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Interfaith Group

hrmjustin

(71,265 posts) Fri Mar 14, 2014, 02:57 PM Mar 2014

Boehner invites Pope Francis to address Congress

Susan Davis, USA TODAY

WASHINGTON — House Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, extended a formal and open invitation Thursday to Pope Francis to address a joint meeting of Congress.

If the pontiff accepts, it would be unprecedented. No pope or religious leader that serves as a head of state has ever addressed Congress, according to the U.S. House Historian's office.

"His address as a visiting head of state before a joint meeting of the House and Senate would honor our nation in keeping with the best traditions of our democratic institutions," Boehner said in a statement. " It would also offer an excellent opportunity for the American people as well as the nations of the world to hear his message in full."

Boehner, who is Catholic, said Pope Francis has inspired millions of Americans with his "pastoral manner and servant leadership" to reflect on matters of human dignity, freedom and social justice.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2014/03/13/boehner-pope-francis/6373779/

12 replies

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Highlight:

Boehner invites Pope Francis to address Congress (Original Post) hrmjustin Mar 2014 OP

Pope Francis would like to attend The World Meeting of Families in Sept. 2015 No Vested Interest Mar 2014 #1

It would be a site to see. hrmjustin Mar 2014 #2

Thanks for posting this! kentauros Mar 2014 #3

Your welcome. hrmjustin Mar 2014 #4

I have a feeling old Frank would give Bonehead a "least of thy brothers" talking-to! MADem Mar 2014 #5

He would likely cry. hrmjustin Mar 2014 #6

Frank would have to lock up his supply of papal sacramental wine! nt MADem Mar 2014 #7

. hrmjustin Mar 2014 #8

Heh.... MADem Mar 2014 #9

I would say he looks like a glass of merlot. hrmjustin Mar 2014 #10

He should get together with Ann "Cigarettes and Chardonnay" Coulter.... MADem Mar 2014 #11

I always thought of Ann as a Virginia Slims character. hrmjustin Mar 2014 #12

No Vested Interest

(5,167 posts)

1. Pope Francis would like to attend The World Meeting of Families in Sept. 2015

Reply to hrmjustin (Original post)

Fri Mar 14, 2014, 04:56 PM

Mar 2014

in Philadelphia. If that comes to pass, it would be an ideal time for him to come to DC to address the joint meeting of Congress.
He could also possibly address the General Assembly of the United Nations in NYC, as I believe Pope John Paul II did on one of his visits to North America.

Boehner is correct in highlighting the Pope's messages on human dignity, freedom and social justice, and I would expect that any address he would deliver would be in that pastoral and conciliatory tone. He would not excoriate the sinners among the Congressional delegations, though there are many of all political parties.

Whether or not John Boehner would still be House Speaker when the Pope would visit is problematic, but at present 31% of Congress professes to be Catholic, which is a greater number than the percentage of Catholics in the U.S., believed to be no more than 24-25%.

Thank you, hrmjustin, for posting this today. I posted a similar notice, though briefer, last evening in GD, but my skills in citing sources are not so developed, so mine didn't get much attention. The Interfaith group is an appropriate place for this OP.