I never heard of Patti Smith until she was invited to sing by Pope Francis. As I researched her background I became aware for the first time of her leftist associations and causes. I looked for some public announcement by her of a conversion to the Faith, or any other indication as to why she was singled out for such a unique honor. Sadly, I can find nothing.
Being an obedient Catholic doesn’t mean checking your brain at the door. I am expressing my opinion that her presence at the Vatican Christmas concert is inappropriate, because it will further contribute to the present, Pope Francis-induced confusion regarding the perennial Truths the Church believes and teaches. When the salvation of souls is at stake, what possible justification is there for promoting a role model who may lead the unwary away from the “narrow gate”, someone who is identified with the song, “Jesus died for somebody’s sins but not mine” and who has publicly expressed solidarity with P***y R##t, a group guilty of desecrating a church.
Show me some credible evidence that she supports the teachings of the Church and that her sole claim to papal favor is not simply singing one song about “mercy”, and I will be happy to revise my opinion. Otherwise, I see no reason why inviting Madonna or Nancy Pelosi would not do as well.
And with regard to your post:
1. I never mentioned “FEMEN” (in fact, never heard of them either).
2. I am shocked at the vulgar picture you posted, which a great many would find offensive.
3. Accusing someone of “unjust judgement” requires making a (in this case unjust) judgement itself, and is therefore rather hypocritical.
Rash judgment, detraction and calumny are always counter-evangelical.
It is not "unjust judgment" to object to this, because the matter was neither private nor dubious. Falsehoods and distortions uttered against Patti Smith are public because published on FR, and thus it is an ongoing scandal unless it is answered. Second, I am not bringing out information previously unknown: I am not disclosing FReepers hidden faults. FR is a present and public record.
About the duty to correct scandal, the Catechism says this:
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.
Now, finally, as for FEMEN: it is the overarching movement of which Pussy Riot is a local (Russian) expression: foul, hateful, and obscene. I agree with you about the objectionable nature of the picture: I posted it not as approval but as rebuke.
Pussy Riot/FEMEN is an ugly destructive movement, and to the extent that Patti Smith has supported them, she is clearly in the wrong. However there is a wide gulf between Smith and Pussy Riot: they are sexual exhibitionists and sacrilegious atheists; she is a prayerful Christian who sings hymns, as well as for the past 20 years, (far as I know) a chaste widow. She's 67. She's not a frozen-in-amber perpetual proto-punk from 40 years ago.
She's not a Catholic and she's not a conservative. BUt this is not a Mass, it's a concert. She's not being asked to catechize, she's being asked to sing. Maybe she's being catechized. Why would anyone resent that?
But Lord, she is a seeker who has traveled such along road. Would not the Prodigal Father see while she was still afar off, and run to reclaim her?
And don't you think that a human being is, above all, a mystery? She raid once --- she imagines God saying, 'you keep battering against My door, and I'm gonna open that door and you'll fall in'. Yes, her first song begins with the now famous line, "Jesus died for somebody’s sins but not mine" --- but the last one, "Outside Society," ends with "Trying to make heaven my home".