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.
Gabrielle Bernstein, author of 'Happy Days: The Guided Path from Trauma to Profound Freedom and Inner Peace,' joins Cheddar News to discuss her new book.
Cheddar's Azia Celestino sits down with Katori Hall, creator of 'P-Valley,' to talk all about her journey creating the Starz series and what viewers can expect in season two.
Cheddar's Azia Celestino sits down with actors J. Alphonse Nicholson and Shannon Thornton to talk all about the new season of the Starz drama 'P-Valley.'
Cheddar's Azia Celestino sits down with actors Brandee Evans and Nicco Annan from the popular Starz series 'P-Valley' to talk all about the new season and their characters.
Akbar Hamid, co-founder of People of Crypto Lab, joins Cheddar News to discuss how the company is bridging culture and crypto with new metaverse hub, 'Valley of Belonging.'
We take a look back at the amazing Asian American and Pacific Islanders who joined Cheddar News as they reflect on what AAPI Heritage Month means to them. Plus, Filipino-American entrepreneur Jelynn Malone talks all about Mostra Coffee and what makes it different.
Career opportunity platform Guild raised $175 million in a Series F round led by Wellington Management. Global media icon Oprah Winfrey also participated in the round, which comes just months after Guild was named one of Time's most influential companies. Guild partners with employers to help them offer education opportunities to their employees. Customers include some of the biggest companies in the world, including Walmart, Pepsi, and Disney. The startup's funding comes amid a historically tight labor market, with demand for workers remaining strong across the country. Rachel Romer Carlson, Co-Founder and CEO of Guild, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Day two of celebrations for Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee are underway on Friday in the United Kingdom, as the country continues to honor the monarch's 70 years on the throne. While most of the attention is on the Queen, brands around the world are also hoping to use the cultural moment to get the attention of consumers with limited-edition Jubilee-themed products. The Centre for Retail Research estimated consumers will spend the equivalent of $510 million on Jubilee-related expenses throughout the celebration this weekend. Hilary Fordwich, global business analyst and British royals commentator, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Lagoona Bloo, a New York City-based drag queen, joined Cheddar News to talk about Pride Month and her music (that’s TOTALLY giving Britney vibes by the way). "Something that drag queens don’t really do is sing," Bloo said. “I wanted to create music that I loved as a kid." The artist also touched on the serious matter of the spate of anti-LGBTQ laws being enacted across the nation.
