"President Obama will apparently test just how far Pope Francis' notorious tolerance will go by inviting a rogue's gallery of people opposed to Catholic teaching to greet the pontiff at the White House during his visit next week," Breitbart's lead paragraph reads. "In a stunning show of political indecorum, Obama has invited a series of individuals who publicly flout Catholic teaching, including a pro-abortion religious sister, a transgender woman and the first openly gay Episcopal bishop, along with at least two Catholic gay activists."

"This is the group Obama has personally invited to the White House to meet the Pope?" asks conservative talk show host Rush Limbaugh. "Some people are saying that this is perfectly Obama. He's got the Pope coming, and he wants to insult the Pope, put pressure on the Pope, and challenge the Pope."

The Wall Street Journal fleshed the story out more.

"On the eve of Pope Francis's arrival in the US, the Vatican has taken offense at the Obama administration's decision to invite to the pope's welcome ceremony transgender activists, the first openly gay Episcopal bishop and an activist nun who leads a group criticized by the Vatican for its silence on abortion and euthanasia," Francis X. Rocca writes.

The Daily Signal questions "Obama's Tasteless Welcome of Pope Francis."

"But the way this White House is choosing to 'welcome' Pope Francis is appalling," writes Daily Signal Managing Editor Katrina Trinko.

"WARM WELCOME?" FOX News questions. "Controversial figures set to greet Pope Francis at White House."

"This is definitely out of the ordinary. [President Obama is] trying to force the pope into a situation where it seems as if the Church is giving license to homosexuality and socialism." said Michael Hichborn in a FOX News story. "You don't treat the head of the Roman Catholic Church as a political toy in order to push your own agenda."

"Obama's Game: Manipulate Culture Warriors by Exploiting a Pope" proclaims Aleteia.

"Why would anyone expect Obama to introduce Pope Francis to people who might politely be called 'more conventional' Catholics and Christians, when there are unconventional ones all around?" Elizabeth Scalia asks. "We need not respond to every seeming 'outrage', especially when it is manufactured specifically for that purpose."

Apparently the Vatican is not too happy with the rogue's gallery of characters, which include a dissident Catholic nun (Sister Simone Campbell, SSS); a gay Catholic blogger (Aaron Ledesma); a transgendered Catholic (Mateo Williamson); a transgendered Episcopalian (Vivian Taylor); two Catholic LGBT advocates (Nicole Santamaria and Marcia Garber); a transgendered Episcopal priest (Cameron Partridge); and a retired gay Episcopal bishop (Vicky Gene Robinson -- IX New Hampshire).

"President Obama and Pope Francis may be sympatico on climate change, capitalism, and other far-left issues, but when it comes to the teachings of the Catholic Church, they don't agree on much," writes Rick Moran in the American Thinker. "The president will put this to the test, because he has invited a pro-abortion nun, a gay bishop, and a transgender female to the White House to meet the pontiff."

"Pope Francis has shown himself to be tolerant, but isn't this a slap in the face to so publicly challenge Catholic doctrine?" Moran asks. "This is inexplicably boorish. Is he [Obama] trying to show up the pope and the Catholic Church? Francis, an experienced diplomat, will graciously accept the slight, but anyone who thinks these invites aren't an insult doesn't know anything about the Church and its teachings."

The Vatican hopes that the White House is "smarter" than to use the Pope's visit for political gain.

"A Vatican official has said the White House was 'smart enough' to know it ought not to try to embarrass Pope Francis at a planned welcome reception for the pontiff next week that will include several guests -- including a transgender woman and gay activists -- whose presence highlights some of the church's exclusionary policies," writes The Guardian, British daily publication. "But the person added that it would be the White House, not the Holy See, that would find it embarrassing if the welcome party, which will partly be held on the South Lawn and will include 15,000 guests, looked like a political stunt."

The White House is trying to back pedal and hint that Catholics had a hand in developing the guest list.

"The White House said it was not yet able to confirm exactly who was on the guest list, which has been drawn up with the help of Catholic church groups in the US, but stressed that undue prominence should not be given to individual attendees," The Guardian reports showing that the Obama's planned papal welcome is making international headlines.

The Obama Administration is also quick to point out that fifteen thousand invited guests will meet Pope Francis on the South Lawn and "individual attendees" will be lost in the throng.

"White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters that he was unaware of the guest list and also reminded reporters that 'there will be 15,000 other people there, too,'" Newsmax reports.

Apparently the Vatican's greatest concern is the photo op the event will produce.

"According to a senior Vatican official, the Holy See has noted its concerns that any photos of the Pope with these controversial guests could be interpreted as an endorsement of their activities," Newsmax posted.

Even though the Vatican is not pleased with the guest list, it has not formally protested. However there is apprehension about what a papal picture with Bishop Robinson or Mateo Williamson or Aaron Ledesma or Cameron Partridge would convey.

"According to the official, the Vatican fears Obama is attempting to lure Francis into a photo op where he is being photographed next to these activists will be interpreted as an endorsement of their activities, and a repudiation of longstanding Catholic doctrine," the Daily Caller explained.

Pope Francis and President Obama have met before -- on the Pope's turf at the Vatican -- on March 27, 2014. At that time, the President was greeted with the greatest of pomp and ceremonial decorum as fitting for a head of state. The two exchanged gifts. The Pope gave Obama a copy of his apostolic exhortation "The Joy of the Gospel" and the President gave the pontiff a small wooden chest of vegetable and fruit seeds from the White House garden.

The two world leaders then spent time together in private conversation fully aware that there were fundamental differences of opinion on pro life (abortion and contraception) and traditional marriage (gay rights) issues. However they found common ground on economic inequality.

"Given his great moral authority, when the Pope speaks, it carries enormous weight," Obama said in a 2014 interview with the Italian daily Corriere della Sera in anticipation of meeting Pope Francis at the Vatican. "He can cause people around to the world to stop and perhaps rethink old attitudes and begin treating one another with more decency and compassion."

Following Obama's left-handed welcome of the Pope, the two are to again closet for a private conversation before Pope Francis heads on to St. Matthew's Cathedral for Midday prayer with the American Catholic bishops.

Mary Ann Mueller is a journalist living in Texas. She is a regular contributor to VirtueOnline

*****

Rude or ignorant? The White House offends the pope

By The Post Editorial Board
http://nypost.com/2015/09/18/rude-or-ignorant-the-white-house-offends-the-pope/
September 18, 2015

Was Team Obama being rude or incompetent when it invited a collection of Catholic dissenters and other opponents of church teaching to the White House welcome for Pope Francis?

Perhaps the president's staff just bought the media myth that this pope has turned his back on two millennia of Catholic doctrine.

In fact -- despite his raising of issues like climate change and economic inequality -- the pope still affirms traditional teaching on issues like abortion and same-sex marriage.

That's why, as The Wall Street Journal reports, the Vatican is upset by some on the guest list, including gay and transgender activists and an activist nun whose group is silent on key social issues:

The curia fears the event will seem like a papal endorsement.

Plus, more traditional Catholic activists -- particularly those in the pro-life movement -- say they haven't been invited to next week's event.

We doubt the president meant to insult Francis; Obama's too good a politician. And the White House is hoping to exploit the first pope in recent memory who embraces key parts of Obama's progressive agenda.

Which brings us to ignorance: Team Obama invited the Catholics and other religious leaders it knows -- like the ones who endorsed the ObamaCare law despite its assaults on religious liberty.

Francis, no doubt, will graciously greet all he meets. But Obama may pay a price if the guest list reminds folks of how often he remains in conflict with the church.

END