Month: December 2023

Pope Francis has issued a historic decision allowing Catholic priests to bless same-sex couples. According to a document released on Monday from the Vatican’s doctrine office, Pope Francis says allowing same-sex couples to be blessed is “as an expression of the Church’s maternal heart.”  The announcement comes months after the pope had responded to questions formally submitted by five cardinals about the matter. At that time, the 87-year-old pontiff indicated that he would be open to some Catholic priests blessing same-sex unions.

The document stated: “God never turns away anyone who approaches him! Ultimately, a blessing offers people a means to increase their trust in God. … It is a seed of the Holy Spirit that must be nurtured, not hindered.” The doctrine, however, stresses that any any “rites and prayers that could create confusion between what constitutes marriage…and what contradicts it are inadmissible.”

Cardinal Víctor Manuel Fernández states that the new declaration that the new rule didn’t amend “the traditional doctrine of the church about marriage,” and that it didn’t allow for liturgical rites that resemble the sacrament of marriage. The document stated that the declaration is intended to allow those seeking the blessing “to open one’s life to God, to ask for his help to live better, and live with greater faithfulness. The Church welcomes all who approach God with humble hearts, accompanying them with those spiritual aids that enable everyone to understand and realize God’s will fully in their existence.”

Pope Francis declared his support for the civil unions of same-sex couples in October 2020 during comments featured in the documentary Francesco.  In March 2021, the Vatican said that the Catholic community should welcome gay people with “respect and sensitivity,” and in July 2023, the pontiff said that laws criminalizing homosexuality are “unfair….We are all children of God, and God loves us as we are.”

Editorial credit: Riccardo De Luca – Update / Shutterstock.com

The Quaker Oats Company is recalling a variety of granola bars and cereals due to a possible salmonella risk, which can be deadly. The recall affects dozens of Quaker products, including certain varieties of granola bars, boxes of granola cereal, and granola bars included in snack boxes.

Quaker shared a list of the affected products with the Food and Drug Administration, who on Friday announced that the company would be recalling a variety of granola bars and granola cereals due to the possibility that they are contaminated with the bacteria salmonella.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, salmonella is a bacteria that can cause diarrhea, fever, stomach cramps, nausea, vomiting and headache. However, a salmonella infection can be more severe for infants and children under 5 years old, people 65 and over, people with weakened immune systems, and people taking certain medications, such as stomach acid reducers.

Quaker said in a release that it “has received no confirmed reports of illness related to the products covered by this recall,” and that it had informed the FDA of the recall.  Affected products were sold in all 50 states as well as Puerto Rico, the U.S. territory of Guam and Saipan, which is part of a U.S. commonwealth.

The list includes certain varieties of Quaker Big Chewy Bars of various flavors, Quaker Chewy Bars of various flavors, Quaker Puffed Granola Cereal of various flavors, Quaker Simply Granola Cereal of various flavors, and a variety of snack boxes with Quaker Chewy bars (Quaker Chocolatey Favorites Snack Mix, Quaker On The Go Snack Mix, and Frito-Lay Snacks Variety Pack With Quaker Chewy.)

The complete list of products affected by the Quaker recall, along with their specific UPCs, expiration dates and photos, are available on the Quaker website. The company said in its release that no other Quaker products are affected.

Editorial credit: The Image Party / Shutterstock.com