Posted on 09/18/2015 10:40:02 AM PDT by Kaslin
At practically the same time that Barack Obama has decided that the US has to shut its eyes to dissenters in Cuba suffering under the yoke of oppression by the Castros, he plans to offer a lesson in dissent to Pope Francis. Obama has extended invitations for the pontiff’s first state visit to transgender activists, a gay Episcopal bishop, and the leader of a group of nuns that want changes to Catholic teachings on abortion and euthanasia. Needless to say, the Vatican is not pleased with this attempt to lecture Francis on catechesis, as longtime Vaticanista Francis X. Rocca reports for the Wall Street Journal:
On the eve of Pope Francis’s arrival in the U.S., the Vatican has taken offense at theObama administration’s decision to invite to the pope’s welcome ceremony transgender activists, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop and an activist nun who leads a group criticized by the Vatican for its silence on abortion and euthanasia.
According to a senior Vatican official, the Holy See worries that any photos of the pope with these guests at the White House welcoming ceremony next Wednesday could be interpreted as an endorsement of their activities.
The tension exemplifies concerns among conservative Catholics, including many bishops, that the White House will use the pope’s visit to play down its differences with church leaders on such contentious issues as same-sex marriage and the contraception mandate in the health care law.
I’m curious. When the Saudis visited the White House this month, did Obama invite women’s-rights activists to dinner with them? Did Obama invite Ayaan Hirsi Ali to discuss the need for reform in Islam? No? Which entity has more need for openness, inclusiveness, and tolerance?
Michael Brandon Dougherty is outraged:
Putting dissenters up front for an state event with the Pope is like staging a #BLM event and inviting only Cosby, Sowell, and McWhorter.
— Michael B Dougherty (@michaelbd) September 18, 2015
It's a deliberate attempt to say what "kind" of Catholic you find acceptable.
— Michael B Dougherty (@michaelbd) September 18, 2015
That is very clearly what the White House wants to do, and the Vatican knows it. It’s also a deliberate insult to Pope Francis and to Catholics in the US. Nor is it a question of balance, either:
The presence of these figures is especially irritating, the Vatican official said, because it isn’t yet clear if the White House has invited any representatives of the U.S. anti-abortion movement, traditionally a high-priority cause for the U.S. bishops.
Don’t hold your breath. Francis plans to steer clear of dissidents in Cuba, a shameful decision probably made at least in part in deference to the political risk Obama took in normalizing relations and working to lift the embargo. In repayment, the White House wants to deliberately embarrass the Pope by sticking a thumb in his eye, and by sticking their noses into Catholic doctrine and teachings.
Josh Earnest tried waving off the problem by claiming that there will be lots of people on hand for Francis’ visit:
The White House didn’t respond to requests for comment on the Vatican’s reaction to the ceremony’s guest list. White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters Thursday he was unaware of the names of individuals on the guest list, but cautioned against drawing any conclusions on specific guests “because there will be 15,000 other people there too.”
This is, to put it frankly, complete crap. Those invitations didn’t come from The Random Catholic Generator. They went out to score points off Pope Francis, and came to light late enough that Francis may not have much choice but to put up with it. No one at the White House is “trying to avoid” it being political — they are going way out of their way to politicize this to pander to their progressive base. It’s an insult, and one that really should have the Vatican consider changing their itinerary to stick to the churches and repay the insult from Obama.
Following the pResident’s example, I’ll bring a transvestite to today’s noon prayers at the local Mosque.
The Pope should simply decline to attend, sometimes the only right answer is to not play the game. Though I am sure that they and this Pope could have a wonderful discussion on wealth redistribution since they all agree on that.
Just like Gay Mirage,
the left will push more and more perverted, disgusting, and objectionable things
until Christians resist, then criminalize that resistance.
This is probably where the left and this regime get a chance to denounce the Pope and Catholicism as “intolerant”,
because he didn’t want to meet with the most aberrant, perverted and sacrilegious people Obama could find.
For some, it’s better to receive....
This last 6 1/2 years has been worst in recent history, with a president that is OPENLY HOSTILE to Christians, and hwo spits in our faces every chance he gets!- This invitiation list was nothing but a great big huge F.Y to the pope
[[Are Hillary and Christie going to weigh in?]]
They don’;t have a scale big enough for Christie to weigh in on
[[If our White House was a sanctuary it would be in full bore abomination right now.]]
It IS in full bore abomination right now- especially after the SC decision and the “F.U America” the occupants of the white has gave us by painting the WH in rainbow colors-
And by the way- the MINORITY gay community has managed to turn a symbol of God’s promise into an abomination- and now they ARE going after our religious institutions- and they ARE going to make them comply in due time- they are already working on it with a new ‘Equality bill’ which bans anyone from opposing the gay agenda, and making it a crime to oppose it
When the pope got involved in the politicians of global warming you knew this was going to happen.
The big 0 is making a huge mistake trying to cater to the anti-G-d (Satanic?) segment during the Pope’s visit. Isn’t the big Nothing aware of the Pope’s popularity? What a fool.
!
It seems to me that if the Pope was really offended, he might not meet with Obama by claiming a scheduling problem.
I’m siding with the Catholics on this one!
When the Saudis visited the White House this month, did Obama invite women’s-rights activists to dinner with them? Did Obama invite Ayaan Hirsi Ali to discuss the need for reform in Islam?
[[It seems to me that if the Pope was really offended, he might not meet with Obama by claiming a scheduling problem.]]
Exactly- He should just refuse to meet with dear leader like ear leader refused to meet with Netanyahu how many times now?
Like a nasty, spiteful little schoolgirl, Obama is always trying to insult people he doesn’t like or agree with.
I wouldn’t be surprised to learn that he kicks them in the ankles as they stand in line at embassy receptions.
“Finally the first time this Pope has done something
I like”
I wouldn’t be so fast to assume that Frank is the one who doesn’t like the guest list.
“-they are already working on it with a new ‘Equality bill’ which bans anyone from opposing the gay agenda, and making it a crime to oppose it.”
Bring it on
“Ok the Vatican weighed in, but what about the pope... “
Exactly!
He could always refuse to attend the WH meet and greet.
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