Boehner invites Pope Francis to address Congress

[hrmjustin]

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/

[JoePhilly]

1. He'd probably flip over Boehner's desk and call him a money changer.

[hrmjustin]

2. Could backfire on the GOP.

[JoePhilly]

3. Which would be hilarious.

I could imagine Boehner trying to use it to box in the crazy far right some, but its awful risky.

The Pope could go all socialist, and then Boehner's is screwed.

[hrmjustin]

4. It would be a sight to see.

[okasha]

6. Especially now that Gustavo Gutierrez

has been cordially received by Francis and has spoken publicly at the Vatican. Francis might not turn over Boehner's desk and chase him out of tje Capitol, but I suspect he might have something to say along the lines of the Letter of James.

[hrmjustin]

7. I could imagine the faces of the Gop if he called them out about their policies.

It would be oriceless.

What I would love is for the pope to address the American bishops about their love affair with the gop.

[skepticscott]

8. And if he had to choose to embrace

the party that opposes abortion and same-sex marriage, or the party that thinks both should be legal, in blatant opposition to Catholic doctrine, which would he do, if he was going to not be a hypocrite about it? Which party should he tell the bishops to support, if they are not to be hyprocrites?

[No Vested Interest]

5. I would expect any address by Pope Francis to be pastoral and conciliatory.

Although there are many sinners in Congress, he would not call them out. His message would be in keeping with his Jesuit training and his patron Francis of Assissi, fostering social justice and human dignity and love for the least among us.

I posted a similar notice in the Interfaith group, noting that Pope Francis wishes to attend the The World Meeting of Families in Philadelphia in Sept. 2015, so a visit to DC at the time would not be difficult to plan.
Meantime, our US President is scheduled to meet with Pope Francis later this year.