VATICAN CITY (LifeSiteNews) – President Joe Biden met with Pope Francis on Friday as part of his itinerary for the upcoming G20 summit, conversing with the Pontiff on the “climate crisis” as well as the global rollout of the abortion-tainted COVID-19 shots. Abortion itself remained unmentioned, however, according to official press releases.
The meeting between the world’s most powerful Catholic men lasted approximately 75 minutes, significantly longer than the Pope’s meetings with Biden’s predecessors Barack Obama and Donald Trump, whose combined papal audiences lasted around 80 minutes.
After the presidential motorcade arrived at the Vatican at around midday Rome time, Biden could be heard saying “it’s good to be back” as he was greeted at the Apostolic Palace.
A press release from the White House noted that Biden “thanked His Holiness for his advocacy for the world’s poor and those suffering from hunger, conflict, and persecution. He lauded Pope Francis’ leadership in fighting the climate crisis, as well as his advocacy to ensure the pandemic ends for everyone through vaccine sharing and an equitable global economic recovery.”
The White House informed correspondents that the meeting “was very warm when the delegation arrived in the room. There was laughter and clear rapport between President Biden and Pope Francis.”
Biden subsequently met with Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin, whom he is said to have expressed thanks for the Vatican’s “active leadership in fighting the climate crisis — both through advocacy and encouraging the climate neutrality of hundreds of Christian organizations worldwide.”
As in his meeting with Francis, a White House statement noted that Biden and Parolin “discussed efforts to rally global support for vaccinating the developing world against COVID-19.”
Additionally, the statement indicated that the president “thanked the Vatican for speaking out on behalf of the wrongfully detained, including in Venezuela and Cuba. The leaders committed to continue using their voices to advocate for personal and religious freedoms world-wide.”
A Holy See Press Office statement confirmed that the men focused their discussion on “the joint commitment to the protection and care of the planet, the healthcare situation and the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as the theme of refugees and assistance to migrants. Reference was also made to the protection of human rights, including freedom of religion and conscience.”
“Finally, the talks enabled an exchange of views on some matters regarding the current international situation, also in the context of the imminent G20 summit in Rome, and on the promotion of peace in the world through political negotiation,” the statement reads.
Ahead of his meeting with President Biden, Pope Francis delivered a statement on BBC Radio 4’s ‘Thought for the Day” segment, focusing his attention on what he called a “succession of crises” regarding “health care, the environment, food supplies and the economy, to say nothing of social, humanitarian and ethical crises.”
The Pope urged listeners not to let these crises go to waste, advising that they present an “opportunity” to “build together, so that there will no longer be any borders.”
Francis stressed that the only way to pursue a “brighter horizon” in moving forward is not through following Jesus Christ, but rather “through a renewed sense of shared responsibility for our world, and an effective solidarity based on justice, a sense of our common destiny and a recognition of the unity of our human family in God’s plan for the world.”
Following their private conversation, Biden and Francis exchanged gifts, as is customary, with the president giving the Pope a 90-year-old fiddleback chasuble, reportedly kept until now in the archives of Holy Trinity Catholic Church in Washington, D.C.
According to the Catholic News Service, Biden also handed the Pope a “presidential command coin.” The president told Francis that the coin is given to “warriors and leaders,” adding that “you are the most significant warrior for peace I’ve ever met.”
.@POTUS gave #PopeFrancis one of his “command coins,” telling him it’s given “to warriors and leaders, and you are the most significant warrior for peace I’ve ever met.” The pope clutched it in his hands and, after walking Biden to the door, said again, “thank you for this.” pic.twitter.com/vKORRdsv2O
— Catholic News Service (@CatholicNewsSvc) October 29, 2021
“The next time I see you, if you don’t have it [the coin,] you have to buy the drinks,” Biden joked.
