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☆ Sexism, Cheating, and Nightclubs: Inside the Dark Heart of Chess
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-09 | by ( Rob Price | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +18 min

Socialites are playing chess on "The Real Housewives of New York City." In 1990, according to the US Chess Federation, only 4% of chess players were women. Out in the world, chess' resurgence has been accompanied by a wave of new clubs and events. I made a pilgrimage to the Marshall Chess Club, a 109-year-old institution in Greenwich Village. The following evening, I went to an East Village bar and found a very different scene at Club Chess.

Persons: we'd, she'd, I'd, festers, Judit Polgár, Gary Kasparov, —, Juliana Gallin, Jennifer Shahade, Alejandro Ramírez, Ramírez —, Ramírez, Shahade, Levy, Hikaru Nakamura, Rey, Anna Cramling, Miguel Pereira, Cramling, Nakamura, Bill Withers, Frank Marshall, Alexander Luke Bahta —, athleisure, you've, it's, Magnus Carlsen, Hans Niemann, Carlsen, Niemann, Dean Mouhtaropoulos, I've, Kasparov, they're, Vladimir Kramnik, Chess.com, Kramnik, Fabiano Caruana, Dan Timbrell, doesn't Organizations: Mechanics ' Institute, Housewives, New, US Chess Federation, FIDE, Washington Post, Marshall Chess Club, Chess, The Guardian, New York, whacking, Computer, YouTube Locations: San Francisco, New York City, Berkeley , California, Greenwich Village, hipsters, American, East, Canadian, Romanian, Netherlands, It's, New York, Russian

☆ Opinion | Why Conservative and Liberal Catholics Can’t Escape One Another
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-08 | by ( Ross Douthat | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

A college of supposedly conservative cardinals elected a surprisingly liberal pope. It seemed as though liberal Catholicism had been merely hibernating, awaiting a new pope, a new spring. But lately, in both Rome and the United States, I’ve had conversations with well-informed Catholics in which the old conservative confidence has made a comeback. The fear that the next pope might be another liberalizer, younger and more ambitious than Francis, has largely receded. This new confidence reflects a specific reading of the waning years (or what are probably the waning years) of the Francis pontificate.

Persons: Pope Francis, Pope John Paul II, Pope Benedict XVI, I’ve, Francis Locations: Rome, United States

☆ Germany should legalize abortion up to 12 weeks, a government commission recommends
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-15 | by ( Ivana Kottasová | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

Berlin CNN —Germany should overturn its 150-year old ban on abortions and make terminations legal within the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, a government-appointed panel of experts said on Monday. The procedure is de-criminalized up to 12 weeks of pregnancy, but anyone seeking a termination must attend a compulsory counselling session followed by a mandatory three-day waiting period. After 12 weeks, abortions are only allowed in exceptional circumstances, such as if the pregnancy or birth poses a risk to the mother’s physical or mental health. “(The commission’s) recommendations provide a good basis for the open and fact-based conversation that is now necessary,” German Minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus said in a statement on Monday. The proposals from Prime Minister Donald Tusk’s party would legalize abortion up to 12 weeks, a move more in line with some Western European countries.

Persons: Liane Woerner, “, Lisa Paus, Karl Lauterbach, ”, Donald Tusk’s, Andrzej Duda, Roe, Wade Organizations: Berlin CNN —, Reproductive, Social Democratic Party, SPD, Greens, Free Democrats, University of Constance, German Federal Statistical Office, Christian Democratic Union, Central Committee, Bishops ’ Conference, Family, German, Law, Justice Locations: Berlin CNN — Germany, Germany, France

☆ He’s on Death Row for Murders. Prison Workers Say He Should Be Spared.
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-03 | by ( Mitch Smith | Ernesto Londoño | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Among those asking Missouri’s governor to spare the life of Brian Dorsey, who was convicted of two murders and is set to be executed on Tuesday, were Roman Catholic bishops, law professors and national mental health groups. There was also a less expected cohort seeking clemency: more than 70 current and former prison workers who got to know Mr. Dorsey behind bars. That level of public support from correctional workers is rare in death penalty cases, though it remains to be seen whether it persuades Gov. Mike Parson, a Republican, to commute Mr. Dorsey’s sentence to life in prison. Mr. Dorsey, 52, pleaded guilty to first-degree murder in the 2006 deaths of his cousin Sarah Bonnie and her husband, Ben Bonnie.

