Above Pope Francis's happy and mutually respectful meeting with the 44th President of the USA. Below, Pope Francis waiting to meet the 45th/47th President of the USA...
There are roughly 52 million Roman Catholics in the USA - around 20% of the population. Under normal circumstances, it would of course be right and proper for the sitting president to attend a pope's funeral on behalf of those many American Catholics. However, this coming Saturday one cannot help speculating that Trump will have ulterior motives for his attendance. After all, he is a deeply irreligious man. He might be there principally to network with other political leaders or to bolster his sinking popularity back home.
For his Easter Sunday address, Pope Francis's words were spoken by another, “I appeal to all those in positions of political responsibility in our world not to yield to the logic of fear which only leads to isolation from others, but rather to use the resources available to help the needy, to fight hunger and to encourage initiatives that promote development. These are the ‘weapons’ of peace: weapons that build the future, instead of sowing seeds of death!”
He was very obviously thinking about the current occupant of The White House and probably Vladimir Putin as well. Back in 2016, Pope Francis had said of Trump:-
"A person who only thinks about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian."
My thoughts exactly, Mr. Pudding. I seriously doubt he's going to sincerely pay any respects.
ReplyDeleteHe even said he was "really looking forward" to Pope Francis's funeral!
DeleteThe last comment of the pope's in your post hits like sledge hammer. But Trump wouldn't get it.
ReplyDeletePope Francis saw Trump for the egotistical blaggard he really is.
DeleteThe Felon will no doubt try to make the funeral about himself, which might not be a bad thing if it actually came to fruition.
ReplyDeleteI doubt that Pope Francis would have wanted him to attend.
DeleteThe Pope was right about trump, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteHe called a spade a spade.
DeleteWhile I have never been Catholic and do not believe in there being a human representative of God on this planet, I understand that all large organisations - no matter of what nature - nead someone at their head. And some popes were better heads of their church than others, just like some presidents of the US were better for their country and its people than others.
ReplyDeleteThe elderly lady behind Mr Obama is, by the way, his mother-in-law, Michelle Obama's Mum.
I am a lifelong atheist but I have some admiration for Pope Francis's humility and his chosen association with the poor and needy.
DeletePope Francis had a deeply Christian perspective and was strong enough to call out bad behaviour.
ReplyDeleteI want to say Trumps attendance at the funeral makes a mockery of the Pope but it doesn't, Francis makes a mockery of DJT
The contrast between a man of humility and service with a narcissistic, bombastic buffoon will be blatant.
DeleteHow true your words YP.
ReplyDeleteAttend a funeral? No, it's much more important that he doesn't miss a weekend's golf!
Every weekend it's golf, golf, golf for him. A weekend break in Rome will make a refreshing change.
DeleteWell as usual T***p has caused controversy when he announced the death of the pope with a blow up Easter bunny at his side. Many things the aforesaid has done is controversial and deliberate. I do hope no one speaks to him at the funeral.
ReplyDeleteTrump will probably be trying to instigate deals inside St Peter's basilica.
DeleteI am not Catholic or even religious, but I've read about Pope Francis and the things he did over the years and have great admiration for him. I hope his successor carries on his good works.
ReplyDeleteAs far as popes go, Francis was definitely a good one.
DeleteA man of peace and hope.
ReplyDeletePope Francis yes but not that privileged nitwit from New York City.
DeleteIt may have already been mentioned but I read that DT has said that he is "really looking forward" to attending the Pope's funeral.
ReplyDeleteI think of all the people who have similar thoughts concerning his own.
I am not at all sure about the very idea of "looking forward" to a funeral. The thought seems in bad taste.
DeleteContrast that with Trump's Easter tweet, which was full of spite and venom for his political "enemies."
ReplyDeleteHis misuse of the Easter greeting format confirms the kind of man he is.
DeleteDo you have any plans to lie in state?
ReplyDeleteYes. The state I have chosen is Nebraska.
DeleteTrump will look bored and may fall asleep. Hope they get it on camera.
ReplyDeleteNice to read that Trump has been relegated to the third row. He will not like that.
DeleteLet’s hope we don’t have another “elbowing to the front” from the 🍊 one.
DeleteWhy, why, why do people think Trump is a force for good? But then again, why, why, why do people believe in God. At least the latter is fairly benign as it is not pushed on others. Trump on the other hand is far from benign.
Not sure Francis is quite so unblemished when you look at his earlier life…but he seems to have tried to atone for it in later life.
YP, you will know, if you've seen the pictures, that Trump was in the front row, not exactly centre stage but near enough. Ignoramus that he is, he wore a blue tie with a dark blue suit - and he dares to criticise Zelensky for lack of respect when dressing down! Prince William was in the third row.
DeleteThe wrong man is in the box.
ReplyDeleteThe scene of his friend, the elderly nun , who prove protocols to stand and look at his open coffin broke my heart today
ReplyDeleteI suspect Pope Francis himself would find it more important who gets elected to succeed him than who does or does not attend his own funeral.
ReplyDeleteHe's attending purely to take attention away from what's more important (narcissists gotta narcissist).
ReplyDeleteMaybe it will rain and his make-up will run and his hair will deflate? One can only hope.