EXPLAINED: 38 | Vintage Vibes

Midnight mass, festivities mark Christmas celebrations in Thiruvananthapuram

Celebrate Christmas with churches holding midnight masses, special prayers, and sparkling lights in Thiruvananthapuram.

The Hindu · Dec 25, 2023

Unique trees, unicorns and angels bring in Christmas cheer to Bengaluru

How unique can a Christmas tree be? It can be made up of wooden triangles or it can be a digital tree. Churches and malls in Bengaluru are ushering in the Christmas spirit with innovative ideas for the traditional Christmas tree.  

The Hindu · Dec 25, 2023

Outrage after Italian church puts up same-sex nativity scene featuring two mothers of baby Jesus

‘I wanted to show with this scene that families are no longer just traditional ones,’ says Vitaliano Della Sala

The Independent UK · Dec 24, 2023

MP shares family's harrowing messages about those in under-siege Gaza church

AN MP with family are trapped in a Gaza church said to be surrounded by Israeli snipers has shared harrowing voice messages she has received…

The National (Scotland) · Dec 20, 2023

How a sniper’s bullets utterly shattered the last vestiges of sanctuary in Gaza’s only Catholic church

Hundreds of Palestinian Christians already faced dwindling food, dirty water and the constant fear of bombs as they sought shelter from Israel’s war on Hamas in northern Gaza, before a mother and daughter were shot trying to reach the toilet at the Holy Family Church. Bel Trew speaks to the…

The Independent UK · Dec 20, 2023

Pope Francis' approval of blessings for LGBTQ+ couples is a historic gesture, according to a Catholic theologian

Pope Francis’ Dec. 18, 2023, announcement that Catholic priests may bless LGBTQ+ couples and others in “irregular” situations marks a definitive shift in the Roman Catholic Church’s posture toward many types of loving relationships. It may also mark a definitive turning point within the Roman Catholic Church.

The Conversation · Dec 19, 2023

So Pope Francis has deigned to ‘bless’ gay couples? That’s not a blessing, it’s an insult

The Catholic church made my young queer life hell. Now they accept and damn my union in one breath

The Guardian - UK · Dec 19, 2023

Pope Francis approves Catholic blessings for same-sex couples, but not for marriage

In a major development, the Vatican said priests may bless same-sex couples in informal settings, such as a meeting or visit to a shrine, so long as the blessing does not appear to endorse a marriage.

WEKU · Dec 18, 2023

Pope approves blessing same-sex couples

The recent announcement marks a significant change from a 2021 ruling from the Vatican doctrine office

Salon · Dec 18, 2023

Pope Francis Endorses Blessings for Same-Sex Couples by Priests

In a historic move, Pope Francis approves blessings for same-sex couples by Catholic priests, marking a shift in the Church's stance on the LGBTQ+ community.

Top News · Dec 18, 2023