Vatican Academy Criticizes Sanders’s ‘Monumental Discourtesy’

[brooklynite]

Source: Bloomberg

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders reached out to obtain his invitation to the Vatican and showed “monumental discourtesy” in the process, a senior Vatican official said.

“Sanders made the first move, for the obvious reasons,” Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the conference Sanders will attend, said in a telephone interview. “I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote but this is not the Catholic vote and he should remember that and act accordingly -- not that he will.”

Sanders told MSNBC earlier on Friday that he had been “very moved by the invitation” to the Vatican, adding: “I am a big fan of the Pope.

Read more: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-08/vatican-academy-criticizes-sanders-s-monumental-discourtesy

---

Um, can somebody translate?

[geek tragedy]

1. oopsy daisy. nt

[Jackie Wilson Said]

61. Nope, this is bullshit. Go after Bernie when he fucks up, he didnt here.

This is manufactured bullshit.

I sense the Hillary camp is very concerned and is throwing everything at Bernie.

Standard politics 101.

[geek tragedy]

68. I highly doubt the Vatican is taking orders from Hillary

or any other woman, for that matter

[Jackie Wilson Said]

75. The vatican didnt say this.

[geek tragedy]

87. the woman making these statements is part of the Vatican

she was personally appointed by Pope Francis. The body she heads is part of the Vatican.

http://en.radiovaticana.va/storico/2014/04/12/pope_francis_appoints_lady_margaret_archer__head_of_pontifical_academy/en1-790220

[Jackie Wilson Said]

104. Then why did the BBC not even mention it per another post here? Makes no sense.

And her comment about Bernie not learning or some snide bullshit like that, I mean holy fuck what a tell that is.

[geek tragedy]

114. I'm not a huge fan of the Catholic Church.

You can do a site search for my comments about Pope Francis.

But, when you arrange for this kind of publicity due to a meeting you entrust your fate to your counterparty. Something got screwed up.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

116. Something is wrong here and I think I smell Brock

Hey, it is all fair game but I smell a political rat.

Brock is a great man for Media Matters, as it is a great operation.

But, he can be a rat too

[geek tragedy]

119. This is a dispute between Sanders and the Vatican, specifically the Vatican

body hosting the event Sanders will be attending.

Very hard to imagine how that would be something David Brock engineered. He's not that smart.

[PatV]

385. There is NO dispute. ONLY one woman telling lies...

"I deny that. It was not that way," Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo told Reuters in a telephone interview while he was traveling in New York. Sorondo, a close aide to Pope Francis, is chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the event.

He said it was his idea to invite Sanders.

A Bloomberg report quoted Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, as saying that Sanders had broken with protocol by failing to contact her office first.

"This is not true and she knows it. I invited him with her consensus," said Sorondo, who is senior to Archer.

An invitation to Sanders dated March 30, which was emailed to Reuters, was signed by Sorondo and also included Archer's name.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-vatican-idUSKCN0X5257

[oberliner]

468. Why is her gender relevant?

Interesting that you felt the need to include that detail.

[PatV]

486. Because often women act poorly too. So take your sexist

Insinuation and stuff it. Couldn't you tell from the name Margaret that it is a woman? Most people can. It's about all you people have though so I understand why you work it so hard. But you've beaten that old dead horse so much and so often that there's not even a hair left it's skeleton. No one's falling for that crap anymore.

[oberliner]

487. Huh?

I was just curious why you made a point of noting the gender.

[PatV]

489. Surrrrre you were.

[MADem]

472. That "woman telling lies" is a Vatican INSIDER who goes back THREE POPES.

Unbelievable how easy it is for some people to just dismiss a "woman telling lies" when they don't realize that she is the BISHOP's BOSS at the Academy, and has been a member of the Academy (and a Vatican lay leader) for YEARS before she ascended to the Presidency of the institution--after being appointed by POPE FRANCIS, himself?

Seems very odd to me that Pope Francis would suddenly decide that he needs to go to LESBOS Right Frigging NOW--right when the Academy is having their little meeting. http://news.sky.com/story/1674312/greece-migrant-crisis-pope-to-visit-lesbos

Frank doesn't want to get "Kim Davis'd" again by these clueless, rude Americans who do not understand either protocol OR couth.

