Vatican scolds journalists who report papal 'opening' on same-sex unions
The Vatican press office has decried attempts by some Italian journalists to portray a comment by Pope Francis as an opening to approval of same-sex unions. In a November 29 address to religious superiors, which was made public by the Vatican last week, the Pontiff said that religious involved in the education of children should be aware that children today come from widely diverse households. The Pope said that teachers must be sensitive to the feelings of children whose parents are divorced, unmarried, or homosexual. Some Italian commentators claimed that the Pope’s words were a signal to Italian politicians, who are this week taking up a proposal to approve “civil partnerships.” But Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, rejected that interpretation of the Pope’s talk as a “stretch,” and suggested that some journalists are manipulating the Pope’s words. In his November talk, the Pope was reflecting on contemporary reality, Father Lombardi said. “...