Welcome to Thursday. Pope Francis affirms earlier position of supporting same-sex civil unions. NCR executive editor Heidi Schlumpf and publisher Bill Mitchell discuss whether Catholics can vote for Joe Biden. Newly opened Pius XII archives could reshape conversation around pope's role in World War II.

Pope's latest affirmation of same-sex civil unions hailed as progress by LGBT community

While Pope Francis has supported civil unions for same-sex couples for years, his comments in a new documentary that gay couples "have a right to be part of the family" and that civil unions are a way to legally protect their relationships have been hailed a major step forward by LGBT Catholics, while others note that there has been no actual change to church doctrine.

"This is wonderful news for the LGBT community and for their families," said Jeannine Gramick, a Sister of Loretto who has been involved in a pastoral ministry for lesbian and gay Catholics since 1971. "What Pope Francis is telling us is that lesbian and gay people are part of families. He's holding up family values and this is so important."

Gramick told NCR that the pope's comments were in response to a "beautiful letter" from a gay couple who wrote to him inquiring how they should raise their children and live as a married couple in a church that ultimately does not accept their marriage.

"You are a normal family. You have to do what Catholics do," was effectively the pope's response, she said in describing the context.

You can read more of the story here.

More background:

Pope Francis expresses support for the creation of civil union laws for same-sex couples as part of a new documentary; his comments on the matter appear an affirmation of previously articulated views.
A new documentary has at its center those people at the margins whom Pope Francis used to meet with, and, sometimes, change their lives in uncountable ways.

Asking for a friend: Can a Catholic vote for Biden?

It comes up in phone calls and email exchanges: "Given his support for legal abortion, can a faithful Catholic vote for Joe Biden?"

Both NCR executive editor Heidi Schlumpf and publisher Bill Mitchell have fielded questions like that in recent weeks. Maybe you have, too.

The short answer is "Yes."

To counter the narrative that to be Catholic means you must vote Republican and for Donald Trump, NCR has published a number of articles over the past months to educate our readers both about actual church teaching on the matter, and to provide a forum for voices of Catholics struggling with the choice this November.

Read on for links to those articles here.

More headlines

The newly opened Pius XII archives could lead to some rethinking about the role of the future Paul VI in World War II.
Since the onset of the pandemic, altering their full-time volunteer programs has been a major adjustment for many women's religious communities. Global Sisters Report takes a look at three major groups to see how they are doing.
NCR columnist Colman McCarthy says he has never voted in any election, because "I'm a pacifist - and on my better days, a pacifist-anarchist."
The controversial two-year deal between the Vatican and China over the appointment of Catholic bishops in the communist country will be renewed, said Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's chief diplomat.

Final thoughts

NCR Forward members are regularly invited to members-only events. Next Thursday, NCR board member and composer Dan Schutte will be talking with our members about recognizing holiness just in time for All Saints Day. We are in the middle of our Fall Member Drive, so it's a great time to become a member to get an invitation to next week's and future events.

Until Friday,

Stephanie Yeagle
NCR Production/Online Editor
[email protected]
Twitter: @ncrSLY

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