Obama, Pope Benedict To Find Common Ground [NPR]

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Pope Benedict by many accounts “honored” President Obama by meeting him as a head of state in a manner that is highly unusual for the Vatican; and presented him with gifts. This indicates to many a quite unusual accommodation, and perhaps favor, given normal Vatican protocol.

I’m confused. Why were so many U.S. Bishops upset about Notre Dame giving an honorary degree to President Obama as has been their custom for decades, yet no U.S. Bishop has criticized the Pope for going out of His way to meet and talk with Obama, and in effect honor him by this unusual and unprecedented (unlike Notre Dame) protocol?
 
diggerdomer said:
npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106447223

Pope Benedict by many accounts “honored” President Obama by meeting him as a head of state in a manner that is highly unusual for the Vatican; and presented him with gifts. This indicates to many a quite unusual accommodation, and perhaps favor, given normal Vatican protocol.

I’m confused. Why were so many U.S. Bishops upset about Notre Dame giving an honorary degree to President Obama as has been their custom for decades, yet no U.S. Bishop has criticized the Pope for going out of His way to meet and talk with Obama, and in effect honor him by this unusual and unprecedented (unlike Notre Dame) protocol?
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I have the same question. I am baffled. The rabid and vociferous response to Notre Dame’s decision (which could have been as easily predictable as the Pope’s meeting with President Obama) defies logic and charity in light of the honors Pope Benedict demonstrated.

Neuroses perhaps?
 
My take: They start screaming about the Pope like they did with Notre Dame and they would be slapped into line really fast and told what’s what. Be kinda hard to be good little GOP foot soldiers when the Holy Father comes down on you for it.
 
cyberwolf001 said:
Be kinda hard to be good little GOP foot soldiers when the Holy Father comes down on you for it.
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Tacky. Very tacky.:dts:

Please consider how that sounds. How would you like to be called a good little Democrat foot soldier?
 
diggerdomer said:
npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106447223

Pope Benedict by many accounts “honored” President Obama by meeting him as a head of state in a manner that is highly unusual for the Vatican; and presented him with gifts. This indicates to many a quite unusual accommodation, and perhaps favor, given normal Vatican protocol.

I’m confused. Why were so many U.S. Bishops upset about Notre Dame giving an honorary degree to President Obama as has been their custom for decades, yet no U.S. Bishop has criticized the Pope for going out of His way to meet and talk with Obama, and in effect honor him by this unusual and unprecedented (unlike Notre Dame) protocol?
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I don’t think there was anything unusual or special about how the pope met Obama… it was a typical visit by a head of state.
 
I think the Pope’s meeting with Obama, while certainly not unusual, is to be admired. Both men are very, very bright and Christ taught us to love our enemies. The Pope, by not shunning Obama, is apparently hopeful for his conversion, wants a respectful communication between them and I would imagine is saying many, many prayers for the man.
 
Neil_Anthony said:
I don’t think there was anything unusual or special about how the pope met Obama… it was a typical visit by a head of state.
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From what I read, it is highly unusual for the Pope to meet heads of state in the afternoon, those meetings are scheduled for the morning.

Anyway, if there was nothing unusual or special about how the Pope met Obama, why the furor about Notre Dame doing what it’s done for decades–invite the sitting president in his first term to offer a routine commencement address and award an honorary degree? I can see why some would view that as also not unusual or special.
 
From what I read, it is highly unusual for the Pope to meet heads of state in the afternoon, those meetings are scheduled for the morning.
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From what I read it was to accomodate Obama’s schedule with the other heads of state (G-7?).

Pax†
 
CatholicFireman said:
From what I read it was to accomodate Obama’s schedule with the other heads of state (G-7?).

Pax†
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I read that too. But I think the point is, it’s highly unusual. All heads of state are busy people. Some commentaries see it as significant that the Vatican departed from its protocol in this case.
 
I don’t think the timing of the meeting was particularly significant.

The article does note that in Europe, abortion is not as polarizing an issue as it is in the U.S. One reason for that is probably that in Europe, most abortion law is enacted legislatively, whereas in the U.S., it was imposed by judicial fiat, thereby causing an immediate controversy and cultural divide. Also, U.S. allows virtually abortion on demand throughout nine months of pregnancy; most European nations impose more limits–again, legislatively, not by judicial fiat.

So abortion has been much more of a sticking point in the U.S. than in Europe just because of the manner in which it was imposed.
 
diggerdomer said:
I read that too. But I think the point is, it’s highly unusual. All heads of state are busy people. Some commentaries see it as significant that the Vatican departed from its protocol in this case.
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I agree.
 
diggerdomer said:
npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106447223

Pope Benedict by many accounts “honored” President Obama by meeting him as a head of state in a manner that is highly unusual for the Vatican; and presented him with gifts. This indicates to many a quite unusual accommodation, and perhaps favor, given normal Vatican protocol.

I’m confused. Why were so many U.S. Bishops upset about Notre Dame giving an honorary degree to President Obama as has been their custom for decades, yet no U.S. Bishop has criticized the Pope for going out of His way to meet and talk with Obama, and in effect honor him by this unusual and unprecedented (unlike Notre Dame) protocol?
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Talking with someone is different from bestowing an honor on him.
 
diggerdomer said:
npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=106447223

Pope Benedict by many accounts “honored” President Obama by meeting him as a head of state in a manner that is highly unusual for the Vatican; and presented him with gifts. This indicates to many a quite unusual accommodation, and perhaps favor, given normal Vatican protocol.

