President Obama took “time away” from his busy golfing schedule to “bless” the Pope in a ceremony which was attended by several “cardinals” and a drove of “pigeons.”
Pope Francis’ meeting with Barack Obama at the Vatican was “remarkable for the imagery.”
The president was all smiles as he greeted the Pope, declaring himself a “great admirer.”
Francis led him to a table, where they both “sat and talked” for about 50 minutes, albeit they were scheduled to meet for half and hour.
President Barack Obama meets Pope Francis at his private library in the Apostolic Palace on March 27, 2014 in Vatican City, Vatican.
Of course, there was “politics” at play here.
At home, President Obama is struggling with “approval ratings” at or near “all-time” lows.
On the other hand, Pope Francis is one of the most “popular person” in the world, and holds an outsize megaphone on an issue the president is pushing: “income inequality.”
In fact, in an “interview” with the Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, Obama jumped right into it, arguing “income inequality” is a “moral issue” and that Pope Francis has “great moral authority” to speak to it.
“The pope is correct when he says that not enough people are sharing in that progress, and too many people are being left behind,” the president said.
They do have a “lot in common,” including that sense of “social welfare and economic justice.”
The president got his start as an “activist” in Catholic Churches in Chicago, and “praised” Francis, who Rush Limbaugh accused of being a Marxist.
But the “sharp differences” remain, as evidenced by the “blind” quote in the Sunday New York Times from a senior Vatican official, who seemed to “take a shot” at Obama.
One cardinal, Raymond Burke, the Vatican’s chief justice and former archbishop of St. Louis, took it further, accusing the president of being “progressively more hostile toward Christian civilization. He appears to be a totally secularized man who aggressively promotes anti-life and anti-family policies.”
“The Catholic Church has led the fight against the contraception requirement in the health care law. Of course, the president is pro-abortion. And there’s Obama’s willingness to use military force, like with the use of drones.”
The “irony” here is for much of Obama’s first five years, European leaders were the ones “clamoring” to be near him when they were “suffering” politically.
But not anymore.
Obama got a stern reprimand for the “contraception” clauses in his “ObamaCare” healthcare reform act.
The Vatican said in a “terse” statement that the two sides had discussed “the exercise of the rights to religious freedom, life and conscientious objection” in reference to “ObamaCare.”
It said these issues were “of particular relevance for the Church” in the United States, following a Supreme Court “challenge against the law” by Christian employers which is expected to lead to a ruling in June.
The issue of “ObamaCare” and its clause “forcing” private employers to provide health coverage for “contraception” for their employees has “incensed” US Catholic leaders who say that it “infringes on religious freedoms.”
“I pledged to continue to dialogue with the US Conference of Bishops,” Obama said, referring to a conversation with the Vatican’s Secretary of State Pietro Parolin after his meeting with Pope Francis.
Obama said there was a need to “strike the right balance” between providing healthcare for women and ensuring “that religious freedom is still observed”.
“I explained to Parolin that most religious organizations are entirely exempt,” said Obama, who has also faced “criticism” from Catholic leaders for his support for “gay marriage and abortion rights.”
The two exchanged “gifts” afterwards, with the Pope offering Obama a copy of his “Evangelii Gaudium” an “apostolic exhortation” from which he excoriated “global capitalism” with an invective against the “cult of money.”
“I actually will probably read this in the Oval Office when I’m deeply frustrated. I’m sure it will give me strength and calm me down,” a smiling Obama said.
Obama presented “His Secondary Holiness” with an autographed first edition of the “Obama Bible,” as well as a copy of his famous “Crimea River” greatest CD hits.
Pope Francis was unable to issue Obama a “Benediction Papalis” (papal blessing) since they are denied to non-Catholics, or to the dead, inanimate objects and to animals.
Unfortunately, I cannot “locate” the video footage of the Pope “kissing” the Allah ring of “His First Holiness.”
World’s two most recognized anti-capitalists meet in Rome
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