Pope Francis waves to faithful at the end of the weekly general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020. (AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia)
By Nicole Winfield
Pope Francis endorsed same-sex civil unions for the first time as pope while being interviewed for the feature-length documentary “Francesco,” which had its premiere at the Rome Film Festival on Wednesday.
The papal thumbs up came midway through the film that delves into issues he cares about most, including the environment, poverty, migration, racial and income inequality, and the people most affected by discrimination.
“Homosexual people have the right to be in a family. They are children of God,” Francis said in one of his sit-down interviews for the film. “What we have to have is a civil union law; that way they are legally covered.”
While serving as archbishop of Buenos Aires, Francis endorsed civil unions for gay couples as an alternative to same-sex marriages. However, he had never come out publicly in favor of civil unions as pope.
Director Evgeny Afineevsky had remarkable access to cardinals, the Vatican television archives, and the pope himself. He said he negotiated his way in through persistence, and deliveries of Argentine mate tea and Alfajores cookies that he got to the pope via some well-connected Argentines in Rome.
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High school wrestler, Joe Salmon was ice fishing when he saw 83-year-old Thomas Lee and his dog Cooper's vehicle crash into the ice. The 17-year-old sprung into action to save the pair, pulling them out of the vehicle before help came.
Cheddar News' Shannon LaNier spoke with owner Kiahna Malloy of Kreme & Krumbs, a Black-owned ice cream shop in Montclair, New Jersey, about why she got into the business.
Support pours in for Turkey and Syria earthquake support, a fire broke out during a United Airlines flight, and more officers are expected to be charged in the beating death of Tyre Nichols. Here is everything you Need2Know for February 8, 2023.
