The declaration asks us, as priests, to show pastoral sensibility in such situations. It is my experience that such sensibility is indeed shown. I thank you for your ability to combine responsible theological intelligence with Christian charity and pastoral tact. I say to you what the bishops of the Nordic countries declared about themselves in their Letter on Human Sexuality, published on 25 March this year: ‘we are here for everyone, to accompany all. The yearning for love and the search for sexual wholeness touch human beings intimately. In this area we are all vulnerable. Patience is called for on the path towards wholeness, and joy in every forward step.’ Can believers who live in irregular situations be blessed? They can of course.