In return, the Pope gave Biden an artistic ceramic tile depicting a man pointing towards St. Peter’s Basilica across the Tiber, named “The Pilgrim,” along with numerous papal documents, including his controversial Abu Dhabi document on fraternity, in which he and the Grand Imam Ahmad al-Tayyeb said that a “pluralism and diversity” of religions is “willed by God.”
PETITION UPDATE (3/7/22) -
To his eternal shame, self-professed "Catholic" Joe Biden has done it again.
In the last 10 days, Biden directly acted to promote the evil of abortion. Twice.
And, to their shame, the bishops of the United States continue to tolerate this ongoing scandal as though it's business as usual.
But, let's not give up on our shepherds!
Please SIGN this petition and let's CONTACT our bishops again, and ask them to do the right thing (or, do something!), and excommunicate Joe Biden.
In the latest episode of this ongoing tragedy, Biden nominated abortion-friendly (and, Planned Parenthood supported) Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace Justice Stephen Breyer on the Supreme Court.
Then, as if to underline his Supreme Court pick, Biden made the following statement promoting abortion during his State of the Union address:
"The constitutional right affirmed by Roe v. Wade — standing precedent for half a century — is under attack as never before. If you want to go forward — not backwards — we must protect access to health care. Preserve a woman’s right to choose..."
Of course, we know that making a decision to exclude public figures from Holy Communion is not easy. But, sometimes, this is the only way to make them understand the error of their ways, and to preserve the Church from serious scandal.
And now that Biden has left no doubt as to his intentions and actions - attempting to anchor the United States to the evil of abortion for generations to come - it is high time for the bishops to act to stop this grave scandal from continuing.
Public excommunication would be a suitable response for Biden's obstinate, public and grave sin of scandalously promoting abortion.
Please continue to SIGN and SHARE this important petition. Thank you!
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
'Biden announces Ketanji Brown Jackson to replace Stephen Breyer on Supreme Court' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/biden-announces-ketanji-brown-jackson-to-replace-stephen-breyer-on-supreme-court/
'Pro-life groups warn about Biden’s Supreme Court nominee' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/pro-life-groups-warn-about-bidens-supreme-court-nominee/
'These Republicans could help Biden install his far-left Supreme Court pick' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/these-republicans-could-help-biden-his-left-wing-supreme-court-pick/
'Biden reiterates support for Roe v. Wade, radical LGBT policies during State of the Union' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/biden-again-vows-supports-for-roe-v-wade-radical-pro-lgbt-law/
'Biden says he won’t debate ‘theology’ when asked on Ash Wednesday why he supports abortion' - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/biden-says-he-wont-debate-theology-when-asked-on-ash-wednesday-why-he-supports-abortion/
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PETITION UPDATE (9/3/21) -
Following the US Supreme Court's decision to allow Texas' Heartbeat Law to go into effect, Joe Biden made the announcement that he would initiate a "whole-of-government" response against the new pro-life statute which could ban abortions after a fetal heartbeat is detected.
This is yet another, outright confirmation of Biden's openly pro-abortion policies, policies which have the main objective of ensuring that women will continue to be able to kill their own children without impediment.
This anti-life, anti-Catholic stance needs to be urgently addressed and condemned by the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops.
For the good of the Church, for the good of pre-born babies, for the good of the faithful, and, indeed, for his own good, Joe Biden needs to be publicly rebuked by the bishops and excommunicated until such time as he repents from his pro-abortion policies.
Please continue to SIGN and SHARE this petition, which asks the bishops of the United States to act in unison to exclude Joe Biden from Holy Communion for his scandalous promotion of abortion - the murder of the innocent.
After signing, please take a moment to CONTACT the offices of the USCCB to politely, but firmly, encourage the Conference to take the necessary steps to exclude from Holy Communion public officials who continue to show blatant disregard for innocent human life and the Church's teaching.
The USCCB's Office phone number is: 202.541.3000
Thank you!