[still_one]

125. so Bloomberg is part of the Brock machinery?

[oberliner]

233. National Report is a fake news source

Not sure if you realize that.

[MADem]

245. Oh come ON. That's just asinine! Brock? Wow, that Francis is a real wuss, to get

'hornswaggled by Brock!'

That's close to the nuttiest conspiracy theory I've heard in a while....

[Kingofalldems]

291. You might want to walk back on your assertions--neither Hillary

nor Brock have any say in the Vatican.

Total nonsense.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

311. Assertions? I am mostly playing around, you see i consider all this to be nonsense.

I think the Democratic party better pick somebody and then everybody better come together and support that person otherwise there is hell to pay in the form of very ugly right wing assholes.

[NastyRiffraff]

410. Brock, again!

What is this weird obsession with David Brock? I doubt if anyone in the Vatican in the kind of position that can invite people has ever heard of him.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

413. It just didnt make ANY Sense at all so mostly for fun I said that, kinda like how Soros

is always accused of something or Obama, but I was a little bit serious too.

I admire the hell out of Media Matters.

[NastyRiffraff]

414. Okay, sorry

I misread your post. It's just that Brock is blamed for almost everything by some people here. Who knew he was so powerful?

[Jackie Wilson Said]

415. I was half serious, but at the same time I see all of this as a distraction real liberals dont need.

Ted Cruz is on record

He opposes abortion even in cases of rape and incest

And he would eliminate the payroll taxes that fund popular programs like Social Security and Medicare.

“Cruz would be a disaster with Latinos and nonwhite voters — though he does not say insulting things about women — but his views on choice, gay rights, economic issues are very far right,” said Alan Abramowitz, a political scientist at Emory College.

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/ted-cruz-most-conservative-republican-nominee-221729

People will die if whoever the Democratic candidate is doesnt get to the WH.

[NastyRiffraff]

417. Ted Cruz is in some ways scarier than Trump

He's effectively advocating a theocracy.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

419. Much scarier, he is the real thing.

[creatives4innovation]

202. Apparently there are different versions of this

Here's a quote from a CNN article on the Vatican trip:

Mons. Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, chancellor of the academy, also discussed Sanders's scheduled visit in a phone call.
"It does not signify any support of the campaign," Sorondo explained. "We want to establish a dialogue between North America and South America so we thought to invite a (U.S.) politician. The President of Bolivia will also be there. Perhaps the others (candidates) would have been interested but they did not request to come."

I wonder if Bernie and the pope met in September.

[tex-wyo-dem]

221. Hm...interesting. Appears we have a mistranslation of Italian to English...

Or someone is deliberately making this look back for Bernie.

[MADem]

255. Prof. Archer is English and that is the language she was speaking in her quote. nt

[NastyRiffraff]

408. So if the BBC doesn't mention something

it means it didn't happen? I didn't know that!

[pnwmom]

195. The Vatican says it did not issue the invitation. The Pontifical Academy did.

And the President of that organization knows under what circumstances the invitation occurred.

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/04/08/bernie-sanders-accepts-pope-franciss-invitation-to-travel-to-the-vatican/

The Vatican press office later clarified that it did not issue the invitation, but that it came from the academy.

[silvershadow]

216. Yeah, that's exactly what I thought. Another non-scandal smear job. Go Bernie! nt

[pnwmom]

228. No. The President of that Academy says she only issued the invitation

because of lobbying, and that she had been treated discourteously.

Bernie pretended that they had sought him out "out of the blue" and he was using that invitation to promote himself in a political campaign. Of course the Vatican was not happy about that because they don't endorse.

[silvershadow]

256. According to Bloomberg (just released) Bernie is in fact speaking. nt

[pnwmom]

263. Because of his lobbying efforts, yes. But if they had known he was in the midst

of a hard fought primary, and would turn around and use this for self-promotion, no, they wouldn't agreed to it.

The last time a Bishop tried to get the Pope entangled in US politics, he was forced into early retirement. The Pope disagrees with the right-wing's economic philosophies, and the left's social philosophies. The Church doesn't endorse either side.

