Papal Birthday Stirs Congressional Memory

By Alex Gangitano

Posted at 4:35 p.m. on Dec. 17




Francis’ visit deeply affected Boehner. (Tom Williams/CQ Roll Call)

The man who brought more traffic to Washington than most presidential inaugurations turns 79 today. Some might even say Pope Francis helped set in motion the biggest turnover in House leadership in years.

Although his September visit was the he’s only time he’s been to Capitol Hill, the hype and repercussions were unmatched.

In March 2014, former Speaker John A. Boehner announced he had invited the pontiff to address a joint meeting of Congress.
On Sept. 24, thousands greeted the pope at the Capitol, arriving as early as 4:30 a.m. While he affected many lives that day, perhaps his biggest influence was on Boehner, and in turn, Congress. The Ohio Republican met with Francis before the joint meeting, when, now famously, Francis noted the green of Boehner’s tie. Green symbolizes hope, according to Francis, and Boehner responded, “I need a lot of hope today.”

What You Missed: Pope Francis’ Address to Congress

Video at link

Throughout the pontiff’s address to Congress and the crowds on the West Front, Boehner was visibly emotional.

The very next morning, the Catholic speaker announced his resignation. At his news conference that day, he said, “Just yesterday we witnessed the awesome sight of Pope Francis addressing the greatest legislative body in the world — and I hope we will all heed his call to live by the Golden Rule. But last night, I started to think about this. And this morning, I woke up and I said my prayers, as I always do, and I decided, you know, today’s the day I’m going to do this.”

The ensuing month was filled with uncertainty, unrest and a testing of the GOP’s resolve in finding a new leader.

And, when Speaker Paul D. Ryan, R-Wis., was elected (He’s also a Catholic), Boehner went on to say on CNN, “I laid every ounce of Catholic guilt I could on him” to get him to take the job.



Happy Birthday, Francis! We can’t wait to see what happens next time you come to town.

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Cupich comes out swinging for immigration reform

IMMIGRATION

Archbishop Blase J. Cupich of Chicago talked with a fellow bishop before a session of the Synod of Bishops on the family at the Vatican Oct. 24. (CNS photo/Paul Haring)



By Michael O'Loughlin

National reporter November 12, 2015

CHICAGO — Congress must pass comprehensive immigration reform or the United States risks losing its status as a global humanitarian leader, Archbishop Blase Cupich told a crowd of 300 immigration activists Wednesday.

“The majority of Americans want our Congress to act,” Cupich said, and immigration reform “should not be held hostage to the views of a small but vocal minority.”

Cupich was referring to lawsuits brought against the Obama Administration by several states opposed to the president’s 2014 executive orders meant to shield some immigrants, notably those fleeing violence in Central America, from deportation. A federal court ruled against the executive orders Monday, but the Department of Justice plans to appeal to the Supreme Court.

Cupich’s remarks came during his keynote address to a gathering of immigration activists from throughout the United States hosted by Justice for Immigrants. American bishops launched the initiative a decade ago in order to mobilize parishes to serve as welcome centers for migrants and to pressure lawmakers to pass legislation favored by the Church.

Cupich reiterated the US Conference of Catholic Bishops’ support for the Obama Administration’s immigration efforts, but, he said, “We need a permanent fix by Congress.”

“While our Conference supports President Obama’s executive orders, we consider that step just a band-aid to the much larger problem yet to be solved,” he said, specifically highlighting the DREAM Act, which allows undocumented immigrants brought to the United States as children certain rights to remain in the country.

“If we are unable to meet the humanitarian challenge in our own backyard, we will lose our stature as a humanitarian leader globally,” Cupich said. “Trying to block the executive orders and deport millions of people, including DREAMers brought to the United States as children, and the parents of American citizens, is neither a serious proposal nor an adult way to deal with this issue.”

“If we want opportunity, let us give opportunity,” he said, quoting Pope Francis’ September address to Congress.

Some Congressional Republicans have slammed the president for his immigration action, suggesting Obama exceeded his authority by acting alone on the issue. Cupich rejected that criticism Wednesday.

“If the Congress disagrees with the president’s actions, with the executive order, then Congress should supersede him by passing comprehensive immigration reform,” he said to loud applause.

“Sadly, a broken political system means our elected officials continue in their failure to fix a broken immigration system,” he said, warning that inaction risks alienating an entire generation of young people from the political process.

The Chicago archbishop has emerged as a leader of the center-left wing of the American hierarchy since his appointment one year ago. At a meeting of US bishops in St. Louis earlier this year, he voiced his frustration that USCCB’s proposed priorities through 2020 did not include specific action on immigration.

He said at the time that immigration reform, which has “an enormous impact on family life and marriage,” should play a bigger role in the bishops’ priorities, and he said it was “stunning” that the word “advocacy” was used only in relation to religious freedom.

On Wednesday, he criticized the hypocrisy of relying on immigrant labor without welcoming migrants fully into American life.

