Can Congress behave itself when the pope visits?

[cigaretteman]

The possibility of Congress truly, massively embarrassing itself (is that possible?) and the entire country during Pope Francis’s historic address next week is starting to give some members the willies.

After all, we’re not talking about the president or some random foreign leader. This is His Holiness Pope Francis, whose official title is, among other things, “Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles,” as well as head of state of the Vatican and leader of more than 1 billion adherents worldwide.

[A pope for all seasons]

So, for example, it might not do for the House Sergeant at Arms to bellow at the entrance something like: “Mr. Speaker. . . . The Pope!”

And it would be most unseemly if members who go at dawn to snag primo seats on the aisle were to try to shake his hand or clap him on the back or, God forbid, hug him. (Maybe he should use a different entrance?)

It goes without saying no one will be boorish enough to say “you lie” if His Holiness mentions the environment or global warming — or if he reiterates doctrine on contraception.

But even the tradition of bipartisan, goofy, wild cheering, clapping or of standing O’s — or sitting boos — could be seen by many as way out of line.

Which is what has some people worried. So last week, four House members — Democrats Dan Lipinski (Ill.), Juan Vargas (Calif.), and Republicans Jeff Fortenberry (Neb.) and Tim Murphy (Pa.) sent a letter to House Speaker John Boehner and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, asking them to put out some sort of guidance “to the House and Senate on the appropriate decorum, protocol and behavior. . . .”

Members could use info on “how to greet the Pope, proper attire [no jeans?] . . . among other matters of etiquette,” the letter said.

“They should,” Lipinski told us, “applaud when he comes in and applaud when he finishes.”

We are hearing that Boehner and Pelosi are indeed now working on a “guidance card” of some sort to members to, as the letter notes, ensure “proper respect for the Pope” and “avoiding anything that could be construed as politicizing or making a spectacle of his visit.”

Some members, such as Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), are optimistic. “The House and Senate will be on their best behavior,” he told the Loop. “There’s no upside in showing disrespect.”

One can only hope . . . and pray.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...-congress-behave-itself-when-the-pope-visits/

 

[aflachawk]

The possibility of Congress truly, massively embarrassing itself (is that possible?) and the entire country during Pope Francis’s historic address next week is starting to give some members the willies.

After all, we’re not talking about the president or some random foreign leader. This is His Holiness Pope Francis, whose official title is, among other things, “Bishop of Rome, Vicar of Jesus Christ, Successor of the Prince of the Apostles,” as well as head of state of the Vatican and leader of more than 1 billion adherents worldwide.

[A pope for all seasons]

So, for example, it might not do for the House Sergeant at Arms to bellow at the entrance something like: “Mr. Speaker. . . . The Pope!”

And it would be most unseemly if members who go at dawn to snag primo seats on the aisle were to try to shake his hand or clap him on the back or, God forbid, hug him. (Maybe he should use a different entrance?)

It goes without saying no one will be boorish enough to say “you lie” if His Holiness mentions the environment or global warming — or if he reiterates doctrine on contraception.

But even the tradition of bipartisan, goofy, wild cheering, clapping or of standing O’s — or sitting boos — could be seen by many as way out of line.

Which is what has some people worried. So last week, four House members — Democrats Dan Lipinski (Ill.), Juan Vargas (Calif.), and Republicans Jeff Fortenberry (Neb.) and Tim Murphy (Pa.) sent a letter to House Speaker John Boehner and Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi, asking them to put out some sort of guidance “to the House and Senate on the appropriate decorum, protocol and behavior. . . .”

Members could use info on “how to greet the Pope, proper attire [no jeans?] . . . among other matters of etiquette,” the letter said.

“They should,” Lipinski told us, “applaud when he comes in and applaud when he finishes.”

We are hearing that Boehner and Pelosi are indeed now working on a “guidance card” of some sort to members to, as the letter notes, ensure “proper respect for the Pope” and “avoiding anything that could be construed as politicizing or making a spectacle of his visit.”