[silvershadow]

266. Face it, it was just another in a long string of Clinton Camp hit-job FAILS. nt

[curiouso]

295. You've gotta be kidding...

Let me get this straight, it's possible for a Jewish U.S. Senator to strong-arm a Papal agency?
Who knew?
If he can push the Church around this easily, imagine what he could accomplish negotiating with the Kremlin.

[pnwmom]

301. It's possible for them to trick a Papal agency, just like it was possible for them to trick

the Pope into meeting with Kim Davis while she was here. But that got a Bishop forced into retirement.

[MADem]

473. The Pope Prefers Lesbos?

BS will have to run and say hello right after he gets off the plane, otherwise, Frank is OUTTA there....

http://news.sky.com/story/1674312/greece-migrant-crisis-pope-to-visit-lesbos

Pope Francis is to visit the Greek island of Lesbos - the centre of the migration crisis - to meet with refugees.

The trip has been scheduled to take place on 16 April, the Vatican said, in a show of support for the hundreds of thousands that have made the perilous journey to Europe.

[Nitram]

275. Much like the non-scandal smear job Bernie supporter Jackie threw at Clinton above.

Always trying to find a way to blame Hillary for every negative thing that comes up around Bernie.

[bigbrother05]

363. Just like Bernie got Greenpeace to attack HRC?

Oh wait, that wasn't a supporter making the smear, it was the candidate herself.

[MADem]

237. The President of the Academy is the woman who is complaining. I think she feels hoodwinked. nt

[Tempest]

421. The Vatican said it DID offer the invitation

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was invited to speak at an April 15 Vatican event by the Vatican, a senior papal official said on Friday, denying a report that Sanders had invited himself.

"I deny that. It was not that way," Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo told Reuters in a telephone interview while he was traveling in New York. Sorondo, a close aide to Pope Francis, is chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the event.

He said it was his idea to invite Sanders.

A Bloomberg report quoted Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, as saying that Sanders had broken with protocol by failing to contact her office first.

"This is not true and she knows it. I invited him with her consensus," said Sorondo, who is senior to Archer.

An invitation to Sanders dated March 30, which was emailed to Reuters, was signed by Sorondo and also included Archer's name.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-vatican-idUSKCN0X5257

[MADem]

238. OK, that was funny!!!

[CoffeeCat]

127. Here is the PRESS STATEMENT from the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences mentioning Bernie

The woman who made the remark is a conservative Bishop. She is entitled to her opinion, but it is only an opinion. The organization, as a whole--selected Bernie to be there. There were obviously many world leaders and others who wanted to be there.

They selected Bernie. Obviously, there are many at the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences who are very happy with Bernie. They are the ones who invited Bernie to be there. They even spotlighted Bernie's involvement by listing his name FIRST as the list of important attendees.

Also adding that this document is a press statement/press release. It's more than a letter. It's the Ponfiticial Academy of Social Science's press effort to disseminate news about this important conferences. And they mention Bernie's name first. A signal that they are proud of his involvement and are happy to tout his involvement.

This is a very high honor and it is very exciting.

Here is the text of the press release from the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences:

We're delighted to host this conference to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Centesimus Annus, bringing together world leaders, including US Senator Sanders, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, Bolivian President Evo Morales, Academicians of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences such as its President Margaret Archer, and leading scholars such as Professor Daniel Finn, Professor Jeffrey Sachs etc., to examine and discuss changes in politics, economics, and culture in the world these last 25 years in the light of Pope Francis' new encyclical Laudato si'. Our intention is socio-political in the highest sense of the term, because according to art. 1 of our Statutes, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science.
Title I - Constitution and Aims of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences
Art. 1
The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 (AAS 86 [1994], 213), with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science. The Academy, through an appropriate dialogue, thus offers the Church the elements which she can use in the development of her social doctrine, and reflects on the application of that doctrine in contemporary society. The Academy, which is autonomous, maintains a close relationship with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
✠ Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo

[840high]

141. Thanks.

[riderinthestorm]

157. Thanks. Its weird because if he DID ask, why wouldn't they just say no

[CoffeeCat]

180. Bernie was asked, he was invited

That is true.

It appears that it is difficult to get the invite. Many world leaders and scholars apply.

The invitation is secured by applying to participate. Bernie applied. I don't know if the application is written or an interview.