Persons: Missouri’s, Brian Dorsey, Dorsey, Mike Parson, Sarah Bonnie, Ben Bonnie Organizations: Catholic, Republican

☆ When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, it opened the floodgates for abortion-related lawsuits
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-25 | by ( Joan Biskupic | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +19 min

CNN —The Supreme Court on Tuesday will hear its first abortion case since the 2022 reversal of Roe v. Wade and upheaval of reproductive rights in America. All the while, public regard for the Supreme Court has degenerated. Supreme Court Justice Stephen Breyer is photographed at his home in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in September 2015. Dirck Halstead/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images Breyer and his daughter Chloe jog with Clinton in May 1994. Mai/The LIFE Images Collection/Getty Images Breyer works in his office with his staff of clerks in June 2002.

Persons: Roe, Wade, Joe Biden, Donald Trump, Dobbs, Biden, Elizabeth Prelogar, mifepristone, Prelogar, what’s, ”, Susan B, Anthony Pro, ’, Evelyn Hockstein, Breyer, Stephen Breyer, Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson, Samuel Alito, Hodges, Trump, “, ” Breyer, Damon Winter, Stephen, Irving, Anne, Charles ., Chloe, Nell, Michael —, Joanna Breyer, Ira Wyman, Sygma, Byron White, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, John Harrington, Joanna, John Tlumacki, Bill Clinton, Clinton, Harry Blackmun, Dirck Halstead, Doug Mills, US Sen, Ted Kennedy, Laura Patterson, John Blanding, Colin Powell, George W, Bush, Mai, David Hume Kennerly, Seuss, Evan Vucci, Charles, Marcio Jose Sanchez, William Rehnquist, Clarence Thomas, David Souter, William Kennedy, Antonin Scalia, Sandra Day O'Connor, John Paul Stevens, Chip Somodevilla, John Roberts, Pablo Martinez Monsivais, Samuel Alito's, Gerald Herbert, Cole Mitguard, Mourning, Penni Gladstone, Clara Scholl, Elise Amendola, Nicholas Kamm, Michelle Obama, Barack Obama, Alex Wong, ABC's George Stephanopoulos, Heidi Gutman, Andrew Harrer, Hu Jintao, Eli, Shutterstock Breyer, Britain's Prince Charles, Mandel Ngan, Tom Williams, Carolyn Kaster, Ben Bradlee, Bill O'Leary, Pete Marovich, Stephen Colbert, Jeffrey R, Win McNamee, Elena Kagan, Neil Gorsuch, Anthony Kennedy, Sonia Sotomayor, Maureen Scalia, Andrew Harnik, Brett Kavanaugh, Amy Coney Barrett, Erin Schaff, Abraham Lincoln, George Washington, Saul Loeb, Ketanji Brown Jackson, Patrick, Fred Schilling, Matthew Kacsmaryk, Erin Hawley, GYN, … Organizations: CNN, Alabama Supreme, Republican, Food, Drug Administration, FDA, Jackson, Health Organization, District of Columbia, America, United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, Alamo Women's, Reuters, Supreme Court, Democratic, Supreme, New York Times, Harvard Law School, Appeals, First Circuit, Circuit, Getty, White House, Airport, Boston Globe, US, Suffolk University Law School, Francisco's Lowell High School, San Francisco Chronicle, Belgium's Catholic University of Louvain, Georgetown University Law Center, Administrative, Administrative Conference of, Jewish American Heritage Month, Walt Disney Television, Bloomberg, White, Office, Committee, Washington Nationals, Washington Post, Financial Services, General Government, CBS, State, The New York Times, Library of Congress, Alliance, Hippocratic, Alliance for Hippocratic, OB, Department, Justice Locations: America, New York, Carbondale , Illinois, Cambridge , Massachusetts, Maine , Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Puerto Rico, Rhode Island, AFP, San Francisco, Lowell, Washington , DC, United States

☆ France becomes world’s first country to enshrine abortion rights in constitution
▼ + stars: | 2024-03-04 | by ( Joshua Berlinger | Xiaofei Xu | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Paris CNN —France became the world’s first country to enshrine abortion rights in its constitution on Monday, the culmination of an effort that began in direct response to the US Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade. The amendment states that there is a “guaranteed freedom” to abortion in France. While abortion is a highly divisive issue in US politics that often falls along party lines, in France it is widely supported. The measure’s passage is a clear victory for the French left, which has been pushing for years to guarantee abortion rights in the constitution. The vote marks the 25th time the French government has amended its constitution since the founding of the Fifth Republic in 1958.

