The Vatican is in damage-control mode after the Pope sent his blessings to a same-sex family

[Warren Stupidity]

When Francesca Pardi sent Pope Francis her children’s book, Why do you have two moms? she probably wasn’t expecting a response.
...
But the pontiff did reply, sending a friendly though cautious letter postmarked July 10, via Monsignor Peter Brian Wells.
...
The Pope closes the letter with his “apostle’s blessing” (a special benediction), for Pardi, she said, “together with Ms Maria Silvia Fiengo”—her same-sex partner and the other mother of her four children.
...
The Vatican did not deny Pardi’s account of the Pope’s letter—but it made a point to throw cold water on the idea that the leader of the Catholic church was offering encouragement or an accepting message about LGBTQ lifestyles.

Father Ciro Benedettini, the Vatican spokesperson, published a note (link in Italian) asserting that in no way is the letter “meant to endorse behaviors and teachings unfit to the Gospel.” Benedettini also says that the Pope’s blessing was meant for the individual, and was “not in line with the church’s doctrine on gender theory, which has not changed in the slightest.”

http://qz.com/490530/the-vatican-is-in-damage-control-mode-after-the-pope-sent-his-blessings-to-a-same-sex-family/

Ooops. Another Frank Faux Pas. Better make sure you trust your chef Frank.

[virtualobserver]

1. "Is the pope Catholic?" used to be a rhetorical question......

Pope Francis is stretching the limits, and it is a very good thing.

[Bluenorthwest]

2. No, he's not. If he was he'd correct this fucker who is mitigating his 'blessing' as that fucker

is subordinate to the Pontiff. This fucker is saying exactly what Francis wants him to say. That's all there is to it.

[cleanhippie]

3. Bingo

[rug]

4. Has anyone told Mark?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/1218211099

[bvf]

5. Is Greg Burke still on the Vatican payroll?

Last edited Sun Aug 30, 2015, 01:15 AM - Edit history (1)

This is what he looks like, if anyone's interested:

[Lordquinton]

6. Link broken. Nt

[bvf]

8. Fixed with a different pic.

He looks a bit more cheerful here anyway.

I know I would be if somebody paid me to tell the pope what to say.

[Lordquinton]

7. Totally makes up for his lifetime of work against marrige equality

He wasn't speaking for his church or religion either, merely a rogue political agent.

[Warren Stupidity]

9. The thing I find interesting is that Frankie has no idea

what he is doing and that his handlers have to follow him around with pooper-scoopers cleaning up his messes.

[bvf]

10. Gotta disagree with that.

I think his handlers welcome his little messes in the hopes that he'll somehow get a tourniquet around the membership bleed, while they run "corrections" at the bottom of page 2, so to speak.

[Warren Stupidity]

11. That could be the explanation too.

Still what we have is Pope Malaprops. For the guy with the alleged direct line to god it is a bit odd.

[uriel1972]

12. He is only infallible...

when theologians agree he is infallible. Apparently.
That is the gist I got a while ago.
Borgia's
Medici's
The whole damned crew.
They were Popes too. It's no guarantee of good behaviour, or consistency for that matter.
Let's not forget the Corpse Synod.
Being a good, sane person is not part of the requirements for the job of God's Vicar on Earth.

[Warren Stupidity]

13. Oh and I don't think they really care about the membership bleed in north america and

europe. Their focus is africa, asia, and latin america. Africa in particular is a growth area for the rcc and their overt homophobia is currently playing well there. If public opinion on homosexuality changes in Africa, then I would expect the klaxons to go off in Rome.

[bvf]

15. Well, it seems wise to keep an eye on emerging markets.

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/10/16/how-anti-lgbt-legislation-in-uganda-nigeria-and-gambia-is-shaping-africa

http://www.thenation.com/article/its-not-just-uganda-behind-christian-rights-onslaught-africa/

http://m.motherjones.com/politics/2014/03/scott-lively-anti-gay-law-uganda

http://www.thewire.com/entertainment/2014/06/john-oliver-breaks-down-the-us-influence-on-ugandas-anti-gay-laws/373688/

http://www.politicalresearch.org/tag/scott-lively/#sthash.nJJAvZ39.dpbs

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/2869221

[Act_of_Reparation]

14. I don't know if it is planned...

...but the Frank's "gaffes" often get much more media attention than the corrections and clarifications, which may in part explain why people here think he's some kind of revolutionary.