In any regard, he applied and was accepted and invited.

And now the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences is publicizing Bernie's involvement, with a press release that mentions his name first, in the line up of attendees who are listed.

All is well.

[curiouso]

284. Therein lies the question...

I'm sure there are multitudes of politicians lobbying for a place at all kinds of conferences that can give them exposure and an opportunity to mingle with folks who can give their campaigns a boost. Some even ask to be involved so they can learn something and perhaps contribute to the discussion. If the conference organizers don't want a politician to attend, it is traditional to simply say, "No thanx." It is not traditional to flog them in the public square.
I can't imagine Sen. Sanders having the time to "lobby" for an invitation.
Others may have done so on his behalf.
But even if they did, why would the organizers humiliate the candidate by pillorying him in this fashion?
The woman who made the allegations against Sanders appears to have an excellent academic pedigree. She's very British, and we all know how proper the Brits are - we watched Downtown Abbey, for God's sake!
So why is she acting like the playground bully or a jilted lover?
Perhaps she feels the Church hasn't gotten all the bad publicity it deserves since the furor over what some of priests were doing to altar boys died down.

[Doremus]

485. She is Opus Dei. nt

[Fantastic Anarchist]

185. Thank you, CoffeeCat for the information.

I must admit, I was confused as to what the controversy is. Still a little confused, but at least you've made it a little less hazy.

Many thanks for that!

[MADem]

189. The woman who made the remark is more than some woman with an opinion.

She's RUNNING the conference. She is the PRESIDENT of the Academy. She was APPOINTED by Pope Francis.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Archer

Margaret Scotford Archer (born 20 January 1943) spent most of her academic career at the University of Warwick, UK, where she was for many years Professor of Sociology. She is now a professor at l'Ecole Polytechnique Fédérale de Lausanne, Switzerland. She is best known for coining the term elisionism in her 1995 book Realist Social Theory: The Morphogenetic Approach. In April 2014, Professor Archer was named by Pope Francis to succeed former Harvard law professor and U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See Mary Ann Glendon as President of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.[1]

She's not a bishop--Catholics don't have women bishops, or priests. She's an academic, near as I can tell.

[CoffeeCat]

205. Well, this woman's opinion doesn't seem to be shared by the Academy

The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences invited Bernie. Many applied to be there. Not all were chosen. Many world leaders, researchers and scientists applied. Bernie was invited.

She has said negative things. I'm not saying that she's not an important person. I am sure that anyone serving on that Academy in any capacity is there because the Pope appointed them.

It is clear however, that the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences invited Bernie to be there. So, as a whole, this group has high regard for Bernie.

In that press statement they list Bernie's name first, among the attendees. So obviously, they are very interesting in leveraging his involvement and publicizing his involvement.

Not everyone in organizations or groups always agrees. And that's ok.

[MADem]

232. She is the PRESIDENT of the Academy. She IS the Academy. She was APPOINTED by Pope Francis.

Apparently, Bernie invited himself and they're stuck with him--but she (or more likely, the Pope) wants people to know he's not playing that "political endorsement by association" game.


Ergo, she's carrying papal water by expressing her extreme displeasure.


It would not surprise me if the Pope skips his speech, and/or only gives him an audience in a large group--no one-on-one.

We'll see.

[CoffeeCat]

250. Bernie was never slated

for a one-on-one meeting with the Pope, so that can hardly be used as a measuring stick.

Yes, she is the President. However, she is one person.

The entire organization INVITED Bernie--and is prominently promoting his involvement in their press release.

If the entire organization shared her opinion, there is no way that he would have been extended an invitation.

Her opinion could be the result of internal squabbles or some other personal agenda. She obviously has an opinion, but her opinion didn't override the fact that the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences invited Bernie to participate, wants him there and is publicizing his involvement.

[retrowire]

262. you tell it coffee cat!

thanks for the clarification here.

[CoffeeCat]

368. You bet! (nt)

[MADem]

264. This is my view--Prof. Archer was saying what the Pope could not say.

She's, in essence, serving as his mouthpiece.

She's making it very clear that this is not an endorsement, and the circumstances of the request to attend might have been managed in a less than upfront fashion.

And she's expressing a clear amount of disapprobation re: the process, too.