Persons: Roe, ”, Gabriel Attal, ” Attal, Emmanuel Macron, Simone Veil, Emmanuel Macron’s, —, Wade, Eric Dupond, Moretti, perviously, CNN’s Joseph Ataman, Christopher Lamb Organizations: Paris CNN —, Wade, French Senate, National Assembly, ” Lawmakers, France, Health, US, Fifth, Catholic, Pontifical Academy for Life Locations: Paris CNN — France, of Versailles, Paris, France, United States, Europe, Hungary, Fifth Republic

☆ Christopher Saunders: Former Australian bishop charged with historical sex offenses
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-22 | by ( Hilary Whiteman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

Brisbane, Australia CNN —A senior Australian Catholic clergyman has been charged with historical sex offenses allegedly committed while he was serving as the bishop of Broome, a remote diocese in Western Australia. Emeritus Bishop Christopher Saunders was arrested on Wednesday at his home in Broome, where he became bishop in 1996, according to CNN affiliate Seven News. Saunders is the highest-ranking Australian Catholic official charged with historical sex abuse charges since Cardinal George Pell faced court over historical assaults allegedly committed in the late 1990s. Of the survivors who reported being abused in a religious institution, 61.4% said the abuse occurred in a Catholic organization. The Royal Commission into Institutional Responses to Child Sexual Abuse reported that 7% of Australian Catholic priests had been accused of abusing children.

Persons: Australia CNN —, Bishop Christopher Saunders, Saunders, Timothy Costelloe, ” Costelloe, ”, Costelloe, Cardinal George Pell, Pell Organizations: Australia CNN, Australian Catholic, CNN, Seven News . Police, Australian Catholic Bishops Conference, Catholic Bishops Conference, WA, Police, Australian, Australia’s, Catholic, Royal Commission Locations: Brisbane, Australia, Broome, Western Australia, Rome

☆ Prominent Black Church Leaders Call for End of U.S. Aid to Israel
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-16 | by ( Audra D. S. Burch | Maya King | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Black churches and other faith groups have pushed for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas war for months in advertisements, open letters and social media campaigns. Black faith leaders across denominations have amplified their calls as the number of dead rises. More than 28,000 people have been killed in Gaza, according to health officials there, many of them women and children. But the A.M.E. council’s statement goes further than a cease-fire demand, insisting that the United States immediately stop its financial support of Israel. It came as Israeli forces pushed into southern Gaza and prepared for a ground assault on Rafah, where more than a million displaced Palestinians are trapped.

Persons: Bishop Stafford J Organizations: African Methodist Episcopal Church, church’s, of Bishops Locations: United States, Israel, Gaza, Rafah

Greece has become the first majority-Orthodox Christian nation to legalize same-sex marriage under civil law. Public opinion in majority Orthodox countries has mostly been opposed, too. Civil unions may become more common among Orthodox countries gravitating toward the European Union. Greek Orthodox showed relative tolerance, with half of Orthodox saying homosexuality should be accepted and a quarter favoring same-sex marriage. As head of the Russian Orthodox Church, he oversees the world's largest Orthodox flock.

Persons: ”, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, “, George Demacopoulos, ” Demacopoulos, —, Vladimir Putin, “ perversions, Putin, Kirill, Moscow, Tiny Montenegro, Aleksandar Vucic, ″, ___ Smith, Yuras, Stephen McGrath, Illia Novikov, Veselin Toshkov Organizations: European Union, Pew Research Center, Orthodox Christian Studies Center, Fordham University, Ukrainian, of, of Human, Russian Orthodox Church, Kremlin, Russia’s, Levada, MONTENEGRO Serbia, Balkan, Serbian Orthodox Church, of Human Rights, Orthodox, Bulgarian Orthodox Church, Associated Press, Gec, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: Greece, Montenegro, Cyprus, Russia, Eastern Europe, Washington, New York, European, UKRAINE, Ukraine, RUSSIA, Russian, BELARUS, Belarus, SERBIA, MONTENEGRO, Serbia, ROMANIA, MOLDOVA Romania, Romania, Bucharest, Moldova, BULGARIA, Bulgaria, Pittsburgh, Tallin, Estonia, Belgrade, Kyiv, Sofia