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"No man can serve two masters. For either he will hate the one, and love the other: or he will sustain the one, and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon." - Matthew 6:24
In the lead-up to their meeting in mid-June, we call on the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) to exclude Joe Biden and other “Catholic” politicians (like, Nancy Pelosi) from Holy Communion over their public, obstinate, and scandalous promotion of abortion.
Please SIGN and SHARE this petition which asks the USCCB to act to stop the abuse of the reception of the Holy Eucharist by politicians who promote the murder of innocent pre-born babies.
We know that making a decision to exclude public figures from Holy Communion is not easy. But, sometimes, this is the only way to make them understand the error of their ways, and to preserve the Church from serious scandal.
Indeed, Canon Law (Canon 915) declares that those who persist in manifest, grave sin should not be admitted to Holy Communion.
Beyond that, at this point, public excommunication appears as the only suitable response for Biden's obstinate, public and grave sin of promoting abortion.
In doing so, we do not hold ourselves up as judges over Joe Biden's eternal soul, but we encourage the bishops to make known one of the consequences of public and obstinate support of abortion by our 'Catholic' politicians.
The fact is, in terms of the manifest, grave sin of abortion, Joe Biden is as bad as he said he would be before the election.
Therefore, it is cold comfort that the USCCB is only preparing to discuss this issue only now.
But even now, if the USCCB publicly excommunicate Biden for his pro-abortion stance (as well as other pro-abortion politicians), the Conference could reclaim some of the moral authority which they lost by their largely silent assent to Biden's candidacy.
Please SIGN and SHARE this petition, now.
Since Joe Biden was sworn-in on the 20th of January, he has wasted no time in signing orders and bills which facilitate the destruction of unborn human life.
- In one executive order, Biden rescinded the Mexico City Policy prohibiting the federal government from spending taxpayer monies on abortion and the promotion of abortion.
- Biden also signed (instead of vetoing) the COVID relief bill, which, for the first time in 44 years, contained funding for abortions in America, using taxpayer dollars.
- Biden said that he wouldn't defend Hyde, and he hasn't.
And, if he and the Democratic Party get their way, a lot more of the same regarding abortion is on the way.
Strong action must be taken lest anyone, especially young people, be confused by the scandal of a "Catholic" in Biden's position aggressively promoting abortion, enabling the killing of innocent human beings.
American rank-and-file Catholics don't want any more compromise and equivocation from the Bishops Conference on this "pre-eminent" life-and-death issue.
We want clear action, not twenty more years of dithering and "dialoguing."
50 million babies have been lost to abortion in the U.S. since Roe!
So, we will NOT accept any more lives lost as a result of dithering and "dialoguing." [**Please see "Notes" below about how it has been reported that some senior U.S. clerics are trying to prevent this discussion from even taking place.]
And, we will especially NOT accept one life lost to abortion by politicians who claim the Catholic Faith, but who promote grave evil. God forbid!
With all due respect to these bishops, they diminish the Holy Eucharist and their high office, as well as cause grave scandal to the faithful, by not imposing public canonical penalties on a man who is promoting mass murder of the unborn against the constant teaching of the Church.
The bishops are now at a crossroads and must choose either God or mammon.
We call on them to choose God and choose Life!
And we also continue to encourage those brave, true and good bishops who have done well to warn Amercian Catholics about the perils to the unborn and the Faith resulting from Biden's promotion of abortion!
SIGN and SHARE this petition, which asks the bishops of the United States to act in unison to exclude Joe Biden from Holy Communion for his scandalous promotion of abortion - the murder of the innocent.
After signing, please take a moment to CONTACT the offices of the USCCB to politely, but firmly, encourage the Conference to take the necessary steps to exclude from Holy Communion public officials who continue to show blatant disregard for innocent human life and the Church's teaching.
