Pope Francis selects Patti Smith to perform at the Vatican Christmas Concert

http://www.nme.com ^ | November 14, 2014 | Luke Morgan Britton

[NKP_Vet]

Patti Smith is to play this year's Vatican Christmas Concert in Rome next month.

The punk singer will perform live at the Italian city's Auditorium Conciliazione on December 13 following a personal invitation from Pope Francis, according to The International Business Times. The entire event is set to be broadcast live on TV.

Smith's booking has evoked a mixed response from Christian groups, with Catholic organisation Portosalvo apparently describing the decision as "blasphemous", following the singer's 1975 song 'Gloria', which famously featured the lines: "Jesus died for somebody's sins, but not mine".

The singer met Pope Francis at St. Peter's Square last April, where the pair shook hands.

The Vatican Christmas Concert will also feature a performance from "singing nun" Sister Christina Scuccia, who recently won Italy's version of The Voice and covered Madonna.

[BlatherNaut]

Another thing: one conclusion one could infer would be that Pope Francis is reaching out to the wandering lost sheep, to the world that "received Him not," while this is a mission that does not interest you.

I am very much in favor of reaching out to the lost sheep while uncompromisingly upholding the teachings and traditions of the Catholic Church. Inviting pro-aborts to perform for Christ's birthday sends the message that abortion is only a peripheral issue in the scheme of things.

By your logic, inviting Nancy Pelosi to give a dramatic poetry reading at the Christmas concert should be equally acceptable.

Perhaps uncompromising loyalty to Christ and his teachings is not a priority to some who believe that "evangelizing" is simply a bait and switch operation; that Christ's inconvenient teachings ought to be swept under the rug in deference to those who despise them. You'll find no support for that style of "evangelization" in Sacred Scripture or Tradition.

[ClearCase_guy]

I very much like Kate Bush. Big fan from way back.

The Joan Osborne link you posted was nice. Joan delivers a very credible performance. I think Patti is “edgier” which I like, but which most people don’t care for.

[plain talk]

Lowering standards to allow someone like Patti Smith to entertain Priests is not reaching out - it is copping out. They can find better people with actual talent to entertain them.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Which proaborts are you referring to?

[blackdog]

My children went to bed every night to Kate Bush songs, always ending with "I Dream of Sheep".

She was the college craze alternative musician in the early to mid 80's. Such a beautiful voice, lyrics, and persona.

[af_vet_1981]

She had great range in Jig of Life

[Mrs. Don-o]

Could you kindly indicate for me which of the following participants in the upcoming 2014 concert are proaborts?

Orchestra Ritmico Sinfonica Italiana

Maestro collaboratore Diego Basso

Patti Smith (USA)

Bob Sinclar (FRANCIA)

Steve Edwards (REGNO UNITO)

CeCe Rogers (USA)

Renzo Arbore (ITALIA)

Alessandra Amoroso (ITALIA)

Sugarpie & The Candymen (ITALIA)

Imany (FRANCIA)

Dolcenera (ITALIA)

Chiara Galiazzo (ITALIA)

Suor Cristina (ITALIA)

Le Winx da WINX club MUSICAL SHOW (ITALIA)

Mariella Nava (ITALIA)

Alice Mondia (SVIZZERA)

Daniele Ronda (ITALIA) Every Praise di DAVID BRATTON Gospel Choir

Art Voice Academy

Coro di Voci Bianche del Teatro dell’Opera di Roma diretto dal M° Sciutto

Thanks in advance.

[BlatherNaut]

“STFU, PRO-LIFERS!

One of the things I like to do as the moderator for STFU, Pro-Life is share pro-choice music. People ask me why I do this, how is it relevant, etc. I just think it’s cool to know if our favorite bands or singer supports a cause that we believe in. A lot of these artists actually put their money into supporting sexual and reproductive health and rights. Giving them a shout out just seems like the thing to do.