☆ Greece legalizes same-sex marriage in a first for an Orthodox Christian country
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-15 | by ( Sophie Tanno | Elinda Labropoulou | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

Athens, Greece CNN —The Greek parliament on Thursday passed a law legalizing same-sex marriage, in a landmark victory for human rights in Greece and making it the first majority Orthodox Christian country to establish marriage equality for all. Now, same-sex parents can both be recognized as legal parents to their children. A recent poll carried out by Metron Analysis showed that although 62% of respondents said they were in favor of same-sex marriage, 69% were against same-sex parenthood. The same-sex marriage bill has drawn the wrath of the influential Greek Orthodox Church to which more than 80% of the population belong. All three voted against the same-sex marriage law, and the legislation could still push some angry voters to the right ahead of European elections in June.

Persons: Greece CNN —, Andrea Gilbert, “, ”, Katerina Trimmi, Kyriakos Mitsotakis, Sergio Berezovski, Mitsotakis, Alexis Rafailides, Stefanos, ” Kasselakis, Tyler McBeth, Kasselakis, Elias …, ” Stelios Pandazopoulos, Angelo, – Organizations: Greece CNN, Athens Pride, CNN, Greek National Commission of Human Rights, Rainbow, Computer, EU, Metron, New Democracy Locations: Athens, Greece, surrogates, Thursdau, ”, Syriza, American, Karditsa

☆ We spend most of our extra money traveling. We believe it's the best education for our kids.
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-08 | by ( Melissa Noble | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

I've continued traveling with my own family, and we prioritize spending money on trips. download the app Email address Sign up By clicking “Sign Up”, you accept our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy . We've decided to prioritize travel over spending money on private schooling for our children. Noble and her family prioritize spending money on travel. Courtesy of the authorThese kinds of experiences repeatedly reaffirm our decision to prioritize travel for our children .

Persons: I've, —, we'd, Petra, Abu, Noble, we've, He's marveled, He's, We've, you'd, St, Augustine Organizations: Service Locations: Bali, Indonesia, Mexico, East, Asia, Africa, Europe, Jordan, Abu Simbel, Egypt, Canada, London, Cape Town , South Africa, France, Rocamadour, hysterics, Borneo

☆ Pope Francis hits back at critics of blessings for same-sex couples
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-07 | by ( Christopher Lamb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +3 min

CNN —Pope Francis has hit back at those criticizing his decision to allow blessings for same-sex couples, saying the critics are guilty of hypocrisy. The heart of the document is welcome.”Last year, the 87-year-old Pontiff authorized priests to offer informal blessings of couples in “irregular” unions in a landmark document issued on December 18, 2023. It is the first time the Vatican has allowed for such blessings, having previously forbidden any such move. The Vatican has insisted that the blessings for same-sex couples are not of the “union” but for the people who request them. Francis’ authorizing of blessings for same-sex couples is part of his broader efforts to shift the church’s tone and approach to LGBTQ+ Catholics, although this has been met with resistance from some sections within Catholicism.

Persons: Pope Francis, Pope, ”, ’, Don Vincenzo Vitale, “, Francis ’, Francis Organizations: CNN, Credere Locations: Africa, United States, Europe

NEW YORK (AP) — Even as Catholic dogma continues to repudiate same-sex marriage and gender transition, one of the most prominent religious orders in the United States — the Jesuits — is strengthening a unique outreach program for LGBTQ+ Catholics. James Martin, a Jesuit who is one of the country's most prominent advocates for greater LGBTQ+ inclusion in the Catholic Church. On Tuesday, there was another milestone for Outreach — the appointment of journalist and author Michael O'Loughlin as its first executive director. The latest expansion of Outreach occurs amid a time of division within the global Catholic Church as it grapples with LGBTQ+ issues. “It’s a special grace for LGBTQ Catholics to know that the pope is praying for them," Martin said.

