The President personally greeting the Pope was oh so the right thing to do. It was spectacular and

[monmouth4]

with the Bidens there, it was just such a perfect welcoming. I hope he enjoys his stay...

[mcar]

1. I agree

The first family is so classy as is the second family.

[Paper Roses]

2. I am proud of the way the Pope was welcomed. We need his attention to world affairs.

I am not Catholic, in fact, I do not support any religion. I admire and respect those who do. My opinion is that this Pope is trying his best to make positive change to the church. I wish him the best and will give support to those who follow his church. I hope his trip here brings joy to those who follow the teachings of the church and that good will come from his visit.

To those who doubt, remember that "Rome was not built in a day".

[monmouth4]

3. Beautifully said Paper Roses and I abundantly agree....n/t

[hamsterjill]

4. Seconded. I like the guy!

I'm not Catholic, but I am a Christian. I pray that Francis stays safe during his visit here. The crazies out there scare me.

[lame54]

5. Hear hear - this pope rocks

[pnwmom]

7. +1. n/t

[HERVEPA]

6. Nobody remembers that he is the head of a homophobic, anti-woman pro-AIDS institution?

For pro-AIDS, see rufusal to endorse use of condoms, especially in Africa.

[pnwmom]

8. Pope Benedict five years ago changed the Church's position on condoms to prevent AIDS.

And Pope Francis said, with regard to gay people, "Who am I to judge?"

But I knew this visit would drive the anti-Catholic haters crazy.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/11/24/world/europe/24pope.html

VATICAN CITY — Pope Benedict XVI clearly acknowledged on Tuesday that the need to prevent diseases like AIDS could outweigh the church’s long opposition to the use of condoms.

It was a significant and stunning personal pronouncement from the conservative pope after more than two decades of heated debate inside the Roman Catholic Church and condemnation by health workers who said the church’s ban on prophylactics was morally indefensible during the AIDS crisis.

The Rev. Federico Lombardi, the Vatican’s spokesman, said that for Benedict, the use of condoms by people infected with H.I.V. could be “the first step of responsibility, of taking into consideration the risk to the life of the person with whom there are relations.”

“Whether it’s a man or woman or a transsexual,” he added.

SNIP

[HERVEPA]

9. Sorry, no.

Perhaps this never occurred to you, but not everyone who has AIDS knows about it.
This article might help you to understand the actual position of the church.
And care to address the homophobia and anti-woman stuff?
http://churchandstate.org.uk/2012/12/the-catholic-church-condoms-and-hiv-aids-in-africa/

[pnwmom]

10. I'm a cafeteria Catholic, as almost all Catholics are -- and all Christians, for that matter.

Few self-identified Christians follow all the teachings of Jesus Christ, even if they want to.

I reject some of the Church's positions, but I'm very happy to see Pope Francis speaking out so strongly about protecting the environment and about economic equality.

[HERVEPA]

11. Yeh, honor a man promoting homophobia. It's his fucking church!

[PeaceNikki]

13. Then you're not a Catholic, you're just supporting them.

This is a piece by Andrew Seidel, an attorney for FFRF, if you're not following him on Facebook, you're missing out.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/freethoughtnow/dear-american-catholics-stop-calling-yourself-catholic-and-quit-the-church/

With the pope’s impending visit, the wall separating state and church is going to be breached as politicians attempt to please their seemingly large Roman Catholic constituencies. But how many of those constituents are actually Catholic? His visit might be a good time for America Catholics to reflect on their faith and ask, “Am I really a Catholic?”

The Roman Catholic Church claims almost 1.2 billion adherents worldwide and a steadily declining percentage of Americans, now about 21%. But can they truly believe everything that a Catholic is required to believe? Do they even know what they are required to believe?

If you consider yourself a Catholic, you owe it to yourself take a hard look at the beliefs required by your Church’s religious law. Arguably the most repellent precept in canon law is also the most important for people claiming to be Catholic:

“. . . [A] religious submission of the intellect and will must be given to a doctrine which the Supreme Pontiff or the college of bishops declares concerning faith or morals . . . therefore, the Christian faithful are to take care to avoid those things which do not agree with it.” Canon 752.

This anti-human, totalitarian sentiment lies at the heart of all religions, but one rarely sees it so clearly stated. This also means that Catholics cannot pick and choose from the tenets of their religion. According to that law, there is no such thing as a “cafeteria Catholic.”

...

If you use birth control, you’re not a Catholic. If you don’t believe in magic, you’re not a Catholic. If you find cannibalism abhorrent, or even slightly distasteful, you’re not a Catholic. And that’s OK! But now it’s time to find the courage to stand up and tell the world, “I’m not a Catholic.”

Much more at link.

[wiggs]

12. Aside: I believe he's going to The Porch at the 30th Street

Train Station. If you see some brightly colored porch swings in the plaza.....my urban designer daughter designed those!

[True Blue American]

15. Neat

Will watch for them.

No Catholic here, but this Pope is what has been needed for long time. The corrupt Vatican and Priests need to be cleaned up and Pope Francis is doing just that.

Now, if some one will step in and clean up the Evangelical Churches we will be set to clean out Congress.

I was so proud of our First Family today. The lovely daughters and Michelle and Obama.

[sarge43]

14. The Pope is a head of state albeit a very small state

Protocol requires a greeting from a head of state.

Or to put it another way, you invite someone to your house, you greet them at the door.

I hope he does enjoy his visit.

[Turbineguy]

16. But if he wants people to think

he's a Muslim, he's not doing too well. Not that it matters to those who think that he is.

[eggplant]

17. Wait, the Pope's Muslim?!?

:-D

[Turbineguy]

18. He must be!

He's hangin' with da Prez!