Catholic Church cannot bless same-sex unions - Vatican

 

The Vatican on Monday, March 15, stated that priests and other Catholic Church ministers cannot bless same-sex unions and that such blessings are "not licit" if carried out.

 

The Vatican's doctrinal office, the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith (CDF), issued the ruling in response to questions and moves in some parishes to impart such blessings as a sign of welcome to gay Catholics since the Church does not permit homosexual marriage.

 

Pope Francis approved the response, the CDF said, adding that it was "not intended to be a form of unjust discrimination, but rather a reminder of the truth of the liturgical rite".

 

It said such blessings were not permissible even though they were "motivated by a sincere desire to welcome and accompany homosexual persons" and help them grow in the faith.

 

The CDF note said that since marriage between a man and a woman was a sacrament and blessings are related to the sacrament of marriage, they could not be extended to same-sex couples.

 

"For this reason, it is not licit to impart a blessing on relationships, or partnerships, even stable, that involve sexual activity outside of marriage (i.e., outside the indissoluble union of a man and a woman open in itself to the transmission of life), as is the case of the unions between persons of the same sex," it said.

"Nigeria is a pro domestic violence country," Victoria Inyama writes as she defends FFK's estranged wife, Precious Chikwendu

 

Former Nollywood actress, Victoria Inyama took to Instagram to defend Precious Chikwendu from allegations made by her ex-husband, Femi Fani-Kayode.

 

FFK's camp accused Precious Chikwendu of infidelity and trying to kill FFK and their 4 young sons.

 

Precious hit back by alleging FFK abused her during their marriage. She also denied the allegations of infidelity and murder attempt.

 

Now, Victoria Inyama, who says she was a victim of domestic violence herself, has revealed she's standing with Precious.

 

She wrote:

 

Domestic Abuse is a Pattern of Incidents of Controlling, Coercive, Threatening, Degrading & Violent Behaviour including Sexual Violence........

Precious @snowhiteey has been through Psychological/Emotional Abuse & all through it, She played her part, hoping he would change for the better, I can add that I have watched her Ex husband publicly verbally attack 2 Notable journalists, VERBALLY ABUSING & DEGRADING THEM.( Proof his Violence in my opinion)...

Precious has been denied access to her children in the most humiliating/Degrading form.

She's now Enduring Financial/Economic Abuse, Harrassment & Bullying whilst still refused access to her children... Ohhh this in Nigeria by one of Nigeria's politicians. ...Sadly she has to fight for herself, legal fees, Not seeing her kids etc..

U are one strong woman & soon, By God's Grace, U will see your Children
Nigeria to a large extent IS A PRO DOMESTIC VIOLENCE COUNTRY...NO FUNCTIONING LAWS AGAINST IT... IF ONLY PRECIOUS LIVED IN D UK ...PRECIOUS BY GOD ALMIGHTY, U WILL GET YOUR CHILDREN BACK.. SOME DAY SOON...

 

 

Precious responded by resharing Victoria Inyama's post and posts from two other women, defending her.

 

MUSIC PREMIERE :Cbily ft. Jamie – Oluwa Prod. Phat Phells /DOWNLOAD NOW

 

Cbily ft. Jamie – Oluwa Prod. Phat Phells

Before I traveled out of the country due to distance he couldn’t continued music career which I continue alone and retained the name CBILY. My first hit song was sample your waist produced by phatphells and mastered with sencebeat in Lagos 2017.Video shoot by CHUKS MOVIE PRODUCTION.

Song later became a top hit in EUROPE 2019,After which I drop my next single titled SOMETHING which gave me a head on EUROPE MUSIC INDUSTRY and my efforts was crowned as one of the best EUROPEAN ARTISTS AWARDS IN LUDWIGSHAFEN BY E-CASH FASHION PIONT &OKIRIKOU AFRICA AWARDS NIGHT.

Which I was Awarded one of the best EU ARTIST OF THE YEAR 2019 .All thanks to my fans and will be working for more good songs as my journey continues THANKS

Listen and Download “Oluwa” by “Cbily ft. Jamie”.

DOWNLOAD Cbily ft. Jamie – Oluwa Prod. Phat Phells

"I couldn't be more proud" - Nigerian woman shows off the house her 25-year-old daughter is building in Bali, Indonesia

 

Nigerian Real estate mogul and lawyer, Udo Maryanne Okonjo has disclosed that her first daughter, Chidi, is building her first investment property in Bali, Indonesia.

 

 

Chidi is a travelling entreprenuer and worked for a tech company in New York as a business analyst before she started her business. She was born in Canada and grew up in Nigeria and South Africa. 

 

During a question and answer session on Instagram, the 25-year-old said she didn't take any loan or financing for her villa but paid it out of her own pocket.

 

                                                           Mrs Udo Okonjo

 

Sharing a glimpse of the house which is still under construction, Mrs Okonjo said she is proud of her daughter and challenged women to start investing in Real Estate.

"I couldn’t be more proud! Daughter 1 is building her first investment property. Who says women can’t command wealth? And who says it can’t start as early as you decide to take charge of your life," she wrote. 