[riderinthestorm]

317. Chancellor's are higher in the chain than Presidents usually

It seems as though Bernie was invited...

Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the chancellor of the Academy, speaking on the phone from New York, said he extended the invitation to Sanders

“We are interested in having him because we have two presidents coming from Latin America, I thought it would be good to have an authoritative voice from North America,” Sanchez Sorondo said.Asked when he when the invitation was extended, he said, “Quite some time ago.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-04-08/sanders-accused-of-discourtesy-in-seeking-vatican-invitation

[MADem]

474. Lady Archer is the Bishop's boss--it's in the bylaws of the Academy.

http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en/about/statutes.html Annotations in BOLD are mine:

The President (that's Lady Archer) is nominated by the Supreme Pontiff, to whom he reports directly. The President remains in office for five years and his mandate may be renewed. He is directly assisted by the Chancellor, (this is Bishop Sarono, who is ASSISTING Lady Archer) who is nominated by the Supreme Pontiff.

More to the point, the academy is autonomous--they do not bow to the Vatican, though the Vatican supports them with funds and chooses their leadership. The reason for this arm's length relationship is so that the Academy can speak honestly in unfettered fashion to Vatican leadership. This is a fairly new institution, designed to (in a very small way) loosen the institutional gridlock and glacial movement of Vatican thought. Surprisingly, it was that old die-hard, cherubic faced, iron-fisted, back-to-the-dark-ages Pope, JP2, who created this Academy. Go figure...

[MADem]

444. Come off it--you were calling her a 'conservative bishop' upthread.

Sanders reached out to the Argentinian Bishop Sorondo -- he's the one the arch conservatives in the Vatican call "The Marxist" BTW (he's a social justice kind of guy) --and ASKED for the invitation. How do we know this? Because the Bishop refuses to say who initiated the invitation, and since he was the "issuer" of said invitation, if he was the initiator, it would be an easy thing to say "It was me." But hey, Thou Shalt Not Lie, and all that, so he's got the lip zipped.

Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the academy's chancellor, said he arranged for Sanders' invitation, although Bloomberg reports that the bishop "repeatedly declined to say who initiated the contact."

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-04-08/so-who-exactly-invited-bernie-sanders-to-the-vatican


IMO, it was a stupid thing to lie about. Oh well--nobody's perfect.

[creatives4innovation]

296. Point taken

The chancellor and the president of the academy appear to have different views of the invitation. In Germany, a chancellor is senior to a president. I don't know if that's the case in Italy and with Vatican protocol but it does appear to be.

[MADem]

432. The Chancellor invited Bernie on behalf of the President, but the President didn't know a thing

about it. That doesn't sound like the Chancellor is senior to me, if he's doing the letter writing--that's usually a junior's job. And the President pitched a fit publicly when she found out that he'd "wrangled" the invite.


It's all here:

But the invitation was actually made by Bishop Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, the chancellor of the pontifical academy, an autonomous institution that receives some funding from the Holy See but is not officially part of it.


In a March 30 letter inviting Sanders to the event, Sánchez Sorondo wrote, "On behalf of the President, Professor Margaret Archer, the Organizers, and as Chancellor, I am very happy to invite you to attend the meeting on 'Centesimus Annus: 25 Years Later.' The meeting, which is humanitarian in its objects, will be held at the Casina Pio IV, the headquarters of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, from 15 to 16 April 2016."


But Archer, an English academic, appears not to have known about the invitation. On Friday, she accused Sanders of “monumental discourtesy” for not contacting her, telling Bloomberg that he was the one who had made the first move regarding the meeting — and “for obvious reasons.”


Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/bernie-sanders-vatican-conference-221708#ixzz45HQySWFO
Follow us: @politico on Twitter | Politico on Facebook

Archer is calling him out as a craven politician--it was, once again, a ham-handed arrangement.

[creatives4innovation]

461. What you've written is essentially an "artful smear"

The article you refer to is wrong. A number of updates/corrections and overriding accounts have been published since. The chancellor has himself refuted the version you're advancing here. To paraphrase HRC, you need to do your research better.

[MADem]

464. Oh horseshit. You don't have a response so you drag out that tired, meaningless little term.

The articles I'm providing are recent.

