World Notes & Quotes

New French Law Allows Gay Unions

THE NEW YORK TIMES, Oct. 14-The French Parliament passed a law on Oct. 20 giving legal status to unmarried couples, including same-sex partners, the Times reported.

“The new law makes France the first traditionally Roman Catholic nation to recognize same-sex unions. The decision came nearly two years after the Socialist government proposed the law, touching off protests by “conservatives” and the Catholic Church.

“The law allows couples, whether they are of the same sex or not, to enter into a union and be entitled to the same rights as married couples in such areas as income tax, inheritance, housing and social welfare,” the article reported.

Worldwide Christian Population Dips

RELIGION TODAY, Oct. 19-The Christian population worldwide is experiencing a downtick, the online news service reported.

“According to the UK Christian Handbook, 28.3% of the world's population identified itself as Christian in 1990,” Religion Today reported. “The percentage of Christians will drop to 27.8% in 2000 and to 27.1% in 2010,” it said.

The primary reason? A lower birth rate among Christian families. The report added that about 85% of the world's non-Christians live in Asia.

Cardinal Rainer Maria Woelki of Cologne attends a German Synodal Way assembly on March 9, 2023.

Four German Bishops Resist Push to Install Permanent ‘Synodal Council’

Given the Vatican’s repeated interventions against the German process, the bishops said they would instead look to the Synod of Bishops in Rome. Meanwhile, on Monday, German diocesan bishops approved the statutes for a synodal committee; and there are reports that the synodal committee will meet again in June.

Palestinian Christians celebrate Easter Sunday Mass at Holy Family Church in Gaza City on March 31, amid the ongoing battles Israel and the Hamas militant group.

People Explain ‘Why I Go to Mass’

‘Why go to Mass on Sundays? It is not enough to answer that it is a precept of the Church. … We Christians need to participate in Sunday Mass because only with the grace of Jesus, with his living presence in us and among us, can we put into practice his commandment, and thus be his credible witnesses.’ —Pope Francis