The USCCB's Office phone number is: 202.541.3000
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
Joe Biden: I support abortion ‘under any circumstance’ - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/joe-biden-i-support-abortion-under-any-circumstance
Biden administration has opened the way for ‘abortion by mail on a massive scale’ - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/biden-administration-unleashed-by
‘Catholic’ Biden marks Roe v. Wade anniversary with pledge to make abortion available for ‘everyone’ - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/catholic-biden-marks-roe-v-wade-anniversary-with-pledge-to-make-abortion-available-for-everyone
BREAKING: DC archbishop affirms he will give Holy Communion to pro-abortion Joe Biden - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/breaking-dc-archbishop-affirms-he-will-give-holy-communion-to-pro-abortion-joe-biden
Vatican puts brakes on US bishops confronting problem of pro-abortion Biden receiving Holy Communion - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/vatican-puts-brakes-on-us-bishops-confronting-problem-of-pro-abortion-biden-receiving-holy-communion
Abp. Aquila backs call for pro-abortion ‘Catholic’ Joe Biden to be denied Holy Communion - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/abp-aquila-backs-call-for-pro-abortion-catholic-joe-biden-to-be-denied-holy-communion
Cardinal Burke floats ‘excommunication’ for Biden over his ‘aggressive’ abortion promotion - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/cardinal-burke-floats-excommunication-for-biden-over-his-aggressive-promotion-of-abortion
Biden’s HHS is lying about Title X to push abortion - https://www.lifesitenews.com/blogs/bidens-hhs-is-lying-about-title-x-to-push-abortion
List of US bishops for and against denying Communion to pro-abortion politicians like Biden, Pelosi - https://www.lifesitenews.com/news/list-of-us-bishops-for-and-against-denying-communion-to-pro-abortion-politicians-like-biden-pelosi
Notes about USCCB's June Meeting:
For nearly twenty years, the US bishops have been dithering about whether or not to excommunicate pro-abortion politicians by formally withholding Holy Communion from them.
Their indecision on this gravely scandalous matter is a scandal in itself, but one of the biggest obstacles has been internal opposition from senior U.S. bishops.
And, although the faces have changed in the last 20 years, their morally-and-intellectually-challenged arguments against excommunication have not changed.
Liberal bishops of the USCCB say that excommunicating Biden (for example) would divide the Church, divide the bishops, and would politicize the reception of Holy Communion.
Indeed, in the name of “unity,” it is reported that some senior U.S. clerics, including Cardinal Blase Cupich (Chicago), Cardinal Wilton Gregory (Washington, DC) and Cardinal O’Malley (Boston), have been working overtime to prevent any substantial discussion of so-called “Eucharist coherence” (that is, what qualifies as worthy reception of Holy Communion).
It is also reported that at least 57 other American bishops allegedly joined these Cardinals in a recent letter to the Head of the Bishops Conference, Archbishop Gomez of Los Angeles, to try to pressure him to drop the planned discussion at the full meeting of bishops in June.
And now, even the Vatican is getting involved, with the head of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith suggesting that even more “dialogue” is needed.
These same clerics may mistakenly believe that any attempt to suppress the objective connection between a politician’s promotion of abortion and his unworthy reception of Holy Communion will fool anyone.
But, it will not.
Rank-and-file Catholics are not stupid and can smell compromise a mile away, and we’ve had enough.
With all due respect to the Cardinal, bishops, and the Vatican…those who fail to act diminish the Holy Eucharist and their high office, as well as cause grave scandal to the faithful, by “dialoguing” with a man who is promoting mass murder of the unborn against the constant teaching of the Church.
Please SIGN and SHARE this urgent petition urging the bishops Conference to take action at their June meeting to exclude pro-abortion Joe Biden and other abortion-promoting “Catholic” politicians from Holy Communion.
**Photo Credit: Joshua Roberts / Getty Images
The Friday meeting was initially scheduled to have live press coverage, in line with Vatican norms for meetings with heads of state, including video footage of the assembly. However, just one day before Biden was due to meet with the Pope, the Vatican announced that no press coverage would be permitted, providing no reason for the sudden change and causing consternation among the Vatican press corps.
