Connect with us

News

Pope Francis Authorizes Blessings For Same-Sex Couples

Published

on

Pope Francis Authorizes Blessings For Same-Sex Couples

On Monday, Pope Francis publicly authorized Roman Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples, signaling a dramatic shift in the church’s attitude toward LGBTQ+ persons.

The Pope’s signature appears on a Vatican letter allowing the blessings as long as they do not coincide with a civil union or regular Church rituals.

The current verdict expands on the Pope’s invitation to honor same-sex couples last October and marks a departure from a 2021 Vatican doctrinal office ruling that forbade any blessings, stating that God “cannot bless sin.”

However, the doctrinal department has been managed by Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez, an Argentinian bishop and Francis friend who has taken a different tone than his predecessors since July 2023.

francis

Pope Francis Authorizes Blessings For Same-Sex Couples

“When people ask for a blessing, an exhaustive moral analysis should not be placed as a precondition for conferring it,” Cardinal Fernandez and another official write in the declaration. “The grace of God works in the lives of those who do not claim to be righteous but who acknowledge themselves humbly as sinners, like everyone else.”

The new order says it will allow “blessings for couples in irregular situations and for couples of the same sex,” but it will leave decisions to “the prudent and fatherly discernment of ordained ministers.”

According to James Martin, a Jesuit priest who supports Francis and ministers to LGBT Catholics, the decision is a “huge step forward in the church’s ministry to same-sex couples” and a radical reversal of the Vatican’s 2021 attitude.

“The new declaration opens the door to non-liturgical blessings for same-sex couples, something that had been previously off limits for all bishops, priests and deacons,” he was quoted as saying by CNN. “Along with many Catholic priests, I will now be delighted to bless my friends in same-sex marriages.”

The Pope’s efforts to change the church’s attitude toward LGBTQ Catholics began in 2013 when he responded to a reporter’s inquiry regarding gay clergy by saying, “Who am I to judge?”

francis

Pope Francis Authorizes Blessings For Same-Sex Couples

Francis has expressed support for civil recognition of same-sex couples and has attempted to wean the Vatican away from some of the harsh language it has used in the past toward LGBT people.

His support for legal acknowledgment of gay couples, as opposed to marriage, shifted the church away from a 2003 Vatican judgment that claimed it was “necessary to oppose legal recognition of homosexual unions.”

The Pope has also expressed his support for a US nun, Jeanine Gramick, who has been ministering to lesbian Catholics for many years. The Vatican had previously condemned her, but she recently visited with Pope Francis, who praised her as a “valiant woman.”

According to the Vatican’s most recent rule, same-sex and unmarried couples can be blessed “without officially validating their status or changing in any way the Church’s perennial teaching on marriage.” The Catholic Church teaches that sex should only occur within marriage,

and the ruling states that the church cannot bestow a “liturgical blessing” on same-sex or unmarried couples because it would “offer a form of moral legitimacy to a union that presumes to be a marriage or to an extra-marital sexual practice.”

francis

Pope Francis Authorizes Blessings For Same-Sex Couples

But the ruling says that a blessing can not be boiled down to “this point of view alone.” If it were, “a pastoral gesture that is so loved and widespread will be subject to too many moral prerequisites, which, under the claim of control, could overshadow the unconditional power of God’s love,” the ruling says.

According to the ruling, the Pope has maintained that the church cannot simply become “judges who only deny, reject, and exclude,” and that blessings must be understood in a broader context.

Francis’ acceptance of LGBTQ+ Catholics has played a role in the hostility he has experienced from a tiny but outspoken minority inside the church. His recent move on blessings is expected to be met with opposition in these circles.

SOURCE – (CNN)

News

Trudeau Rocks to Taylor Swift While Montreal Burns

Published

on

Trudeau, Montreal

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has come under fire yet again after a video surfaced on X, showing him dancing at a Taylor Swift performance while anti-Nato protestors ransacked downtown Montreal.

Trudeau attended Taylor Swift’s concert in Toronto on Friday night. Before Taylor Swift approached the stage, X shared a viral video of him dancing and singing along to the song “You Don’t Own Me.”

The image of Trudeau dancing amid violent protests in Montreal generated widespread indignation online. Some social media users even compared Trudeau to the ancient Roman dictator Nero, known for “fiddling while Rome burned.”

Don Stewart, a Member of Parliament (MP) representing part of Toronto, called out the prime minister in a post on X.

“Lawless protesters run roughshod over Montreal in violent protest. The Prime Minister dances,” Stewart wrote. “This is the Canada built by the Liberal government.”

“Bring back law and order, safe streets and communities in the Canada we once knew and loved,” the MP added.

On Saturday, the day after Taylor Swift’s concert, Trudeau condemned the anti-NATO protests, calling them “appalling.”

Anti-NATO activists set off smoke bombs and marched through Montreal’s streets waving Palestinian flags. According to the Montreal Gazette, rioters set fire to automobiles and battled with police.

Pro-Palestinian protests

Protesters also tossed tiny explosives and metal objects at officers. At one point, the mob torched an effigy of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Police used tear gas and batons to disperse the gathering, and three persons were arrested for attacking officers and impeding police operations.

