeling the heat from the different sources
https://www.pillarcatholic.com/p/cardinal-fernandez-same-sex-blessing
We also have an obligation to avoid near occasion of sin. I accept there are instances of miraculous radical conversion, but I would not think spending your time/living with your former sexual partners is best practices.