 

"Choosing to challenge more women to create the right income streams and get onto the property ladder.

 

"PS. Please note that gender biases are still in place all over the world. Women tend to spend more especially on property and construction because they aren’t considered as knowledgeable. So be sure to have knowledgeable advocates/advisors on your side if needed." 

 

Timbaland and Swizz Beatz sell their Verzuz video streaming app to Thriller for undisclosed amount

 

One year after launching Verzuz, Swizz Beatz and Timbaland have sold the powerhouse livestream music series platform to Thriller.

Triller says Swizz and Timbaland will become large shareholders in the Triller Network and serve as brand visionaries on the Triller Verzuz management team but didn't disclose the financial details of the deal.

The Verzuz co-founders have also allocated a portion of their equity in the new combined company to all 43 performers who have appeared on Verzuz to date.

Artists that had appeared on Verzuz include John Legend, DMX, Alicia Keys, 2 Chainz, Rick Ross, Gucci Mane, Jeezy, Nelly, Ludacris, Brandy, Monica, Gladys Knight, D’Angelo, and more.

Verzuz launched in March of 2020 amid the cancelation of live events and concerts due to the pandemic. The platform has become a cultural phenomenon, amassing more than five billion impressions across platforms including Instagram and Apple Music. Earlier this year, Verzuz partnered with the NFL and plans to venture into additional sports verticals, comedy, and live events in the future.

“This is a momentous occasion not only for Verzuz and Triller but the music business as a whole,” said Swizz Beatz and Timbaland.

 “By putting Verzuz in the Triller Network ecosystem and expanding the Verzuz brand to be side by side with the powerful Triller app, we will be able to continue to grow and evolve the music business as a whole, as we have been doing. To have partners in Triller who share our vision, specifically to celebrate and elevate the amazing artists who continue to shape culture around the world and give the consumer more direct access, is game changing.”

“We couldn’t be happier to be elevating Verzuz and Triller and to recognize, in a very real way, all of the artists who have helped make Verzuz the global phenomenon it is today. Our dream, the artists’ dream, today is realized, which is no small feat. Triller Verzuz is a company that’s by the artists, for the artists and with the people.”

Bobby Sarnevesht, Executive Chairman and co-owner of Triller, said;

“There is no more disruptive and innovative brand in music today than Verzuz,” 

 “Verzuz and music are synonymous, and both Triller and Verzuz share the ‘artist first, music first’ vision. We view this acquisition as more of a partnership than an acquisition, as Swizz, Timbaland and the other 43 artists who are all becoming shareholders and partners in Triller Verzuz from this day forward become our voice.”

There are plans to keep Verzuz on Instagram and Twitter in addition to Triller. But it won’t be returning to Apple Music after the deal expired. 

“We should be smart and just put it only on Triller. But we have strong core audiences on Instagram and Twitter as well. So for right now we want to leave everything in place,” Swizz told Billboard.

The next generation will have no regard for the 'gods'" - Nigerian pastor says as he shares photo of a boy sitting beside a deity in a shrine

 

Akwa Ibom pastor, Ab Isong on Wednesday Mrach 10, posted a photo of a young boy sitting beside a deity in a shrine located in his village. 

 

According to the pastor and members of the community, growing up it was a taboo to even point finger at the deity. 

 

 

 

"The next generation will have no regard for the "gods"  See guts! In our days, Mummy will skin you alive for even pointing a finger. What we fear is fearing us!" he wrote. 

 

Man pleads guilty to filming and mocking dying police officers who were struck by moving lorry after they attempted to arrest him

 

A man from Melbourne, Australia, Richard Pusey has admitted to taunting dying police officers at a crash scene.

Pusey, 42, has pleaded guilty to filming and mocking police officers as they lay dying at a crash scene.

He also admitted to the rare charge of outraging public decency as well as drug and other offences.

Pusey was in his car on a Melbourne freeway last year when he was pulled over by four officers for speeding.

While the officers were making his arrest, all four officers, pictured below, were struck by a speeding lorry that had veered out of its lane.

 

 

Pusey had been standing a few metres away and avoided the crash, but afterwards pulled out his phone and began filming for over three minutes.

 

He stood over and taunted Senior Constable Taylor as she remained pinned under the lorry a court previously heard. Experts said she was most likely still alive at the time.

"There you go. Amazing, absolutely amazing," he said, according to vision from the constable's body-worn camera which was tendered to a court.

"All I wanted was to go home and have some sushi," he added, before using expletives to blame the officers for ruining his car.

 

He fled the scene on Melbourne's Eastern Freeway shortly after.

 

Senior Constables Lynette Taylor, Kevin King, Constables Glen Humphris and Josh Prestney all died at the scene.

The lorry driver, Mohinder Singh Bajwa, has pleaded guilty to four charges of culpable driving causing death and will face another court hearing this week.

Pusey was arrested at his home after the crash. He was initially charged with speeding, drug possession and reckless conduct offences.

However, police discovered Pusey's video and that he had shared it among friends.

Local media reported that the offence of outraging public decency was rarely prosecuted in Australia.

Pusey is due to face court again on 31 March.

The case continues.