Masked protesters were seen burning flares and bashing storefront windows in videos and photographs shared on social media. Pro-Palestinian protests have been taking place across Canada since the Israel-Gaza conflict began late last year.

Critics have lambasted Trudeau for doing nothing to stop the violent pro-Palestinian marches, with some claiming he has fueled anti-Israel sentiment in Canada.

On Friday, Trudeau stated that Canada would respect the orders of the International Criminal Court (ICC), which issued an arrest warrant for Mr Netanyahu, even if it meant arresting the Israeli prime leader on Canadian soil.

Related News:

Trudeau Called the Greatest Threat to NATO

Trudeau Called the Greatest Threat to NATO

 

Continue Reading

News

Calgary Zoo Admits Human Error in Death of Baby Gorilla

Published

on

Baby Gorilla, Calgary Zoo
The zookeeper's negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla

The Calgary Zoo has admitted in a public statement that a zookeeper’s negligence caused the death of a 2-year-old baby gorilla. Eyare, a newborn gorilla, died last week after being slammed in the head by a hydraulic door.

The accident occurred when a zoo worker attempted to separate Eyare from the rest of the gorilla tribe for a solitary training session.

The gorilla died from significant head injuries, according to the zoo’s statement.

“This tragedy has struck us all in the deepest way imaginable,” Colleen Baird, director of animal care at the Calgary Zoo, said during a news conference. “Eyare’s brief but meaningful existence gave so much joy to our community, and all will sorely miss her. We will do everything possible to prevent repeat accidents.”

According to Baird, the staff member involved was immediately removed from the workplace and will be reassigned to another area of the zoo. The Calgary Zoo stated that it would take preventive steps, such as specialist personnel training and animal behavioral training, to avoid a similar incident.

Calgary Zoo Questioned

It is not the first time an animal at the zoo has died from negligence at the Calgary Zoo. A capybara was accidentally crushed by a hydraulic door similar to the one that killed Eyare in 2019.

An otter died in 2016 after being entangled in an “unauthorized” pair of jeans that a zookeeper had dropped in its enclosure. In 2013, a penguin died in “a freak accident” after swallowing a stick.

Animal Justice, a Canadian group that promotes animal welfare, has called for an independent investigation of animal safety and oversight at the Alberta facility.

“The Calgary Zoo appears to have a higher rate of animal deaths compared to other zoos, and in light of Eyare’s death there should be a systematic review of the zoo’s operations and practices, conducted transparently by the government or another outside party,” according to Camille Labchuk, the executive director of Animal Justice.

The Calgary Zoo refuted that it has more animal deaths than other zoos, emphasizing that it adheres to operating requirements and has maintained accreditation by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums’ independent Accreditation Commission since 1978.

“We love and care for more than 4,000 animals representing over 100 species that call our zoo home,” stated a Calgary Zoo representative.

“Human error-related deaths in animals are quite infrequent. We have lost two animals in the last ten years: a North American river otter in 2016 and ‘Eyare’ this week.

While rare, even one human-caused death is too many. These unfortunate instances have served as vital learning experiences, prompting us to examine and tighten protocols to provide the greatest level of care.”

Baird said at the news conference that using hydraulic doors is “common practice with accredited zoos,” adding that the facility will consider switching to alternate doors to improve safety.

The Calgary Zoo, which established the Wilder Institute in 2021, caters to nearly 4,000 creatures, including six more western lowland gorillas.

Related News:

Beluga Whales Dies at Canada’s Marineland

Outrage Erupts After 17th Beluga Whale Dies at Canada’s Marineland

Continue Reading

News

Canada’s Lotto Max Jackpot Climbs to $80M

Published

on

lotto max, Canada

Lotto Max in Canada has reached $80 million for only the second time in Canadian lottery history. Friday’s draw sought a winner for a $75 million pool, but the top reward remained unclaimed as of Saturday, increasing the jackpot.

Only once did the jackpot reach $80 million in September, when it broke the previous record. Before that, the prize was $75 million, a record.

The Lotto Max prize maximum was boosted earlier this year, enabling for jackpots of more than $70 million. The cap is now at $80 million.
While a greater fee may encourage more people to play, the odds of winning the lottery remain extremely low.

According to the Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation, the odds for a $5 ticket are around one in 33,294,800.

While there was no jackpot winner in Friday’s draw, someone did match six of the seven winning numbers, plus a bonus, earning them a payout of more than $320,000.

Lotto Max History

Lotto Max is one of three national lottery games in Canada, overseen by the Interprovincial Lottery Corporation. The game was introduced on September 19, 2009, and its inaugural draw occurred on September 25, 2009. It replaced Lotto Super 7.

The odds of winning the Lotto Max are 1 in 33,294,800. This is correct to a point but misleading.

Let’s have a look at the rules:

  1. Players choose 7 numbers out of 50
  2. Numbers cannot be repeated
  3. Numbers are automatically sorted into ascending order
  4. Each play buys 3 lines
  5. Each play costs $5

Seeing that players choose 7 out of 50 non-repeating numbers, the equation for the total number of possible combinations (this is different from permutations where the order in which the numbers appear is significant) when playing the Lotto Max is 50! / (7! x 43!)

Continue Reading

Trending