“Our country benefits from the toil, the taxes, the purchasing power of a large number of undocumented workers, 8 million in all, and yet at the same time we do not offer them the protection of law,” he said. “We cannot have it both ways.”

“We should appeal to the basic sense of fairness that is very much alive in the human spirit,” he urged activists, thanking them repeatedly for their work.

“Your advocacy is an act of patriotism and contributes to the good of the nation,” he said, slamming “harsh rhetoric” that has dominated recent political debate.

“Let us never be afraid or hesitant to remind the American people that the US is a generous land built by the hands of immigrants,” he said.

He said that while valid economic reasons exist for allowing more immigration, the Church has an important role to play by offering a moral argument.

“When we begin with valuing the lives of these people, a path opens to allow saner voices to prevail,” he said.

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Boehner: ‘Catholic guilt’ swayed Ryan on speakership

US POLITICS

New House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis, saluted his predecessor, John Boehner, in the House Chamber on Capitol Hill in Washington, Thursday, Oct. 29, 2015. (AP Photo/Andrew Harnik)


By Associated Press

November 2, 2015

WASHINGTON — Former House Speaker John Boehner says he used “Catholic guilt” to persuade Paul Ryan to run for speaker.

On CNN’s “State of the Union” Sunday, Boehner said he invoked God to persuade his fellow Catholic from refusing to run for speaker to agreeing to do so.

Boehner says he told Ryan: “This isn’t about what you want to do. It’s about what God wants you to do. And God has told me, he wants you to” run for speaker.

Ryan did — and won. The Wisconsin congressman has insisted that he will not give up time with his family or stop sleeping in his office in Washington. Boehner, meanwhile, stepped down, inspired by spending time with Pope Francis last month.

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Pope Francis Gives Address to Joint Session of Congress

NickNews1

Published on Sep 24, 2015


Pope Francis immediately dove into the whirlpool of U.S. politics on Wednesday, using his first direct address to the nation to weigh in on deeply divisive issues including climate change, Cuba, and traditional marriage as he was greeted by exuberant crowds packing the streets of Washington.

The pontiff lived up to his reputation for blunt talk at a welcoming ceremony at the White House, introducing himself as the son of the kind of "immigrant family" on which America was built -- a clear reference to the controversy swirling around millions of undocumented people in the country.

Speaking in English, the Argentine-born Francis also said he was ready to listen to the "hopes and dreams of the American people" and to offer guidance to those charged with shaping the nation's political future "in fidelity to its founding principles."

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114th Congress Heavily Religious According to Pew Survey; Close to 92 Percent Christian

By Stoyan Zaimov , Christian Post Reporter
January 6, 2015|8:06 am


(Photo: Reuters/Kevin Lamarque)

U.S. President Barack Obama delivers his State of the Union address to a joint session of Congress on Capitol Hill in Washington January 24, 2012.

The 114th Congress, which is to be sworn in on Tuesday, is heavily religious in its makeup, a Pew Research Center study has revealed. Close to 92 percent of representatives identify as Christians, which is almost 20 percent more than the general population, while only a single member is religiously unaffiliated.

Pew published the results of its survey on Monday, and included a table offering a side-by-side comparison of the religion makeup of members of Congress as opposed to the general population of America.

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The survey queried all 491 members in Congress, and found that 57.2 percent identify as Protestants – more than the 49 percent of the American public. Another 164 members or 30.7 percent of Congress members identified as Roman Catholic, compared to 22 percent of the population. Furthermore, 5.2 percent of Congress is Jewish, while only 2 percent of Americans answered the same.

While nine representatives refused to answer the survey, only a single one – Rep. Kyrsten Sinema, D-Arizona, or 0.2 percent of Congress, selected the unaffiliated option. Pew Surveys have found that as much as 20 percent of Americans, on the other hand, are religiously unaffiliated.

Other national surveys, such as statistics published by Gallup, put the number of Americans without a religion slightly lower for 2014, at 16 percent.

Some atheist observers, such as "The Friendly Atheist" blogger Hemant Mehta, suggested that there are more religiously unaffiliated members of Congress, but "they dare not say so because it would be political suicide where they come from."

Pew's findings for the religious makeup of the 114th Congress are similar to the 113th Congress, when 90 percent of representatives said that they are Christians.

There were also notable differences in religion among party members – while 81.6 percent of Democrats said that they are Christians, a full 99.7 percent of Republicans said the same – with only a single Republican identifying as Jewish. Pew noted that seven members of Congress, all in the House of Representatives, are ordained ministers – four Republicans, and three Democrats.

"Although Congress remains predominantly Christian and majority Protestant, it is more religiously diverse than it was in the 1960s and '70s," Pew said.

"Comparing the 114th Congress with the 87th (1961-1962), for example, the share of Protestants is down by 18 percentage points, while the share of Catholics is up by 12 points. The percentage of Jewish members in Congress is up 3 points."

Back in November, Republicans took control of both the House of Representatives and the Senate, winning majority in both chambers of Congress.


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Note:
How do you justify 6 Supreme Court Justices are Roman Catholics, when less than 33 per cent of the citizens are Catholics?
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