UNITED STATES
Christian Catholicism
Jerry Slevin
The leader of the world’s largest economy, President Obama, and the leader of the world’s largest religion, Pope Francis, both strong advocates for the poor, are set for an historic first meeting on March 27 to discuss their shared commitment to fighting poverty and growing inequality. One is a son of a Muslim raised African, born in the USA and educated at an Indonesian Catholic school and at Harvard Law, and the other a son of European Italians, born in Latin America and a Jesuit. They bring diverse and complimentary backgrounds and broad experience.
Both leaders earlier worked closely with “poor sheep” in Catholic parishes–one on Chicago’s South Side; the other in Buenos Aires’ barrios. One’s positions on some economic and military policies and the other’s positions on some sexual morality and gender equality matters have both burdened the poor needlessly, especially many children and women. The President will not be running again and the Pope has a lifetime position. The potential for breakthroughs at the meeting that could help the poor is nearly unlimited.
President Obama and Pope Francis, of course, must first establish mutual trust, which has apparently been adversely impacted, among other reasons, by Vatican political support for US conservatives’ policies and by US bishops’ continuing unaccountablity for mismanaging predatory priests, as well as Obama’s disagreements with US bishops on contraception, gay marriage and other matters.
As suggested by the implications of the important recent analysis by Betty Clermont, author of ”The Neo-Catholics”, Francis’ omissions and/or inaction on holding Catholic bishops accountable will be a major obstacle for Obama to address. Of course, as President, he has almost unlimited resources legally to address this in the USA, which should get Francis’ attention. For Betty Clermont’s thorough analysis, see:
The world’s richest 85 people control the same amount of wealth as half the world’s population, as recently reported by the anti-poverty charity Oxfam. That means the world’s poorest 3.55 billion people must live on what the richest 85 possess. Within the United States, just 400 families have wealth and assets approximately equivalent to 50 percent of the citizens in the United States.
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