I'm also providing original source material from the Academy.

But hey, it's much easier to just Make Shit Up.

The Chancellor REFUSES to say who "initiated" the invitation--and since HE sent it, that means that Bernie asked.

Where the Chancellor screwed up was not checking with his boss, Lady Archer.

[creatives4innovation]

470. Lady Archer has since said she was misquoted

And the chancellor who is senior to the president has released the original invitation to Sanders which originated from the Vatican. I will not engage further with you because of your incivility but will report you if continue to misrepresent the facts.

[creatives4innovation]

475. You're wrong

A chancellor is indeed senior to a president.

Here's the relevant link again: Papal official denies report Sanders invited himself to Vatican

Excerpt:

A Bloomberg report quoted Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, as saying that Sanders had broken with protocol by failing to contact her office first.

"This is not true and she knows it. I invited him with her consensus," said Sorondo, who is senior to Archer.

[MADem]

476. I gave you the BYLAWS OF THE ACADEMY. You reply with "Bloomberg?" Get over yourself.

[creatives4innovation]

477. I've reported you for incivility

Let the jurors decide.

[SunSeeker]

478. Shameful alert. I can't believe you admitted to that alert.

As could be expected, it garnered a 4-3 hide by a Sanders supporter stacked jury.

Meanwhile this Sanders supporter's pure personal attack post survived an alert:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1251&pid=1688978

[ForgoTheConsequence]

479. You were alerted.

On Sat Apr 9, 2016, 12:42 PM an alert was sent on the following post:

You're wrong
http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1408859

REASON FOR ALERT

This post is disruptive, hurtful, rude, insensitive, over-the-top, or otherwise inappropriate.

ALERTER'S COMMENTS

Poster is LYING and trolling about this and wrongly got my post hidden for telling him that he was wrong-I am not normally an alerter but this is bullshit--I provided facts, and he got four partisans to wrongly hide my post. The chancellor is the ASSISTANT to the President and my link proves that. MADem.

You served on a randomly-selected Jury of DU members which reviewed this post. The review was completed at Sat Apr 9, 2016, 12:49 PM, and the Jury voted 0-7 to LEAVE IT.

Juror #1 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: ???? tit for tat maybe?
Juror #3 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Sorry, nothing is offensive about this. It's a debate, and you can't shut someone down in a debate just because you don't agree with them.
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: Take a break! There is nothing in this post alertable.
Juror #6 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: The president is a lay person, The chancellor is a bishop, a bishop who is in charge of two such institutions.

so she might lead that specific institution, but he holds a higher position in the 'system' whos duties includes helping the leaders of the institutions under his charge(common sense really if a superior does his job properly )
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: This alert is pathetic. Hillary supporters have come unhinged.

Thank you very much for participating in our Jury system, and we hope you will be able to participate again in the future.

[Bodhi BloodWave]

483. seems you beat me on reporting without me noticing somehow

so might as well self delete mine.

Unusual to see such a united jury tho, i'm used to almost always seeing atleast one juror for a hide

[SunSeeker]

481. How is MADem wrong?

Because Bloomberg said so? How about the actual bylaws that MADem cited, namely:

http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en/about/statutes.html 

The President is nominated by the Supreme Pontiff, to whom he reports directly. The President remains in office for five years and his mandate may be renewed. He is directly assisted by the Chancellor, who is nominated by the Supreme Pontiff. 

As MADem explained:

The President (That is LADY ARCHER) is nominated by the Supreme Pontiff, to whom he reports directly. The President remains in office for five years and his mandate may be renewed. He is directly assisted by the Chancellor (that is the Bishop who was asked by, and issued the invitation to, Bernie--see, he ASSISTS the President), who is nominated by the Supreme Pontiff. 

So please explain how the above is incorrect. TIA.

[ChairmanAgnostic]

409. You twist facts as much as Hillary

Shame on you.

Just wait until the facts come out. I hope you have even an iota of honor and self respect, and will apologize.

Somehow, I doubt it

[MADem]

428. I saw the press release that said the ACADEMY invited him, not the Pope.

But see? I present facts, truth-- you reply with insults. Because the truth doesn't feel that BERRRRN. And boy does it annoy you--so you take your anger and frustration out on me. I'd say shame on you--but you apparently don't have any, judging by your nasty ass comments towards me.