I’m confused. Why were so many U.S. Bishops upset about Notre Dame giving an honorary degree to President Obama as has been their custom for decades, yet no U.S. Bishop has criticized the Pope for going out of His way to meet and talk with Obama, and in effect honor him by this unusual and unprecedented (unlike Notre Dame) protocol?
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DiggerDOMER—Sounds like there is a great likelihood that you’re an alum; therefore, pretty darn smart. Which makes it all the more puzzling that you cannot see the difference. Come on, you can’t be serious.

And, surely, you recognize Notre Dame is a secularist parading around in churchly garb!
 
We need to clarify some points here.
  1. Pope Benedict XVI and President Obama are not enemies. There is a difference between moral positions that are in juxtaposition with each other and being enemies.
  2. The Vatican did not go to any extraordinary measures in meeting with President Obama. He was treated with the same respect and honors as any head of state visiting another head of state. The visit was in the afternoon because the G-8 summit was in session and the visit had to be scheduled around that.
  3. Notre Dame University does not have a political obligation to receive President Obama. The Vatican does, because the United States and Vatican City State are sovereign nations that have diplomatic relations with each other.
  4. The exchange of gifts is a very common tradition between heads of state, especially in the Vatican.
  5. The Catholic Church and the Muslims are not in the same place either. But look at the pomp and circumstance with which the Holy Father was received in Jordan. The same can be said about Israel. The courtessy is reciprocated when they visit the Vatican.
  6. The Catholic Church condemns Communism, but the Vatican and Cuba have had diplomatic relations since the 1500s and they have been sustained during the Castro dictatorship. The diplomataic relationship between the Vatican and the USA is less than 25 years old. Prior to that the relation was cordial. But we did not have an ambassador at the Vatican nor did the Vatican have a Nuncio in the USA. It has an Apostolic Delegate, which meant that his presence in the USA was strictly for the benefit of the bishops. Now, we have a Nuncio, who deals with the bishops AND the State Department.
Hope this helps.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF 🙂
 
I agree with you, JR. It is the usual practice of the Vatican to bestow gifts upon visitors of state and to treat them with dignity and courtesy. The diplomacy of Vatican City is more formal than that of the US, and more grounded in tradition (small t) but that does not in any way imply that such events are bestowing “special honor” upon the visitor. President Obama was received as any other head of state. There was no “special honor” or implication of approval in the way he was received.
 
Rebelecka said:
Tacky. Very tacky.:dts:

Please consider how that sounds. How would you like to be called a good little Democrat foot soldier?
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I’d probably laugh for a good five minutes as I am affliated with another party (Socialist Democrats yes it is a different party) although I support the current administration (even though it is in no way Socialist Democratic or even close by the longest of shots).

An as long as many here go as far as to attack others FOR SUPPORTING THIRD PARTIES on the grounds it helps the Democrats, or attack those that deviat from the GOP party line in any way shape or form, I’ll continue to use the term good little Republican soldiers
 
Dori1 said:
I agree with you, JR. It is the usual practice of the Vatican to bestow gifts upon visitors of state and to treat them with dignity and courtesy. The diplomacy of Vatican City is more formal than that of the US, and more grounded in tradition (small t) but that does not in any way imply that such events are bestowing “special honor” upon the visitor. President Obama was received as any other head of state. There was no “special honor” or implication of approval in the way he was received.
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Notice brother you are soon to be Catholic…think very carefully before you do so, it claims to be the ‘One True Church’, a very big claim to make…The Christian Church is the One True Church which includes all Churches…very fragmented indeed but all there for a purpose, freedom of choice?? the Roman Church does not seem to give much choice…yes Roman Catholics believe the Bible but as interpreted by ‘The Church’, no freedom of choice there brother…the Bible can be its own interpreter guided by the Holy Spirit…Protestants are members of Churches however, we can be like a good Christian commando on the battlefield, able to operate alone and interpret the Bible in private Bible study guided by the Holy Spirit…then honed in discussion with other Christians.

Pity all Leaders of countries have to visit the pope, he is only a man and a head of a church just like other churches have presidents and archbishops or whatever, why is he so special??? If I was to meet the pope I would give him the respect he was due but that is all: do people still kiss his ring?? I would not class him as more special than the archbishop of Canterbury or the head of the Baptist Church…he claims to be God’s representative on earth…well so am I, all Christians are God’s representatives on earth!!

So whatever you do I will respect you for it as you have freely chosen, as I respect all Christians!! 👍

Shalom. May God bless all here. Michael.
 
What is the difference between Notre Dame & the Vatican? Notre Dame gave Barack Obama an express platform to air his beliefs which are directly opposed to the Roman Catholic Church. If even one Catholic fell away from the Church because Notre Dame allowed him, as a person of authority, to express his opinions on abortion, then it has caused harm to the Church. Notre Dame is supposed to teach & uphold the teachings of the Catholic Church–that is the goal of a Roman Catholic University–not the promotion of “tolerance”. Tolerance is not a Christian value when it allows the promotion and spread of sin.

The Pope did not give President Obama the opportunity to make a speech from the Vatican about his religious or political beliefs. Instead, the Pope made it clear what the Church’s position on abortion was. As the head of the Vatican, he is obligated to meet with world leaders.

To sum up, Notre Dame promoted Barack Obama and his anti-Catholic policies.
 
SIb4G said:
Which makes it all the more puzzling that you cannot see the difference. Come on, you can’t be serious.
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I see far more similarities than differences.
SIb4G said:
And, surely, you recognize Notre Dame is a secularist parading around in churchly garb!
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I don’t see it or any other Catholic university/college in the U.S. as either secularist nor parading around in churchly garb.
 
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