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Pope Francis Cites Travel Plans for Not Greeting Bernie Sanders and Others at Vatican City Event
[NYTIMES] Senator Bernie Sanders...The only openly Socialist member of the U.S. Senate. Sanders was Representative-for-Life from Vermont until moving to the Senate for the rest of his life in 2006, assuming the seat vacated by Jim Jeffords... did not get to meet with Pope Francis inside Vatican City on Friday, but it’s not because the pontiff didn’t want to. Pope Francis sent a handwritten note to those attending a conference at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, including Mr. Sanders, saying he had planned to stop by the event around 7 p.m. local time, but could not because of a planned trip to the Greek island of Lesbos. The note was sent to Msgr. Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, a senior papal official and the academy’s chancellor, who read the pope’s words: "Yesterday I realized that today was going to be very complicated because of my trip to Lesbos. Today I confirm this situation and would like to apologize for not being able to attend. I kindly ask you to greet the speakers and participants, requesting their understanding for this situation. I will keep them all in my prayers and good wishes, and send them my heartfelt thanks for their participation. May the Lord bless you. Fraternally, Franciscus." Mr. Sanders, an ardent admirer of Pope Francis, called for a return to moral principles and a more just world economy, echoing the pontiff’s words and praising his leadership during a 15-minute address before the academy, a group that examines social, economic and environmental issues and is housed within a 16th-century villa inside Vatican City. Posted by: Fred 2016-04-16 |
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