Persons: James Martin, Michael O'Loughlin, O'Loughlin, “, they’re, ” O'Loughlin, Pope Francis, Martin, ” Martin, “ Pope Francis, Brian Paulson, Jesus, ” Paulson, Martin's, ”, Cardinal Timothy Dolan, Tania Tetlow, Archbishop John Wester Organizations: Jesuit, Catholic Church . Outreach, America, Associated Press, Vatican, Outreach, Jesuit Conference of Canada, Fordham University, Church, Lilly Endowment Inc, AP Locations: United States, New York City, America, U.S, Africa, Europe, Ireland, New York, Santa Fe , New Mexico

☆ Pope Francis says Africa’s criticism of same-sex blessing a “special case”
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-29 | by ( Nimi Princewill | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +4 min

CNN —Pope Francis has addressed criticism over his consent to priests to bless same-sex couples, saying the pushback from African bishops was “a special case” influenced by culture. African Catholic bishops said in a letter the pope’s endorsement “caused a shockwave” on the continent and “has sown misconceptions and unrest in the minds of many”, including pastors. Kazakhstani bishops Tomash Peta and Athanasius Schneider jointly described blessings for same-sex unions as a contradiction to the age-long practice and doctrine of the Catholic Church. “To bless couples in an irregular situation and same-sex couples is a serious abuse of the most Holy name of God,” said the preachers who head the Archdiocese of Saint Mary in the country’s capital Astana. French Archbishop Hervé Giraud said last month he could bless a gay couple as he believed such a blessing was not an acceptance of a same-sex union.

Persons: Pope Francis, “, Francis, ”, Cardinal Fridolin Ambongo, Tomash Peta, Athanasius Schneider, of Saint Mary, Hervé Giraud, ” Giraud Organizations: CNN, Italian, Stampa, Catholic Church, of, “, Catholic, La Croix Locations: Africa, Madagascar, Uganda, Asia, of Saint, Astana, Europe, France, Austria, Germany, Sens

☆ Pope Says LGBT Blessings Are for Individuals, Not Approval of Unions
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-26 | by ( Jan. | At A.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Philip PullellaVATICAN CITY (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Friday defended a Vatican document on blessings for same-sex couples but said they were not an approval of a lifestyle the Church sees as potentially sinful but of individuals seeking to get closer to God. The pope said that while "moral perfection" was not required of people seeking such blessings, they were not intended to justify a relationship the Church considers irregular. Francis stressed that such blessings should not be given in a liturgical context. Since his election in 2013, Francis has tried to make the Church, with its 1.35 billion members, more welcoming to LGBT people, without changing moral doctrine. Francis said that when the blessings are given, priests should "naturally take into account the context, the sensitivities, the places where one lives and the most appropriate ways to do it".

Persons: Philip Pullella, Pope Francis, Francis, Cardinal Victor Manuel Fernandez Organizations: CITY Locations: Supplicating, Africa

☆ Pope Francis takes on vested interests to speak out on humanitarian crises
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-23 | by ( Analysis Christopher Lamb | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +18 min

Pope Francis received an emotional welcome on the island during a visit showing solidarity with migrants fleeing war and poverty. ARIS MESSINIS/AFP/Getty Images Pope Francis confesses in St. Peter's Basilica during the Vatican's Penitential Celebration on Friday, March 4, 2016. Alessandro Di Meo/AP Pope Francis arrives for his visit with prisoners in Santa Cruz, Bolivia, on Friday, July 10, 2015. Franco Origlia/Getty Images Pope Francis and Ecumenical Patriarch Bartholomew I address the faithful in Istanbul on Sunday, November 30, 2014. Gokhan Tan/Getty Images Pope Francis speaks during the feast-day Mass while on a one-day trip to Italy's Calabria region in June 2014.

