"irregular" couples

Christmas trees are part of a celebration of the birth of Jesus, not Catholicism. And even that, Christianity adopted the tree tradition from other cultures/religions.

And even complete atheists, such as myself, can enjoy the festivities, the carols, the pageantry, the goodwiil that are parts of Christmas. You don't have to be religious in any way shape or form to appreciate the good things religion brings.

So I'll enjoy Christmas thank you very much.

A step in the right direction but I suspect that they are just doing it out of necessity. High demand religions like the LDS (Mormons) have really softened their stance on LGBT issues over the last few years. Guessing this is the Catholic churches attempt to keep up with them.

There are evangelical churches in the US, with millions of members, that openly welcome LGBT people. I think the RCC is at a majors crossroads here in Ireland. Going to be very interesting to see what it looks like in 20 years time. Priests will be very thin on the ground and the older generation, who fund the church, will have passed away. Judging by the census a large chunk of the population still identify as RCC. That number of RCCs can't be down to mammy ticking the box for them.

You'll be glad to know that they haven't moved the goalposts if you actually read the article.

The article says they can bless same sex couples AND irregular couples. It doesn't specify what irregular means but it probably refers to those living in sin, which would include couples living together out of wedlock etc.

It says that even those who aren't morally perfect can be blessed, as in, everyone. We are all sinners according to the Bible.

I promise to shut up about the church when:

• they GTFO of the schools and hospitals we (NOT they) pay for

and

• they stop covering up for abusers (and the bishops who shielded them) and compensate their victims as best they can financially.

Until then...

The bible forbids Christmas trees.

Anyway it (like celebrating the solstice) is a tradition of pagan origin long predating any talk of magical middle eastern carpenters.

They’re referring to the relationship as irregular -

What the declaration does is say that the church will not treat people in "irregular" situations — like being in a LGBTQ relationship or being divorced and remarried — as if they are beyond the pale. We welcome them into the church. Full stop. We cannot perform a marriage for a relationship that our Catholic tradition does not recognize as a marriage, but that should not be any bar to our welcoming people.

https://www.ncronline.org/opinion/ncr-voices/how-big-deal-new-vatican-document-same-sex-blessings

They’re not referring to people though? They’re referring to those type of relationships, and outside of marriage in the context of how the Catholic Church views marriage and the family and so on - relationships outside of that are irregular.

Tbh I don’t see it’s use as being particularly egregious or anything, I don’t think it makes any difference one way or the other to people in those situations, bit like the upcoming referendum on gender equality and the family in Ireland - their referring to marriage and ‘other durable relationships’ - it’s neither archaic, out of touch or undiplomatic. It’s just shìt to be drawing attention to the distinction at all.

Have you forgotten there was an Old Testament? Common among cherry-picking Christians.

Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. Matt. 5:17

Jeremiah 10:

Hear the word that the Lord speaks to you, O house of Israel. Thus says the Lord:

“Learn not the way of the nations,

    nor be dismayed at the signs of the heavens

    because the nations are dismayed at them,

for the customs of the peoples are vanity.

A tree from the forest is cut down

    and worked with an axe by the hands of a craftsman.

They decorate it with silver and gold;

    they fasten it with hammer and nails

    so that it cannot move.

I've no problem with teaching about religions (plural) in school. It's when the taxpayer-funded teacher starts promoting a particular one as fact that I and many other parents have a problem with it.