Here's who invited Kim Davis to meet the pope (Tell Vatican ambassador to resign E action)

[Omaha Steve]

Dear Faithful America member,

After days of speculation, the truth has finally come out: Pope Francis did not hold a private meeting to express his support for Kim Davis's efforts to block gay marriage licenses.

According to an official Vatican statement, Kim Davis was among "several dozen persons" attending a reception at the Vatican embassy, "the pope did not enter into the details of the situation," and "his meeting with her should not be considered a form of support."

Moreover, it seems that the pope did not request Kim Davis be invited.

According to press reports, one man was likely responsible for Davis's invitation: Carlo Maria Vigano, a conservative church official who was appointed by Pope Benedict as Vatican ambassador to the United States (formally called the "apostolic nuncio&quot .

Having created an opportunity for right-wing evangelicals to dishonestly hijack the message of the pope's visit to the United States, Vigano must now resign.

Tell Vatican ambassador: Letting Kim Davis hijack the pope's visit was wrong. Resign for the good of the church.

Many of us were upset and confused when the news broke that Pope Francis had met with Kim Davis -- especially given how she and her lawyers misrepresented what actually happened at the Vatican embassy.

While Pope Francis has continued to promote conservative teachings on marriage and family, he has also advocated for a more compassionate and welcoming church that advocates for the poor and socially marginalized.

But the Catholic Church is a complex and global institution, and not all decisions are made by the pope. Pope Francis has replaced a number of conservative officials -- many of them American -- who have undermined his leadership and vision for the church, but it wouldn't be reasonable for him to remove everyone appointed by previous popes.

Carlo Maria Vigano was appointed apostolic nuncio by Pope Benedict, and there have been indications before that he and Pope Francis are not on the same page. For example, earlier this year Francis forced Kansas City Bishop Robert Finn to resign after Finn was convicted of covering up clergy sexual abuse. Despite this, Vigano allowed Finn to continue ordaining priests until a new bishop was appointed.

Vigano was almost certainly involved in inviting Kim Davis to the Vatican embassy reception where she met with Pope Francis, and he may even have acted alone. Either way, he has no business continuing to serve as Francis's official representative to the United States.

Tell Vatican ambassador to resign: http://act.faithfulamerica.org/sign/vigano/?t=2&akid=719.39313.u2Qchj (and share on Facebook)

Thanks!

- Michael

For more information:

"Pope Francis' Meeting Wasn't an Endorsement of Kim Davis's Views, Vatican Says," The New York Times, October 2, 2015

[Kingofalldems]

1. Most fundies don't even think the Pope is a Christian.

Lots of irony here.

[sharp_stick]

2. That's what I always thought too

Don't the Calvinistic nutjobs actually routinely call the pope the antichrist?

[Bluenorthwest]

10. This is not the 1990's any longer. Read this. Knowledge = Life

http://time.com/3597245/vatican-evangelicals-mormons-gay-marriage/

[nilram]

19. Clearly, they're forming a political alliance

They're in vague agreement on doctrines around the subjugation of women in marriage and the exclusion of anything except opposite-sex marriages. Having been a fundie, I'd agree that most fundies don't regard the Pope as a real Christian, but, yes, they're forming political alliances that progressives need to be aware of.

But in practice, it ended with something more significant—a strengthening of alliances. The event forged and deepened relationships across faith lines. “This group differs on many points—theological and political—but we agree that marriage matters,” says Moore, who walked around the Vatican with a copy of Luther’s 95 Theses in his coat pocket, a symbol of Protestantism’s break with Rome 500 years ago. “The colloquium started a conversation of groups on virtually every continent and virtually every religious tradition on how we can work together for the common good of marriage.”

[virgogal]

3. The pope is just a priest with a title.

Who cares who he sees?

His influence is minimal.

[saturnsring]

4. "His influence is minimal. " then why do people on du blame him for so much ?

[onpatrol98]

5. Because apparently they think about religion a lot more than they want to let on...

[Marrah_G]

14. His influence is certainly influential among Catholics

Like it or not, there are still a lot of Catholics in the US. If he visits sways Catholics away from the extremist RW republican views then that is a positive for us.