Persons: Pope Francis, Cardinal Michael Czerny, Francis, “, ”, Regina Coeli, Vincenzo Pinto, Juan Manuel Santos, Santos, Alessandra Tarantino, L'Osservatore Romano, VINCENZO PINTO, Simon Bar Sabbae, Pope, FILIPPO MONTEFORTE, Karekin, TIZIANA FABI, Giuseppe Ciccia, MAX, Pope Francis tries, Pope Benedict XVI, Alessandro Di Meo, Evo Morales, OSSERVATORE ROMANO, Vladimir Putin, Putin, Federico Lombardi, Lombardi, Gregorio Borgia, Getty Pope Francis, Raul Castro, Castro, GABRIEL BOUYS, ANDREAS SOLARO, Kurukkal SivaSri, Mahadeva, Pope Francis in, Eranga, Franco Origlia, Bartholomew I, Gokhan Tan, San Gregorio Magno, Queen Elizabeth II, Prince Philip , Duke of Edinburgh, Oli Scarff, Barack Obama, SAUL LOEB, Santa Sabina, Max ROSSI, Daniele De Sanctis, Pope Francis ', FABIO FRUSTACI, Benedict XVI, Benedict, L'OSSERVATORE ROMANO, Osservatore Romano Pope Francis, Vinicio Riva, Riva, CLAUDIO PERI, Rainbow Association Marco Iagulli Onlus, Fotografia, Father Don Renzo Zocca, Osservatore Romano, LUCA ZENNARO, Jorge Saenz, Dan Kitwood, Jesus, Internationalis Paulus VI, Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Roman Catholic Church's, Peter Macdiarmid, Pope Francis Prev, it’s, He’s, Filippo Monteforte, Donald Trump’s, Czerny, Trump, Donald Trump, Melania, Evan Vucci, Reuters “, ” Cardinal Czerny, Cardinal Czerny, doesn’t, Francis ’, “ Jesus Organizations: CNN, Getty Images, Colombian, Revolutionary Armed Forces, International Catholic Rural Association, Vatican, AFP, Getty, Catholic Chaldean, St, Mercy, ARIS MESSINIS, MAX ROSSI, Getty Images Bolivian, Cuban, Sunday, Queen, getty, Rainbow Association, Renault, Catholic, Roman Catholic, Intelligence, Warner Bros, Discovery, “, Republican, Reuters Locations: St, AFP, Colombia, Rome, Tbilisi , Georgia, Auschwitz, Birkenau, Poland, Etchmiadzin, Yerevan, Armenia, Vatican City, Moria, Lesbos, Peter's, Mexican, Havana, Cuba, Mexico, Santa Cruz , Bolivia, South America, Ecuador, Paraguay, La Paz, Bolivia, Italian, Ukraine, Iraq, Syria, Havana and Washington, Vatican, Pope Francis in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Istanbul, Italy's Calabria, Jerusalem's Old City, Argentina, Roman Parish, San, Rome's, Santa, Brazil, Rio de Janeiro, Argentine, America, Gaza, Nove, Lampedusa, Italy, Ciampino, Czechoslovakia, Canada, United States, Africa

☆ Sunak’s Flagship Immigration Plan Fails First Test in House of Lords
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-22 | by ( Stephen Castle | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

Four days ago, Prime Minister Rishi Sunak of Britain urged the House of Lords, the unelected upper chamber of Parliament, not to block his plans to put asylum seekers on one-way flights to Rwanda, describing his contentious migration policy as “the will of the people.”On Monday night, the Lords did not play ball. Instead, they voted to delay the crucial treaty with Rwanda that underpins Mr. Sunak’s legislation — underscoring the hostility among some members of the chamber to a policy that has proved divisive ever since it was introduced by Boris Johnson, then the prime minister, in 2022. In practical terms, the vote has limited impact because the House of Lords — a legislature which is largely made up of former politicians, civil servants and diplomats, as well as 26 bishops — does not have the power to prevent the treaty from coming into force. But it is a symbolic setback for Mr. Sunak and suggests that the Lords may try to amend the broader legislation, the so-called safety of Rwanda bill, which they are scheduled to start debating next week. It may also strengthen future legal challenges by asylum seekers against their deportation to the African country.

Persons: Rishi Sunak, ”, —, Boris Johnson, Sunak Locations: Rwanda, —

The Nicaraguan authorities said on Sunday that they had released 19 clergymen who had been jailed and handed them over to the Vatican, the latest development in the autocratic government’s longstanding persecution of the Roman Catholic Church. Among those set free was Bishop Rolando Álvarez, one of the most prominent critics of the government left in Nicaragua, who had been convicted of treason and sentenced to 26 years in prison last February. Another bishop, Isidoro Mora, 15 priests and two seminarians were also released. Silvio Báez, a Nicaraguan bishop in exile in the United States, celebrated the news in a Sunday Mass in Miami on Sunday, saying that “the criminal Sandinista dictatorship” of President Daniel Ortega “has not been able to overcome the power of God.”The release came after Pope Francis drew attention to the attacks on the church in his New Year’s Day address, telling the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square that he was “following with concern what is happening in Nicaragua, where bishops and priests have been deprived of their freedom.”