Heckuvajob, Chairman! Grrrr!

http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/bernie-sanders-vatican-conference-221708

But the invitation was actually made by Bishop Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, the chancellor of the pontifical academy, an autonomous institution that receives some funding from the Holy See but is not officially part of it.


In a March 30 letter inviting Sanders to the event, Sánchez Sorondo wrote, "On behalf of the President, Professor Margaret Archer, the Organizers, and as Chancellor, I am very happy to invite you to attend the meeting on 'Centesimus Annus: 25 Years Later.' The meeting, which is humanitarian in its objects, will be held at the Casina Pio IV, the headquarters of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, from 15 to 16 April 2016."


But Archer, an English academic, appears not to have known about the invitation. On Friday, she accused Sanders of “monumental discourtesy” for not contacting her, telling Bloomberg that he was the one who had made the first move regarding the meeting — and “for obvious reasons.”


Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/bernie-sanders-vatican-conference-221708#ixzz45HQySWFO
Follow us: @politico on Twitter | Politico on Facebook

Darn the bad luck for you. Here are "the facts," and they "are out," and they back up what I said--not your spurious claims.

LOL!

[greatauntoftriplets]

314. Yes, she's a British sociologist.

As you say, there are no women bishops in the Catholic church.

[bjo59]

204. Thanks for this.

[Grins]

211. The woman who made the remark is a conservative Bishop.....

The woman who made the remark is a conservative Bishop.


In what church? There are no female priests, much less a Bishop, in the CC.

[pnwmom]

240. The woman is the HEAD of the organization that invited him and is in the position to know

how that invitation occurred. They didn't select him. He begged them for an invitation, and then he used it for free publicity in his political campaign.

They don't want to be involved in Bernie's political campaign anymore than they wanted to be involved in the Kim Davis debacle -- after which a Bishop was forced into retirement.

Despite what narcissistic Americans think, the US isn't at the center of the universe and whoever invited him clearly didn't know he was battling in a primary in a state with lots of Catholics -- and that he would seek to use this for his purposes.

[CoffeeCat]

261. You have no evidence that Bernie "begged" for an invitation

We do have evidence that one woman is unhappy with the Pontifical Academy of Social Science's decision to extend the invitation to Bernie.

Bernie applied. He was invited.

The organization, as a whole, approved to invite Bernie. They are publicizing his involvement very prominently, which signals that there is plenty of good will between Bernie and the Pontifical Academy of Social Science.

He is happy to be involved. It is an honor. They appear to want him there. They have issued a press release that lists Bernie's name first in the list of attendees. They are publicizing this too! Do they have nefarious intentions too?

This is a high honor. Yes, the President is unhappy about this, but clearly the Academy as a whole--does not share her negative opinion.

[pnwmom]

271. The "one woman" is the HEAD of the org that invited him. She knows the circumstances and

she said she was lobbied.

If Bernie "applied" then why did he indicate on MSNBC today that he'd just received the invitation "out of the blue." And why did he say it came from the Pope -- when the Vatican says it didn't come from the Pope, it came from the Academy?

[CoffeeCat]

279. There are plenty of important people with vital voices

who are in this organization.

I have a feeling that we will be hearing from some of them. This woman sounds like she is making a very politically charged accusation.

Clearly, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences wouldn't extend an invitation to someone who has acted in the manner that this woman has suggested.

Bernie clearly has the support of this organization. Otherwise, no invitation would have been extended. And they wouldn't be publicizing his involvement so widely and clearly--with Bernie's name prominently mentioned as the first name on their attendee list---in press materials that were disseminated worldwide.

[pnwmom]

286. You claim that the whole org invited him. What is your basis for saying that? And where does it say

he's speaking? I didn't see him listed as a speaker, or with the pictured participants. Only at the very end, with a handful of people called "other participants.'

http://www.pass.va/content/dam/scienzesociali/booklet/centesimus_annus.pdf

[CoffeeCat]

375. Well, clearly one can make deductions

Bernie was invited to participate in this conference. Of course, the group that invited him to speak--has to have some sort of consensus that Bernie should be there.

There were many that applied to attend. Not everyone was invited. This is an honor.

