Posted on 03/13/2014 1:41:01 PM PDT by NYer
.- Speaker of the House John Boehner has extended an open invitation to Pope Francis to address a joint meeting of Congress, praising the Pope’s advocacy for the vulnerable.
“Pope Francis has inspired millions of Americans with his pastoral manner and servant leadership, challenging all people to lead lives of mercy, forgiveness, solidarity, and humble service,” Speaker Boehner said March 13.
“His tireless call for the protection of the most vulnerable among us—the ailing, the disadvantaged, the unemployed, the impoverished, the unborn—has awakened hearts on every continent.”
Speaker Boehner said such an address from the Pope would “honor our nation in keeping with the best traditions of our democratic institutions” and would be an opportunity for the American people and the world to “hear his message in full.”
Boehner, an Ohio Republican who is Catholic, said the Pope’s pastoral message “challenges people of all faiths and political parties.”
House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, a California Democrat who is Catholic, joined the invitation.
“Whether inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, who cared for all of God’s creation, or by St. Joseph, protector of the church, Pope Francis has lived his values and upheld his promise to be a moral force, to protect the poor and the needy, to serve as a champion of the less fortunate, and to promote love and understanding among faiths and nations,” she said in a separate statement.
The invitation came on the first anniversary of Pope Francis’ election to the papacy.
No Pope has ever addressed Congress, the U.S. House Historian’s office told USA Today.
Speaker Boehner said Pope Francis’ social teachings are rooted in “the joy of the gospel” and have prompted “careful reflection and vigorous dialogue” among people of all political and religious views, “particularly among those who champion human dignity, freedom and social justice.”
He said the Pope’s principles are “among the fundamentals of the American Idea.”
“And though our nation sometimes fails to live up to these principles, at our best we give them new life as we seek the common good,” he said.
Ping!
America is coming back!
Ya gotta go where the Sinners are!
He has a previous engagement - he has tickets to attend Noah with Russell Crowe
Set up a confession booth at the front door...two-thirds of the Congress needs it bad.
Yoiks! Boehner’s going after the Catholic vote! Well, all in all, it probably can’t be bad. Just pray that His Holiness says the right things.
That would be wonderful.
What will quell or satisfy America's anger over all of this political in our faces "F U" from those in DC?
If accepted, I’m not looking forward to the address.
I fear all we’ll hear about is socialism and amnesty for illegals. Nothing about the Social Reign of Christ the King.
If Pope Francis can’t even give a visible public blessing of a crowd for fear of offending non-believers, I wouldn’t be surprised if he rolls over and let’s Obama scratch his belly.
Thinking the Pope will give her a "Get Out of Hell" card, eh?
Seperation of church and state?
Why bother with that the Pope will just tell them...’hey it’s ok, who am I to judge”.
How does that possible apply? The Pope’s being invited to vist not take the joint over for crying out loud!!!
I would think sarcasm comes through after a while.
Still, there will be hue and crying .....
Her on the RF, the RCC pushing threads we’lll have to endure are going to make it sound like he did in fact take the joint over.
Huh?
I would like that ever so much. I don’t know if it will be allowed to happen though, due to all those newly proud angry atheists. If Boehner pulls this off, I may let him out of the penalty box. But he still needs to go later this year.
Actually, it's "separation of church FROM state". Delivering an address is not the same as an endorsement of one religion over another. Over the decades, popes have been invited to address the United Nations. They are all warmly received and their messages promptly ignored. No doubt the US Congress would respond in a similar manner.
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