Persons: Bishop Rolando Álvarez, Isidoro Mora, Silvio Báez, Daniel Ortega “, Pope Francis, ” Organizations: Roman Catholic Church, Sandinista Locations: Nicaragua, Nicaraguan, United States, Miami, St

☆ Pope Defends Same-Sex Blessings Declaration, Says It Is Misunderstood
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-14 | by ( Jan. | At P.M. | ) www.usnews.com time to read: +2 min

By Philip PullellaROME (Reuters) - Pope Francis on Sunday defended a landmark decision approving blessings for same-sex couples, suggesting that those in the Catholic Church who have resisted it have jumped to "ugly conclusions" because they do not understand it. "Sometimes decisions are not accepted, but in most cases when decisions are not accepted, it is because they are not understood," Francis said in response to a specific question about the December declaration. "This is what happened with these latest decisions on blessings for all," he said, referring to the declaration known by its Latin title Fiducia Supplicans (Supplicating Trust). The Church teaches that gay sex is sinful and disordered and people with same-sex attractions should try to be chaste and the pope appeared to be alluding to this is his response. "But then people have to enter into a dialogue with the blessing of the Lord and see the path that the Lord proposes.

Persons: Philip Pullella ROME, Pope Francis, Francis, Philip Pullella, Lisa Shumaker Organizations: Sunday, Catholic Church, Italy's Locations: Africa, Supplicating, France

☆ Listen now: The rift over fossil fuels
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-30 | by ( ) www.reuters.com time to read: +1 min

The United States alleges an Indian government official directed an assassination plot in New York. Climate talks kick off in Dubai with a rift over fossil fuels mirrored in the Catholic Church, where U.S. bishops continue to invest in oil and gas. The Supreme Court is hearing a case with major implications for the government’s ability to set and enforce rules. Plus, the latest on the Gaza truce and Elon Musk’s sharp words for advertisers. Visit the Thomson Reuters Privacy Statement for information on our privacy and data protection practices.

Persons: Elon Musk’s, Elon Musk Organizations: Apple, Google, Reuters, Catholic Church, Thomson, Indian, SEC Locations: States, New York, Dubai, Gaza, Israel, Hamas

☆ Defying Pope's calls for climate action, US Catholic bishops cling to fossil fuels
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Richard Valdmanis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +9 min

The ongoing investments in the U.S. reflect a long-running rift between U.S. Catholic bishops and the pope on how to address global warming. The pope's Laudato Si encyclical urged immediate action against climate change, declaring that "highly polluting fossil fuels need to be progressively replaced without delay." The Vatican bank, which is separate from APSA, also does not invest in fossil fuels, a bank official said. Notably absent are any dioceses in the U.S.Reuters reviewed the financial reports published by two dozen of the nation's more than 170 Catholic dioceses, including several of its largest, and found that few provide details on specific investments. He called the enormous financial gains by oil companies "immoral profits."

Persons: Pope Francis, Remo Casilli, Dan DiLeo, Peter Marlow, Anne, Marie Welsh, William Lori, Joshtrom Kureethadam, Chieko Noguchi, Noguchi, USCCB, Sabrina Danielsen, Danielson, Richard Valdmanis, Philip Pullella, John Mair, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: Catholic, drillers, U.S . Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Church, Reuters, Justice, Peace, Creighton University in, Vatican, Opportunity Fund, Collective Investment, Archdiocese, Development, American Petroleum Institute, Christian Brothers Investment Service, Investment, BP, Shell, Creighton University, U.S, Thomson Locations: United States, Dubai, Creighton University in Nebraska, U.S, APSA, Vatican, Ireland, Germany, Archdiocese, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Erie , Pennsylvania, Texas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth . Erie, Erie, Baltimore, Paris, Saudi Aramco, PetroChina, India, Vatican City, Berlin, Sydney

☆ Opinion | Pope Francis Tries to Settle Accounts
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Ross Douthat | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +2 min

In each case you have an act of discipline seemingly tailored to the way that the rebellions are manifesting themselves. Among conservatives and traditionalists, specific critiques of the pope himself from prominent bishops and cardinals have now met with specific personal punishments. Among liberals and progressives, a broad attempt to liberalize the church’s moral teachings has now met with a general doctrinal rebuke. Both sides will note, for instance, that criticizing the pope earns you a sacking, but seeming doctrinal disobedience merits only a sternly worded letter. It’s a mistake to pin too much blame on this pope alone, however.

