The Vatican released a statement Monday reaffirming the Catholic Church’s historic doctrine opposing homosexual acts, including so-called same-sex marriage and same-sex unions. The reason given by the Vatican for maintaining its doctrinal position is simple: Since God “does not and cannot bless sin … the Church does not have, and cannot have, the power to bless unions of persons of the same sex.”

The Vatican explains, “It is not licit to impart a blessing on relationships, or partnerships, even stable, that involve sexual activity outside of marriage (i.e., outside the indissoluble union of a man and a woman open in itself to the transmission of life), as in the case of the unions between persons of the same sex.” And the Vatican is clear that its opposition to same-sex unions is not subject to any “benefits” real or perceived from those individuals engaged in such doctrinally illicit relationships. “The presence in such relationships of positive elements, which are in themselves to be valued and appreciated, cannot justify these relationships and render them legitimate objects of an ecclesial blessing, since the positive elements exist within the context of a union not ordered to the Creator’s plan.”

In noting that God does not and cannot bless sin, the statement says, “[God] blesses sinful man, so that he may recognize that he is part of his plan of love and allow himself to be changed by him. He in fact ‘takes us as we are, but never leaves us as we are.’”

The Vatican’s statement is unequivocal in reaffirming the Catholic Church’s doctrine on what constitutes biblical marriage, and is also unequivocal in condemning homosexual acts as sinful. This unambiguous statement is a far cry from Pope Francis’s comments last year when he appeared to endorse the possibility of the Church’s acceptance of same-sex civil unions.

Bill Donohue, president of the Catholic League, welcomed the statement. “This finishes it,” he said. “There’s nothing left to discuss. It’s non-negotiable. The Vatican left nothing on the table with these people pushing this agenda. It made it very clear that the Church can bless homosexuals as individuals, but it will never ever bless homosexual unions, never mind gay marriage.”

On behalf of the “most religious president” in history, White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki responded to a question regarding what nominal Catholic Joe Biden thought of the Vatican’s statement. The president “continues to believe and support same-sex unions,” she said, “and he’s long had that position.” No surprise there, as Biden has no problem claiming his “Catholic faith” while opposing the Church’s teachings on a myriad of central moral issues, including first and foremost his promotion of abortion. In truth, it is leftist humanism that Biden most believes in, not the infallible word of God.