As expected by many commentators, the two men did not seem to discuss Biden’s abortion advocacy, though they were scheduled to speak on “efforts grounded in respect for fundamental human dignity,” according to the White House.
The meeting comes just weeks ahead of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops’ (USCCB) Fall Assembly, during which a proposed document on the Eucharist will be debated, potentially drawing up an official reprimand for Catholic politicians who publicly oppose Church teaching on moral issues. The assembly is due to take place November 15–18, marking the Conference’s first in-person meeting since November 2019.
The USCCB voted overwhelmingly in their Spring Assembly to consider the document on the Eucharist, “The Mystery of the Eucharist in the Life of the Church,” within which special attention will be given to “how participation in the Eucharist compels us to conversion,” Bishop Kevin C. Rhoades, chairman of the USCCB doctrine committee, explained in a pre-recorded address to his fellow bishops at the time.
A subset of this third part of the document would address “Eucharistic consistency,” said Rhoades, referring to the need for Catholics to receive our Lord in Holy Communion only in a state of grace.
It is understood that the document could directly challenge Catholic politicians, such as Biden and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who publicly espouse anti-Catholic views on matters like abortion and homosexual “marriage” by disbarring them from receiving Holy Communion, consistent with historic Catholic Church teaching.
The Code of Canon Law (can. 915) states that Catholics who are “obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin are not to be admitted to Holy Communion.”
In a statement released on the eve of Biden’s meeting with the Pope, Cardinal Raymond Burke, the former prefect of the Supreme Tribunal of the Apostolic Signatura, lamented that Catholic politicians in Congress have “contributed in a significant way to the consolidation of a culture of death in the United States, in which procured abortion is simply a fact of daily life.”
Regarding the upcoming debate on “Eucharistic Coherence” among the USCCB, the cardinal noted that “It is the Diocesan Bishop, not the Conference, that applies the universal law to a particular situation,” in reference to the proper application of canon 915. It is therefore the “sacred duty” of bishops, assisted by the Conference, to apply the law properly, Burke said.
Biden has made his position on abortion clear, outlining his strong favor of maintaining Roe v. Wade and support of access to abortion “under any circumstance.”
During his 2020 presidential campaign, Biden decried the attempts of Republican lawmakers to overturn Roe, declaring that “[i]t’s wrong. It’s pernicious. And, we have to stop it.” He vowed to “codify Roe v. Wade” if he was to take the president’s office, adding, “my Justice Department will do everything in its power to stop the rash of state laws that so blatantly violate a woman’s protected, constitutional right to choose [abortion].”
The U.S. Constitution makes no mention of abortion.
The president also revealed that he does not only support abortion, but that he does not believe established science that a new, independent human life begins at conception: “I respect those who believe life begins at the moment of conception. I don’t agree, but I respect that. I’m not going to impose that on people.”
Although describing himself as a “devout Catholic” and seen to attend Holy Mass, Biden stands at odds with the perennial teaching of the Catholic Church on abortion.
The Catholic Church holds that abortion “is gravely contrary to the moral law” and “constitutes a grave offense.” “The Church attaches the canonical penalty of excommunication to this crime against human life,” according to the Catechism of the Catholic Church.
Despite the president’s clearly anti-Catholic position, according to Biden the Pope has even given the ardent abortion supporter Holy Communion. Speaking after being denied Communion in 2019 by a priest in South Carolina, Biden said: “It’s not a position that I’ve found anywhere else, including from the Holy Father, who gives me Communion.”
Pope Francis said as part of an in-flight interview last month that denying even an obstinately pro-abortion politician communion is a “political” and not “pastoral” act, advising clergy, “If you say you can give or not give [the Eucharist], this is casuistry.” He added that he has never denied Holy Communion to anyone.