ROME – Responding to a group of five cardinals who posed critical questions about his upcoming Synod of Bishops on synodality, Pope Francis largely upheld the Church’s ban on women priests, while suggesting the doctrine can still be studied, but signaled openness to giving blessings to same-sex couples provided that doing so is not confused with the sacrament of marriage.

The pope issued his replies in July, but they were made public only Monday.

On Friday, the five cardinals published what are technically known as dubia, or “doubts”, which they said they had submitted to the pontiff over the summer, and which focus on women’s ordination, the blessing of same-sex unions and the authority of the synod to issue binding teaching.