Pope Approves Blessing Of Same-Sex Couples Under Certain Conditions

Pope Francis has approved allowing Catholic clergy to bless same-sex unions — issuing a document on Monday detailing the change in the Vatican’s policy. The document, issued by the Vatican’s Doctrine of the Faith, elaborated on a letter the pontiff had sent to cardinals that was published in October.

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Cardinal Found Guilty In Vatican’s ‘Trial Of The Century’

The once-powerful cardinal was found guilty on Saturday by a three-judge Vatican panel of embezzlement and fraud in a high-profile corruption case that rocked the Holy See’s hierarchy for the past three years.  

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How Christmas Pudding (With Ingredients From The Colonies) Became An Iconic British Food

(ANALYSIS) As an American living in Britain in the 1990s, my first exposure to Christmas pudding was something of a shock. I had expected figs or plums, as in the “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” carol, but there were none. Neither did it resemble the cold custard-style dessert that Americans typically call pudding, a dish with deep Christian roots.

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War, Always With Us, Just Gets Worse

(OPINION) October’s terrorist attack by Hamas and Israel’s overwhelming response unleashed a humanitarian nightmare that’s gripped the world. Real-time images flood our electronic devices. War shapes our lives, sometimes encouraging violence, verbal and physical. Outside war zones, ordinary citizens find ourselves drawn into taking sides. How can we create a better future for our children, ourselves — even for those we don’t know?

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🗳️ Ballots Are In: Check Out The Top 10 Religion Stories of 2023 🔌

This week’s Weekend Plug-in highlights the top religion news of 2023, as voted by the Religion News Association. Plus, as always, catch up on all the best reads and top headlines in the world of faith.

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Are Religious Parts Of The US More Charitable?

(ANALYSIS) Among high income folks, the ones who are the most generous are those living in two places — the South and the Mountain West. Arkansas has the highest rate of charitable giving at 6.7% of adjusted gross income. Utah is right behind at 5.8%. There are several other states that are north of 3%, though. They include: Georgia, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Oklahoma, Wyoming, Idaho, and Washington state and Washington, D.C.

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Christian Groups Play Key Role In Addressing Mental Health Crisis

India’s Christian community has emerged as a proactive force in the battle against mental health challenges. Through initiatives such as national helplines, counselor training programs and pastoral support, they are working towards building a more mentally resilient society.

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5 Best Books By Nobel Prize Winner (And Catholic Convert) Jon Fosse

Norwegian writer Jon Fosse was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature on Dec. 10, an honor universally praised as much-deserved for a writer who has been one of Europe’s greatest for quite some time. Fosse, a playwright, novelist and poet, hasn’t always been happy, but he’s been prolific. He’s also a Catholic convert.

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How Blue And White Became Synonymous With Judaism

A web search for “Hanukkah decorations” yields a trove of whimsical items like menorah-and-dreidel-adorned straws, pillows, mugs, candy and napkins. These widespread choices have one thing in common — they are blue and white.

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NBA’s Jonathan Isaac Seeks ‘Identity In God,’ Not Basketball

Initially, a symbolic gesture against racism, taking the knee evolved into a collective action. Orlando Magic’s power forward Jonathan Isaac chose a different path. Throughout 2020, he made a choice not to take a knee or wear a BLM shirt. This placed him among the few athletes who opted to stand during the national anthem.

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Ministry Provides Unused Medications To Patients Who Can’t Afford Them

Some 9 million Americans can’t afford to buy the medications they have been prescribed. Meanwhile, nearly $11 billion worth of prescription drugs are disposed of every year in the U.S., according to KFF Health News. A ministry in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is trying to use some of that surplus to serve people in need.

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‘Freud’s Last Session’ Imagines A Debate With CS Lewis On The Existence Of God

(REVIEW) “Freud’s Last Session” wastes its fantastic premise of pitting C.S. Lewis against Sigmund Freud with boring execution — and a bafflingly underwhelming portrayal that fits an odd pattern by people who often negatively characterize the famed Christian author.

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Católicos Españoles Recitan Rosarios Desafiando La Prohibición Del Gobierno

Cientos de miles de católicos en toda España y en algunas partes del mundo hispanohablante aprovecharon la Fiesta de la Inmaculada Concepción del viernes para rezar el rosario en las calles en protesta por la represión del gobierno contra las expresiones de fe en público.

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Vatican Scandals 101: Guide To Recent Wrongdoing During Francis’ Papacy

(ANALYSIS) Another month, another scandal. That seems to be the case these days with former President Donald Trump and President Joe Biden. It’s also the case when we talk about Vatican life in the tense era of Pope Francis. The most-recent drama in Rome involves Luca Casarini, who recently took part in the Synod on Synodality as a special nominee of Pope Francis.

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Bethlehem Nativity Scene Puts Jesus in Gaza Rubble

A church in the West Bank city of Bethlehem has politicized its annual nativity scene, laying a figure of baby Jesus amid the rubble of a destroyed masonry building to represent the Gaza Strip this Christmas season.

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