Some members, such as Rep. Gerry Connolly (D-Va.), are optimistic. “The House and Senate will be on their best behavior,” he told the Loop. “There’s no upside in showing disrespect.”

One can only hope . . . and pray.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/...-congress-behave-itself-when-the-pope-visits/

Hopefully all members will get a pre visit lesson on what's appropriate.

 

[thewop]

If they're given guidance on dress and when to applaud, stand, sit, etc., and aren't allowed to open their mouths at all, I think they can pull it off. Just when I thought I'd lost all faith in our congress, I haven't!

Go congress! Shut up and act like adults, I know you can!

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

That's assuming congress's heads don't explode from meeting someone who doesn't fit into their pre-conceived notions of liberal or conservative.

 

[LuteHawk]

Some of the well-known Roman Catholic members of
Congress are in favor of abortion and same-sex marriage.
Pope Francis will be checking his list to see who is
naughty or nice.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Some of the well-known Roman Catholic members of
Congress are in favor of abortion and same-sex marriage.
Pope Francis will be checking his list to see who is
naughty or nice.

In the same token other well known Roman Catholic members of Congress think the poor should pull themselves up by their bootstraps because they are lazy and that government shouldn't help them.

I think it would be funny if the Pope excommunicated the members of his church from both sides and announced it in front of a joint session of congress.

I'd pay 50 bucks to see that live.

As a matter of church policy I'm not advocating that, I'm not in his church, but I think it would be hilarious if he did that.

 

[thewop]

Some of the well-known Roman Catholic members of
Congress are in favor of abortion and same-sex marriage.
Pope Francis will be checking his list to see who is
naughty or nice.

Maybe I'm just cynical, but I'm always amazed when I see stats about X% of members of congress are (Insert religion here). I believe they pick their religions to fit what their constituents want, whether they truly believe/practice that religion or not.

 

[naturalmwa]

I wonder what the Pope will make of the apotheosis of washington depicted in the Capital dome. But I bet he would be fine with hugs.

 

[Hoosierhawkeye]

Maybe I'm just cynical, but I'm always amazed when I see stats about X% of members of congress are (Insert religion here). I believe they pick their religions to fit what their constituents want, whether they truly believe/practice that religion or not.

Not really so much that because at this point anything Christian is usually just fine for a nominal religion.

What happens with them is what happens with a lot of people. They just identify themselves by what church their mom and dad took them to, if not that then by what church their grandma and grandpa took their mom and dad too.

For me my grandmother took my dad to a Roman Catholic church and he was baptized by a Roman Catholic priest. When my dad who wasn't particularly religious in his adult life married my mom who wasn't religious they first just did it in the courthouse. In order to appease my grandma they re-married again in front of a priest. In order to appease her they also had me baptized by a Roman Catholic priest.

So even though I was atheist in belief for most of my childhood and my parents where deist in belief I was told and thought of myself as Roman Catholic.

Only as a young adult did I re-explore my religious views and I now identify myself as confessional Lutheran.

But people who only occasionally attend church or who don't at all but still believe in a god often don't explore their religious views and just stick with the identification they received as children from some family traditions. In reality I would contend many of these people are deist in belief but are nominally Christian because most modern Americans for some reason have never heard of being deist. Shoot even the founding fathers who have heard of being a deist retained nominal ties to Christian churches more often then not.

In reality I find that deism is really the most popular religious view in America. Deism isn't very specific on beliefs but that's exactly why it's the most popular as most Americans want to make up their own beliefs on God that don't fit anything closely at all to any Christian tradition.

This is why I don't worry much when the news articles come out about less and less people answering a survey and claiming to be Christian. This is not reflecting some radical belief change in our country, it's instead people acknowledging a reality that has always been there. . . their personal beliefs are not in line with any Christian tradition.

 

[aflachawk]

Some of the well-known Roman Catholic members of
Congress are in favor of abortion and same-sex marriage.
Pope Francis will be checking his list to see who is
naughty or nice.

Abortion and same sex marriage? No problem. He is shutting that talk down. Climate change? That's going to kill us now. Now the left( who had nothing good to say about other popes) are saying we need to listen. Priceless