Biden receives Communion in Rome amid debate in US

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By NICOLE WINFIELD

ROME (AP) — President Joe Biden received Communion at St. Patrick’s Church during Saturday Vigil Mass, a day after saying Pope Francis told him he should continue to partake in the sacrament, despite the opposition of some conservatives in the U.S. upset with his position on abortion.

The Bidens visited the English-speaking church that is the main place of worship for the American Catholic community in Rome and located near the U.S. Embassy. The president stopped in between events at the Group of 20 world leaders’ summit taking place in the city this weekend.

While Biden regularly receives Communion in his home dioceses in Washington and Delaware, it was significant that he also received Communion in Rome. The pope technically is the bishop of Rome, and while he delegates that to his vicar, St. Patrick’s parish is technically in the pope’s archdiocese. As such, Biden received Communion in the pope’s archdiocese.

About 30 people were at the Mass, and security guards ringed the aisles. The Bidens sat in the last row that had been roped off as “reserved.”



U.S. President Joe Biden looks on prior to a meeting with French President Emmanuel Macron at La Villa Bonaparte in Rome, Friday, Oct. 29, 2021. Biden attended Saturday Vigil Mass at St. Patrick's Church a day after telling reporters that Pope Francis told him he should continue to receive Communion, despite the opposition of some conservatives in the U.S. upset with his support for abortion rights. (AP Photo/Evan Vucci)


Read more: https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-joe-biden-g-20-summit-europe-rome-b88497127cc09a79d018cd262b1c41a1

[DownriverDem]

1. RW Bishops

need to stop the insanity. Another example of ignoring separation of church and state. Biden is President of all the country and not just Catholics.

[Polybius]

2. He has the right to go to the church of his choice

He's not telling anyone else to be Catholic.

[notdarkyet]

18. At. Least he goes to church. Who had a fit when trump laid his hands on a glowing globe

In SA. Or how about being surrounded by monsters blessing him in the Oval Office..

[ancianita]

4. It's a mortal sin to fight against the pope on matters of faith and morals.

[regnaD kciN]

13. Not exactly...

At Vatican I in the nineteenth century, it was declared that the Pope has the authority to speak "inerrantly" on matters of faith and morals, but only when he makes a formal proclamation that he is doing so as an official statement of the faith of the Church. That has only been invoked a handful of times (most say only once, but some traditionalists claim -- dubiously, IMO -- that certain other encyclicals such as the one opposing birth control also qualify). But the Pope's ordinary statements on the matter, such as when he's expressing his own opinion as opposed to making a formal statement as the heir to St. Peter, are not infallible.

[ancianita]

17. Fine. Point taken.

I meant it more in the spirit of the word, rather than the letter of the law, anyway, and in a spirit of the NT forgiveness theme. Since Biden is taking communion, both would be forgiven, anyway, and those, especially bishops, who persist in "knowing better" would be guilty of something -- maybe Jesus Second Great Commandment.


Thanks.

[Lovie777]

3. K & R . . .

[no_hypocrisy]

5. Eat dirt and die Bannon

You’re not the Pope and he’s not listening to you.

[multigraincracker]

6. A few years ago, while in Rome, I had several everyday people

tell me the rich people will poison PaPa Franco, they hate him.

[regnaD kciN]

14. Well, it's not like it hasn't happened before...

...remember the one-month pontificate of John Paul I, anyone?

[patphil]

7. So the Pope has the final say, and he has spoken.

American conservative Catholics need to pay heed.

[wryter2000]

10. They have a lot of nerve

If the guy in charge is telling them to do the right thing, they need to listen.

[justgamma]

8. Don't forget

they tried to do the same thing to John Kerry.

[Mr. Sparkle]

9. There is no debate!

only a bunch of right wing extremists getting their panties in a twist. I'm beginning to despair with the media.

[ExTex]

11. During the 2020 election the sign outside our Catholic church was a thinly veiled Trump endorsement.

I guess to the American Catholic Church bishops Trump is more Catholic than Biden. They alresdy had four years of Trump to make up their minds so they couldn't claim ignorance.

[True Blue American]

19. You should have been here when Obama was running. Catholic Churches were openly

Passing out literature against him.

. Parishioners were furious, leaving their Churches. An investigative team did a front page expose.


Some Protestant Churches were doing the same thing. I reported a Southern Baptist Preacher for telling us to vote against Biden. Received an email in the Prayer chain, no less comparing Trump to Churchill. I blasted her on the separation of Church and State. Next time I saw her she could not wait to avoid me.

I am happy in a Church that teaches love and understanding, lost a lot of quote, quote friends.

[dlk]

12. If Biden can receive communion after a visit with the pope, that should end the "controversy"

Let’s hope the world can now move on.

[regnaD kciN]

15. Except that U.S. traditionalists contend that this particular pope is "heretical"...

...and probably believe Benedict XVI remains the real pontiff.

[iluvtennis]

16. Aww 😍.... this had to be so special to him n/t

[malthaussen]

20. If the Pope says it's okay, suck it, conservatives.

The man has a perfect right to worship in his own fashion.

-- Mal