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.
Cheddar recs the Olympic Opening Ceremony, 'Tig Notaro: Drawn,' 'Bosch' Season 7, and 'Flatbush Misdemeanors' for streaming the weekend of July 16, 2021.
The Canada goose isn't native to Long Island, New York but now flocks of them are permanent residents. While most are migratory, some have made their homes in the area especially as more wild areas turn into green spaces for parks, housing developments, and businesses. Long Island Geese Control has found a solution to get rid of the birds without using chemicals or harming them: They send in specially trained border collies to chase them away. President and CEO Bill Alemaghides joined Cheddar News to tell us more.
American swimmer Becca Meyers has pulled out of the Paralympics because she says the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee won’t let her bring her mother to Tokyo as her personal care assistant.
President Biden predicts full vaccine approval is coming "soon," an inside view from a hospital in an under-vaccinated state, the Olympics already technically underway and Alexa gets a new male voice, if you want it.
Smoke and ash from massive wildfires in the American West shrouded the sky and led to air quality alerts on parts of the East Coast.
U.S. life expectancy fell by a year and a half in 2020, the largest one-year decline since World War II. The decrease for both Black Americans and Hispanic Americans was even worse: three years.
Fireworks burst over the Brisbane River and high-rise buildings across the city as people cheered, danced and celebrated the confirmation of Brisbane's bid to host the 2032 Summer Olympics.
Jill and Carlo wrap up the big space news after Jeff Bezos' successful trip, more setbacks for the J&J vaccine, an air quality alert for the East Coast, Giannis brings home the trophy and a broadcasting first in the MLB.
A Nashville Predators prospect has come out as gay. Luke Prokop posted on Twitter he is no longer scared to hide who he is.
Fears about the Delta variant hit the stock market as calls grow for the return of mask mandates. Jeff Bezos prepares to fly to the edge of space and more.
