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Vatican objects to White House invitation list for papal visit
Hot Air.com ^ | September 18, 2015 | ED MORRISEY

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.


TOPICS: Cuba; Culture/Society; Editorial
KEYWORDS: barack0bama; catholic; catholicchurch; catholics; cinos; dissidents; epa; gaykkk; globalwarminghoax; homosexualagenda; libertarians; medicalmarijuana; popefrancis; romancatholicism; vatican
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To: Carthego delenda est

Yes, I wouldn’t be surprised if this objection came from someone other than Francis and without his knowledge. Not that I don’t trust him or anything like that...


41 posted on 09/18/2015 12:48:19 PM PDT by livius
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To: Bob434

I guess we shall see if he really is offended or if he is a wolf in sheeps’ clothing.


42 posted on 09/18/2015 1:28:10 PM PDT by freeangel ( (free speech is only good until someone else doesn't like it)
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To: Carthego delenda est; scooby321
“Finally the first time this Pope has done something I like”

He may, or may not, but other than small noises of complaint made out the side door of the Vatican about some of the people invited to attend (0bama clearly trying to associate a Pope as being accepting of the people, and their political positions AND sinfulness too) I doubt that the Vatican will do anything other than walk right into it.

The Vatican could take a hard line with Obozo, if they did so rapidly, like today.

Demand that the "guest" list be shrunk dramatically, or skip the visit, call it off -- go visit the Little Sisters of the Poor or something, instead.

Imagine the blow-up if he did that.

Then of course we'd be subjected to a blizzards of liberal lefty talking points,"...Christians hate gay people", blah, blah, blah.

To which Bergoglio could then say...what?

The Pope would have the world's ear at that point, you could bet your old maid Aunt's sweet bippy on that.

Do what *they* do, right back at them. Never let a crisis go to waste.

43 posted on 09/18/2015 2:09:56 PM PDT by BlueDragon
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To: All; Kaslin

“..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 a PRACTICING Catholic, and I’d like to warn NONpracticing, and cafeteria Catholics, that you’d better be more careful the next time you are considering voting for a liberal president. THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS!

Obama is using your Pope, and insulting, and disrespecting him, and YOU!


44 posted on 09/18/2015 3:06:24 PM PDT by Sun (Pray that God sends us good leaders. Please say a prayer now.)
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To: Sun

You are 100percent correct


45 posted on 09/18/2015 3:12:58 PM PDT by Kaslin (He needed the ignorant to reelect him, and he got them. Now we all have to pay the consequenses)
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To: Bob434

Homosexuals claim the rainbow, but they don’t use all the rainbow colors. They use 6 colors, instead of 7. I looked the numbers up in Gematria, Jewish Torah numberology. 6: man, weakness, sin, Satan. 7: completeness, spiritual perfection. Now I know why they use 6 colors, instead of 7.
http://www.seekingtruth.co.uk/bible_numbers.htm


46 posted on 09/18/2015 4:04:18 PM PDT by NetAddicted (Just looking)
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To: NetAddicted

Thank you for that- I did not realize that-


47 posted on 09/18/2015 8:34:05 PM PDT by Bob434
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To: Kaslin

Obama just made an OPENLY GAY MAN the head of the ARMY!!!! He is just sticking his thumb in every Christian’s eye with every move he makes now.


48 posted on 09/19/2015 4:13:03 AM PDT by Ann Archy (ABORTION....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: Ann Archy

EYE?


49 posted on 09/19/2015 4:21:07 AM PDT by Elsie (Heck is where people, who don't believe in Gosh, think they are not going...)
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To: Elsie

YUK!!


50 posted on 09/19/2015 4:40:02 AM PDT by Ann Archy (ABORTION....... The HUMAN Sacrifice to the god of Convenience.)
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To: Elsie

The BROWN eye


51 posted on 09/19/2015 11:08:20 AM PDT by expatguy (Donate to "An American Expat in SE Asia")
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