As stated on the STFU, Pro-Life blog:

This is based on their support for Planned Parenthood (either by playing for feminist events and/or knowingly signing onto labels that donate to PP) and continuous work for feminism and overall pro-choice awesomeness. You might be surprised by some of these artists. And if there’s a musician(s) you know that’s pro-choice and it’s not on this list, let me know! Progress never sounded so good.
And here are some of the bands...”

http://amplifyyourvoice.org/u/hannahology/2012/10/18/pro-choice-artists-progress-never-sounded-so-good#.VGgRW_nF_6c

[af_vet_1981]

Wow, great link. I like that song and path sounds great. I noticed she is wearing a cross. I just love stores of redemption.

[Mrs. Don-o]

I am not a celebrity expert, but I would also note that one-time pro-aborts do convert and become prolife, which may not be sufficiently noted. I think maybe 1/3 of the serious pro-life women of my acquaintance -— of those I know well enough to know such an intimate thing about them -— are post-abortion.

[CorporateStepsister]

It could be his purpose, but why should he make it clear to Patti that the only reason that he wants her around is to use her for his own glory, that he, the Pope, can bring a punk rocker to his festival and hold her up as some example of good Christian virtue, as if she’s not a human being and part of this world and that he won’t be excluding the rest of the world from his life.

[Mrs. Don-o]

Corp, there are a couple of passages from the Catechism we should all think about:

"2477 Respect for the reputation of persons forbids every attitude and word likely to cause them unjust injury. He becomes guilty:

• of rash judgment who, even tacitly, assumes as true, without sufficient foundation, the moral fault of a neighbor;

• of detraction who, without objectively valid reason, discloses another's faults and failings to persons who did not know them;

• of calumny who, by remarks contrary to the truth, harms the reputation of others and gives occasion for false judgments concerning them.

2478 To avoid rash judgment, everyone should be careful to interpret insofar as possible his neighbor's thoughts, words, and deeds in a favorable way:

Every good Christian ought to be more ready to give a favorable interpretation to another's statement than to condemn it. But if he cannot do so, let him ask how the other understands it. And if the latter understands it badly, let the former correct him with love. If that does not suffice, let the Christian try all suitable ways to bring the other to a correct interpretation so that he may be saved.

2479 Detraction and calumny destroy the reputation and honor of one's neighbor. Honor is the social witness given to human dignity, and everyone enjoys a natural right to the honor of his name and reputation and to respect. Thus, detraction and calumny offend against the virtues of justice and charity."

I have to re-read these on a regular basis to keep on the right track. It's hard to do where detraction, rash judgment and calumny--- including or especially against Catholic clergy --- are a reflex for many: these habitual,repetitive sins are practically a blood sport in this particular bad neighborhood.

[BlatherNaut]

Let me endeavor to point out once again (albeit more obliquely) that her professed admiration for a homosexual icon who shall remain unnamed, her feminist idealogy which extends to public support for a revolting Russian feminist group which desecrated a chiurch and shall also remain unnamed, and her anti-religious stance qualify her as a fellow-traveler with the anti-family (and thus anti-Catholic) “progressive” cabal which is behind the destruction of western society and of Christendom. As such, she is a bizarre choice for a concert intended to honor the birth of Christ.

Where is the logic in believing that someone with her views and reputation would be an aid to evangelization? The impression this creates is that the ideas she promotes are now considered acceptable by the Catholic Church. That will be the takeaway for the vast majority of those who are even aware of her Vatican performance.

[piusv]

The thing is : JPII made similar choices:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1527809/Pope-abolishes-Vatican-pop-concert.html

[Mrs. Don-o]

I think RockNRoll Nigger is one of her very best songs.

[NKP_Vet]

Joan Osborne is a pro-abort lesbian, Patti Smith is a pro-abort buddist/athiest lesbian. Both sing songs glorying the lifestyle.

[piusv]

Wait, so she is gay? If so, there’s another reason why Francis selected her. You know, we have to accept and value the gifts of the gay orientation.

[piusv]

OK, let's clear this up for good. I'm not fond of the guessing game here re: her orientation. This is a response she made in a 2005 interview:

'I always enjoyed doing transgender songs. That's something I learnt from Joan Baez, who often sang songs that had a male point of view. No, my work does not reflect my sexual preferences, it reflects the fact that I feel total freedom as an artist. On Horses, that's why the sleevenote has that statement about being "beyond gender". By that, I meant that as an artist, I can take any position, any voice, that I want.'