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October 22, 2020
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A r u b a ’ s O N L Y E n g l i s h n e w s p a p e r
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Francis becomes 1st pope to endorse same-sex civil unions

Pope Francis, center, makes the sign of the cross during his weekly general audience in the Paul VI hall at the Vatican, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2020.
Associated Press
By NICOLE WINFIELD pope, delves into issues Francis cares about an alternative to same-sex marriages. However,
Associated Press most, including the environment, poverty, mi- he had never come out publicly in favor of civil
ROME (AP) — Pope Francis became the first gration, racial and income inequality, and the unions as pope, and no pontiff before him had,
pontiff to endorse same-sex civil unions in people most affected by discrimination. either. The Rev. James Martin, a Jesuit who has
comments for a documentary that premiered "Homosexual people have the right to be in a sought to build bridges with gays in the church,
Wednesday, sparking cheers from gay Catho- family. They are children of God," Francis said in praised the comments as "a major step forward
lics and demands for clarification from conserv- one of his sit-down interviews for the film. "You in the church's support for LGBT people."
atives, given the Vatican's official teaching on can't kick someone out of a family, nor make "The pope's speaking positively about civil un-
the issue. their life miserable for this. What we have to ions also sends a strong message to places
The papal thumbs-up came midway through have is a civil union law; that way they are le- where the church has opposed such laws,"
the feature-length documentary "Francesco," gally covered." Martin said in a statement.
which premiered at the Rome Film Festival. The While serving as archbishop of Buenos Aires,
film, which features fresh interviews with the Francis endorsed civil unions for gay couples as Continued on Page 7