[underahedgerow]

6. Like I said, a line up meet and greet.

Geesh, no one listens.

[olddots]

7. like I said before

and nobody got .............This was like Spinal Tap signing autographs at a car wash .

[Bluenorthwest]

8. It is about their mutual belief that LGBT persons are defective, not about who met who how.

This is not helping. What Francis supporters need to understand is that this is not some unusual event.

Tell me who 'tricked' Francis into the 3 Day anti marriage equality the Vatican held last November with Tony Perkins and NOM and Rick Warren and all the fundie right wing present as invited guests, Francis the keynote speaker.
"Vatican Strengthens Ties with Evangelicals and Mormons Against Gay Marriage"
http://time.com/3597245/vatican-evangelicals-mormons-gay-marriage/



This pretense that anti gay collusion is not business as usual for Francis is just insulting to anyone who is reality based.

It is reprehensible to organize against the rights of others then pretend that you are not doing so.

[smirkymonkey]

9. +1000

[smirkymonkey]

11. If there is any further proof that Kim Davis is out for her 15 minutes of fame, this is it.

People of her type hate Catholics and would give no weight to the Pope's endorsement of anything. She was just cashing in on his popularity. God, I hate that stupid %$&*(&.

[Bluenorthwest]

12. That's not really true, but truth matters not in some strange quarters, same quarters that hate love

Just prior to meeting with Francis, Davis got an award in DC from Tony Perkins of FRC, who was invited by the Vatican to attend their 3 day anti gay conference last November along with Francis, NOM, the Heritage Foundation, LDS, the Southern Baptists and all the 'fundie' groups that get endlessly mocked on DU. Tony Perkins said the atmosphere at the Vatican was 'almost euphoric'.
It is what it is. It's Time Magazine, so it is not 'too gay' for straight DUers to read. So read it. I dare you.
http://time.com/3597245/vatican-evangelicals-mormons-gay-marriage/

[smirkymonkey]

13. Yeah, I read it. I still think it's bs. Here is a lovely tidbit from the article:

"The colloquium rallied around the theological concept of complementarianism, the belief that men and women have different roles in a marriage and religious leadership—husbands are spiritual leaders, and wives submit to them in love. To be “complementary” is to complete or fill the lack in the other thing. It opposes egalitarianism, the theological belief that men and women are equal in all respects in marriage and in religious leadership positions. Traditional Catholic, evangelical, and LDS belief interprets the Bible to support a complementarian relational structure. That may explain why mainline Protestant traditions that interpret the Bible to an egalitarian end—Presbyterian, Episcopal, United Church of Christ—were not featured at the event."

Is this something that you endorse?

[Bluenorthwest]

15. It is something Francis fans are tacitly endorsing. Why the fuck would I endorse a hate meeting?

You claimed 'people of her type hate Catholics' but that article really shows that 'people of her type' are very actively organizing with the Vatican around anti equality and anti choice politics. The article makes the point extremely clearly. Tony Perkins of FRC was invited and attended the Rome conference, last week Tony Perkins and FRC gave Davis an award in Washington DC, then shortly after Davis met Francis. So the affectation that Francis and 'the fundies' are at odds and not working together is obvious and proven bullshit, served up with intention.

'They hate each other so much that they gather together to plot against the rights of minorities'. Sure. Whatever you need to believe.

The truth is the truth no matter how much you might dislike it.

[smirkymonkey]

16. Sorry, I misunderstood your intent.

Actually, most fundies do hate catholics, but in this case I think they are working together against what they perceive to be a bigger evil. They are opportunists, nothing more.

[Bluenorthwest]

17. But it serves two groups that work together against others to keep asserting that they do

not work together against others. This offers them a facade, a mask, gives them two faces. This is why it is so very wrong for people to make this claim.

Six Degrees of Kevin Bacon game. Francis meets Perkins in Rome, Perkins gives award to Davis. One degree. They have many people in common due to mutual political objectives. But on DU they are presented as being from entirely separate orbits. They are not. They are allies.

[smirkymonkey]

18. Yes, I see your point. They are dangerous together.

They are uniting together on the side of hate, but we need to defeat them. They are just plain wrong.