Persons: Strickland, Burke, he’s Organizations: Vatican Locations: Rome

☆ Insight: Defying Pope's calls for climate action, US Catholic bishops cling to fossil fuels
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Richard Valdmanis | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +10 min

The ongoing investments in the U.S. reflect a long-running rift between U.S. Catholic bishops and the pope on how to address global warming. The pope's Laudato Si encyclical urged immediate action against climate change, declaring that "highly polluting fossil fuels need to be progressively replaced without delay." The Vatican bank, which is separate from APSA, also does not invest in fossil fuels, a bank official said. A CCF official said energy and fossil fuels stocks make up between 3.5% and 6% of archdiocese investment funds, and that CCF uses its shareholder status to press for corporate environmental improvements. He called the enormous financial gains by oil companies "immoral profits."

Persons: Pope Francis, Dan DiLeo, Peter Marlow, Remo Casilli, Anne, Marie Welsh, William Lori, Bernard Hebda, Saint, Joshtrom Kureethadam, Chieko Noguchi, Noguchi, USCCB, Sabrina Danielsen, Danielson, Richard Valdmanis, Philip Pullella, John Mair, Suzanne Goldenberg Organizations: Catholic, drillers, U.S . Conference of Catholic Bishops, Catholic Church, Reuters, Justice, Peace, Creighton University in, Vatican, Opportunity Fund, Collective Investment, Archdiocese, Minneapolis, Catholic Community Foundation of Minnesota, CCF, Development, American Petroleum Institute, Christian Brothers Investment Service, Investment, BP, Shell, Creighton University, U.S, Thomson Locations: United States, Dubai, Creighton University in Nebraska, U.S, APSA, Vatican, Ireland, Germany, Archdiocese, Boston, Chicago, San Francisco, Erie , Pennsylvania, Texas, San Antonio, Austin, Fort Worth . Erie, Erie, Baltimore, Saint Paul, Paris, Saudi Aramco, PetroChina, India, Vatican City, Berlin, Sydney

☆ Pope to proceed with COP28 trip despite health issues, Vatican says
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-28 | by ( Philip Pullella | ) www.reuters.com time to read: +2 min

Pope Francis leads the weekly general audience in Saint Peter's Square, at the Vatican, November 8, 2023. REUTERS/Guglielmo Mangiapane Acquire Licensing RightsVATICAN CITY, Nov 28 (Reuters) - Pope Francis, who is recovering from a lung inflammation, will attend the COP28 climate meeting in Dubai as planned, the Vatican said on Tuesday. "The pope is doing well," Bruni said, adding that the Vatican will decide before the trip whether to take any extra precautions for the 86-year-old pope's health. The Vatican announced on Monday that the pope would limit his activities this week in order to conserve his strength. Also on Tuesday, the Vatican released a schedule of papal activities for the Christmas season.

Persons: Pope Francis, Guglielmo Mangiapane, Matteo Bruni, Francis, Bruni, Philip Pullella, Alison Williams, Bernadette Baum Organizations: Vatican, REUTERS, CITY, Thomson Locations: Saint Peter's, Dubai, Argentina, Rome

Almost as soon as Pope Francis became the head of the Roman Catholic church in 2013, Raymond Burke, an American cardinal, emerged as his leading critic from within the church, becoming a de facto antipope for frustrated traditionalists who believed Francis was diluting doctrine. Francis frequently demoted and stripped the American cleric of influence, but this month, the pope apparently finally had enough, according to one high-ranking Vatican official who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Francis told a meeting of high-ranking Vatican officials that he intended to throw the cardinal out of his Vatican-subsidized apartment and deprive him of his salary as a retired cardinal. The newspaper’s report comes only weeks after Francis removed another vocal conservative critic, Joseph Strickland, the bishop of Tyler, Texas, after a Vatican investigation into the governance of his diocese. “If this is accurate, it is an atrocity that must be opposed,” Bishop Strickland said in a post on the social media platform X on Monday.

Persons: Pope Francis, Raymond Burke, Francis, Cardinal Burke, Francis ., Joseph Strickland, ” Bishop Strickland, ” Organizations: Roman Catholic, Vatican Locations: Italian, Tyler , Texas, “

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