Pope Approves Priests’ Blessings Of Same Sex Unions In Radical Policy Change
Pope Francis has formally approved allowing priests to bless same-sex couples, with a new document explaining a radical change in Vatican policy by insisting that people seeking God’s love and mercy shouldn’t be subject to “an exhaustive moral analysis” to receive it. The document from the Vatican’s doctrine office, released Monday, elaborates on a letter Francis sent to two conservative cardinals that was published in October. In that preliminary response, Francis suggested such blessings could be offered under some circumstances if they didn’t confuse the ritual with the sacrament of marriage. The new document repeats that condition and elaborates on it, reaffirming that marriage is a lifelong sacrament between a man and a woman. And it stresses that blessings in question must be non-liturgical in nature and should not be conferred at the same time as a civil union, using set rituals or even with the clothing and gestures that belong in a wedding.
With files from the Associated Press
Is The Democratic Party Shifting Its Thinking On Immigration?
With the crisis at the border mounting, immigration is expected to be a hot-button issue for 2024’s elections. Even now, Republicans are forcing Democrats’ hands on immigration, tying money for Ukraine to asylum restrictions for immigrants and other Republican-proposed border policies. During his presidency, Biden has tried to broaden legal pathways for migrants while cracking down on illegal border crossings. But the number of migrants at the border, after an initial dip following the end of Title 42, has been climbing dramatically. Now, cities like Chicago, New York and Denver are struggling to manage the migrants who have been relocated to their cities, forcing Democrats in areas far north to confront similar challenges to those long faced by border states. Immigration has long been a wedge issue for Republicans, but how are the politics of immigration shifting within the Democratic party? Are some voters ready to embrace tighter policies, and will elected officials take note? Joining us to discuss are Sara Sadhwani, assistant professor of politics at Pomona College, and Louis DeSipio, professor of political science and Chicano/Latino studies at University of California Irvine.
With files from the Associated Press.
SoCal History: The Jewish Communities Of Los Angeles And Their Lasting Impact
From Boyle Heights to Fairfax, the Jewish community has made a significant impact on almost every aspect of life in Los Angeles. Jewish immigrants began arriving in the area in the mid-1800s and continued through 1965. During each influx, new layers of Jewish life were laid upon a growing tapestry of Jews that had already established themselves in the area. Today on AirTalk, we’re diving into the history of Jewish communities in Los Angeles. Joining us today is Caroline Luce, Project Director at the UCLA labor center, previously Chief Curator of Mapping Jewish LA, and Jonathan Friedmann, director of the Jewish Museum of the American West; professor music history at Academy for Jewish Religion California.
Mayor Karen Bass’s Housing Goal And The Difficulties Collecting Accurate Data For LA’s Unhoused Programs
One of Mayor Karen Bass’s campaign promises was to get 17,000 unhoused Angelenos into housing her first year in office. Throughout 2023, LAist has been tracking this goal with a project called Promise Tracker. However, what seemed like a straightforward assessment of this year’s numbers revealed issues in how the city of Los Angeles has been collecting data for years. To start, there are numerous types of housing programs, such as temporary housing in shelters, permanent housing vouchers, and Mayor Bass’s Inside Safe program. Different agencies keep track of different programs. But people can belong to more than one housing program and agencies often don’t share data amongst themselves resulting in inflated numbers from duplicate applicants. The system also doesn’t keep track of where people go after they leave a program or if they re-enter causing further discrepancies in LA’s housing numbers. So, how accurate are the numbers being reported? And what can agencies do to improve their reports? Joining us today on AirTalk to discuss their work on LAist’s Promise Tracker and whether or not Mayor Bass has achieved her housing goal is Brianna Lee, civics and democracy engagement producer and Nick Gerda, unhoused communities senior reporter. You can read Brianna and Nick’s latest piece breaking down Los Angeles’ housing numbers on LAist.com.
Pasadena Is Doubling Down On Its Gas Leaf Blower Ban
Pasadena’s ban on gas leaf blowers went into effect in April — and it's one of the few cities doubling down on enforcing it. Since the ban went into effect, the city has seen monthly complaints about leaf blowers double. City inspectors have issued citations for as much as $200 to gardeners who haven’t switched to electric. The city first issues a 30-day warning to get into compliance, then there are escalating fines of $100, $200, and $500. The fourth and highest citation is $1000. If gardeners can provide documents that they’ve purchased equipment, but haven’t received it yet, they won’t be fined, according to the city. Joining us to discuss is Erin Stone, LAist climate emergency reporter. If you have questions or can speak to how the ban is impacting you, give us a call at 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com.
What Does Being A Godparent Mean To You?
The role of godparent has long been associated with religion. Those named godparent bear witness to the godchild’s baptism and hold that title throughout their life. Historically, it’s like a religious sponsor of sorts, according to a 2019 piece in The Atlantic. But as the Atlantic also points out, people are less religious today but many people still name godparents. How has the role evolved and what does it even mean to be a godparent today? We want listeners to weigh in and share their experiences. Call 866-893-5722 or email atcomments@laist.com. Joining Larry to discuss is Bernadette Sweetman, post-doctoral researcher in Catholic education at Dublin City University.
