Though the world at large is just finding out, during his pop-the-balloons and hug-the-babies visit to the U.S. last week, Pope Francis met Kim Davis, the Kentucky clerk who’s adamant about not doing her job because God appointed her judge and stuff, in private, at the Vatican Embassy. The embassy is also known as the The Apostolic Nunciature of the Holy See, because that title’s fancier.
The reaction among people who were dizzy with excitement over the Pope’s visit has been mixed because — I think — those of us hungry for a return to the idea of service among Christians — are just so stinking happy that someone on high agrees with us. I am not Catholic — far from it — but I devoted more than a handful of blogs to his visit.
Am I disappointed that he spent time with the Right’s Lil’ Darlin’? Why yes. Yes, I am. But then, we aren’t anywhere near the same pew on just about everything else.
Because, honestly: Abortion? Female priests? Marriage equality? I couldn’t disagree with him more.
He and Davis talked for 10 minutes. Davis got a rosary (which for her, as an Apostolic Christian, has all the significance of a dog being handed a spool of thread.) (No offense.). I will continue focusing on his messages about poverty. I hope he does, too.
And for a balanced perspective from James Martin SJ at America Magazine: The National Catholic Review (and thanks, Bro. ChrisB), go here. Takeaway line?
Not to put too fine a point on it, but Pope Francis also met Mark Wahlberg, and that does not mean that he liked “Ted.”
Dating Jesus 
I thought everything Bergoglio did was a BFD.
I do like the way he did it, though. On the sly…in secret…and he still won’t let his people comment on it. (Although he did say something about it being her “human right” on the plane home.) Really shed some MSM light on the character of the man and his message.
And…it is a BFD to her…and her handlers…who no doubt will be using those soon-to-be-released photos of the secret meeting to remind everyone exactly where God sits on marriage equality. (God’s Catholic, right?)
I find so many problems in this story, not the least of which having some familiarity with the Apostolic approach to the world (but only some), the Pope, to an Apostolic, is not a religious figure. The Pope is an apostate so if ol’ Kim wants to cling to her version of the Bible, she wouldn’t even admit she met the Pope, there’s that much enmity. And if you have all these trad-rad Catholics, the right-wingers, denouncing the Pope’s message on climate change by saying that his word isn’t really all that infallible, etc., how are they then going to go back to embracing him as the Holy Father?
The only thing Davis wants to cling to is celebrity…her martyrdom in the media. To her, Christianity is a costume she wears to impress other people…not God. Works for Bergoglio. And I’m sure the Apostolic Pentecostal God won’t have any problem with her snuggling up to a Catholic apostate in such a noble and worthy cause: entrenching religious
exemptiondiscrimination into secular law.I’m pretty sure the Apostolic Pentecostal God is right now gnashing her teeth over this. I mean, God’s God and God don’t play.
God don’t play?
Fooled me.
I just felt like typing that. Please don’t ask for footnotes. From our early exchange, I went back into the blog post and prettied it up. I was thinking about adding to it when I woke up, but then your conversation pushed me over the edge. So thanks for that.
I saw that.
I am not onboard with Martin’s apologia, either. In fact…his conclusion? About as close to complete nonsense as one can come without being a pope.
If this is an example of what young people are hearing from Catholic clerics, it’s no wonder they’re leaving the Church in droves.
For me, that article explained a little bit of this visit in context. I’m not willing to dismiss absolutely everything the pope has said, say, on poverty. But this stuff? Is dogma.
OK. I was not dreaming this. I swear I read a different version of your post, then went back in to reply to find something else. I was going to answer a question that no longer existed and so I worried about me.
You should not worry about you. After Leftover and I corresponded (briefly) this a.m. over this, I went in and made some changes I’d been thinking about last night. This is what keeps me up at night: What can I put on the blog?
Wait! Did the post change again?
Not since this a.m., unless Jesus went in and did it for me.
I don’t remember the “Ted” reference. I should go drink more coffee.
Oh. You’re right. I saw a Facebook comment from Bro. ChrisB. and I think I added that later. Sorry. I forget stuff.
I’m a little scattered but still trying to keep up.
The meeting is a big disappointment. I disagree with Catholic beliefs, the RCC/Pope’s position on a lot of things, and the way the RCC has conducted itself. However, I was hopeful the Pope’s visit would somehow encourage people to come together to help one another. His private meeting and validation of this woman did the exact opposite in my opinion. He empowered her with his supposed comment, “stay strong”. His previous statement, “Who am I to judge” was contradicted by his actions. Apparently, Kim Davis can judge. His softness looks false to me now. I do not trust this Pope.
I read Davis plans to give the rosaries to her parents, who are Catholic.
That’s a nice gesture for her to do, actually. Had I been handed a rosary as a member of the good ol’ cofC, I would have treated it with respect (it IS someone else’s religious symbol, after all) and I would have gotten rid of it as quickly as humanly possible.
Despite Davis not being Catholic, she does recognize the power of the Pope over the masses. She may not consider him special, but she knows she can use him because a lot of people do consider him holy. She wants public support of her choices. Now with the Pope presumably supporting her, she will exploit it to further justify her views. I am curious about how this may affect Catholics who are LGBTQ, and previously perceived a subtle acceptance from the Pope.