A blessing for same-sex couples

Laura L. Davis, USA TODAY
·4 min read
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Pope Francis has formally approved allowing priests to bless same-sex couples. A fierce winter storm is rolling up the East Coast. And which holiday movie is the most watched this year?

👋 Hey pals! Laura Davis here. Hope you had a good weekend! It’s time for Monday’s news. 

📸 But first: If a picture's worth a thousand words, these are worth at least a few extra. See our best photos of 2023.

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Pope says priests can bless same-sex couples

In a radical shift aimed at making the Catholic church more inclusive while maintaining its strict ban on gay marriage, Pope Francis formally approved letting Catholic priests bless same-sex couples, the Vatican said Monday. The move stops short of sanctioning same-sex marriages but is still being heralded by some LGBTQ+ advocates as historic. The document released by the Vatican says requests for blessings from same-sex couples should not be denied, so long as the blessing is not conferred at the same time as a civil union, using set rituals or with the clothing and gestures that are part of a wedding. 👉 Here's what to know.

Pope Francis leaves after an audience to the participants of the live nativity scene of Santa Maria Maggiore on Saturday in The Vatican.
Pope Francis leaves after an audience to the participants of the live nativity scene of Santa Maria Maggiore on Saturday in The Vatican.

Jonathan Majors found guilty of assaulting ex-girlfriend

A six-person jury convicted Jonathan Majors of assaulting his former girlfriend Grace Jabbari on Monday, concluding a two-week trial that the actor hoped would salvage his damaged reputation and restore his status as an emerging Hollywood star. A Manhattan jury found Majors guilty of assault and harassment. The "Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania" star was also acquitted of a different assault charge and aggravated harassment. Majors faced eight misdemeanor counts involving assault, aggravated harassment and harassment after his arrest in March over a confrontation with Jabbari, during which she said he struck her in the head with his open hand, twisted her arm behind her back and squeezed her middle finger until it fractured. Majors pleaded not guilty to all of the charges. 🔎 Here's a closer look at the trial.

Actor Jonathan Majors arrives at court for a trial on his domestic violence case on Dec. 4 in New York.
Actor Jonathan Majors arrives at court for a trial on his domestic violence case on Dec. 4 in New York.

Real quick

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Flash flood warnings, power outages after deadly winter storm

An intense storm system battered the Northeast with torrential rains and fierce winds Monday, snarling traffic, delaying flights, knocking out power across the region and killing at least two people. In New England, trees fell and killed two people: one in Hingham, Massachusetts, and the other in Windham, Maine. Wind gusts of up to 50 mph were recorded in New York and New Jersey, where 2 to 4 inches of rain fell throughout the morning, and flooding across New York, New Jersey, Philadelphia and Boston left city streets completely underwater ahead of rush hour.  ⛈️ Live updates from the storm.

Some streets in Charleston, S.C., were flooded on Sunday.
Some streets in Charleston, S.C., were flooded on Sunday.

This year’s top holiday movies

What holiday movies are sleighing the ratings? It’s a mixed Santa’s sack of the Ghost of Christmas Past and the Ghost of Christmas Present, according to data shared exclusively with USA TODAY. Turns out, smiling is the audience's favorite! So far, 9 million households have watched "Elf," the 2003 feature starring Will Ferrell as whimsical Buddy the tall elf, who left the North Pole in search of his biological father. As for number two on the list, nearly 8 million households have pushed play on 1989's “National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation” – mine included! Did your favorite make the list? And is "Die Hard" a Christmas movie? 🍿 Check out the rest of the favorites here.

"Elf," starring Will Ferrell, is the most-watched holiday movie so far this year, according to data from Samba TV.
"Elf," starring Will Ferrell, is the most-watched holiday movie so far this year, according to data from Samba TV.

A break from the news

Laura L. Davis is an Audience Editor at USA TODAY. Say hello: laura@usatoday.com. This is a compilation of stories from across the USA TODAY Network. Support quality journalism like this? Subscribe to USA TODAY here.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Pope OKs same-sex blessings, Jonathan Majors, holiday movies: Monday's news