It's logical to conclude that the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences invited him and supports his participation, correct?

As for Bernie speaking--of course he will be speaking. The entire reason that Bernie and the rest of these world leaders and researchers are being assembled is to dialog about their areas of expertise. Bernie will be a part of the conversation. I've said that repeatedly.

Yes, he's participating with "other participants."

There are quite a few articles out there that highlight these details, and many others.

[Tempest]

424. VATICAN CONFIRMS IT, NOT THE ACADEMY SENT OFFER TO SANDERS

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was invited to speak at an April 15 Vatican event by the Vatican, a senior papal official said on Friday, denying a report that Sanders had invited himself.

"I deny that. It was not that way," Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo told Reuters in a telephone interview while he was traveling in New York. Sorondo, a close aide to Pope Francis, is chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the event.

He said it was his idea to invite Sanders.

A Bloomberg report quoted Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, as saying that Sanders had broken with protocol by failing to contact her office first.

"This is not true and she knows it. I invited him with her consensus," said Sorondo, who is senior to Archer.

An invitation to Sanders dated March 30, which was emailed to Reuters, was signed by Sorondo and also included Archer's name.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-vatican-idUSKCN0X5257

[TexasBushwhacker]

308. If she's the HEAD of the organization

and she didn't like how this all came to pass, why was he still invited? Somebody wants him there.

[pnwmom]

280. Link? And where does it say the whole organization invited him/

[NikolaC]

302. Thank you for the clarification.

[greatauntoftriplets]

313. There are no women bishops in the Catholic Church.

[CoffeeCat]

331. Many reported that she was a conservative bishop

I am unclear of her exact position now. Many were saying that she was a Bishop. I guess she doesn't rise to that level of importance.

I do not know exactly the full details of her background.

[greatauntoftriplets]

333. All Catholic bishops are priests; woman cannot be priests.

[Nitram]

269. Jackie, can you tell us how Hillary had anything to do with this?

I never cease to be amazed at the wild accusations Bernie supporters throw at Clinton. Reminds me of right wing talk radio during the Clinton administration.

[Jackie Wilson Said]

303. I said Brock, not Hillary. And I may have been wrong, it just seemed ridiculous.

I am a Bernie voter who will aggressively support Hillary if need be.

Brock is part of Hillary Camp.

[roguevalley]

315. monumental discourtesy? BWAHAHAHA! FROM THE PEOPLE WHO HID PEDOS!?

[w4rma]

335. Hillary is jealous. The Pope snubbed her. She'll wine and dine with Goldman Sachs, instead. (nt)

[geek tragedy]

340. I doubt she's jealous, Sanders asked to be invited, I imagine

she's happy he's taking a day off the campaign trail for this right before the primary to attend a conference

[w4rma]

349. Papal official denies report Sanders invited himself to Vatican (Papal aide accuses Archer of lying)

VATICAN CITY/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was invited to speak at an April 15 Vatican event by the Vatican, a senior papal official said on Friday, denying a report that Sanders had invited himself.

"I deny that. It was not that way," Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo told Reuters in a telephone interview while he was traveling in New York. Sorondo, a close aide to Pope Francis, is chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the event.

He said it was his idea to invite Sanders.

A Bloomberg report quoted Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, as saying that Sanders had broken with protocol by failing to contact her office first.

"This is not true and she knows it. I invited him with her consensus," said Sorondo, who is senior to Archer.

An invitation to Sanders dated March 30, which was emailed to Reuters, was signed by Sorondo and also included Archer's name.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/senior-papal-official-untrue-sanders-invited-himself-vatican-173414032.html

[geek tragedy]

353. I think his time would be better spent in NY if he thinks he has a chance at winning NY nt

[w4rma]

357. I don't think you have America's best interests in mind, geek tragedy. (nt)

[geek tragedy]

359. Bye. nt

[PatV]

350. Papal official denies report Sanders invited himself to Vatican

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was invited to speak at an April 15 Vatican event by the Vatican, a senior papal official said on Friday, denying a report that Sanders had invited himself.

"I deny that. It was not that way," Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo told Reuters in a telephone interview while he was traveling in New York. Sorondo, a close aide to Pope Francis, is chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the event.

He said it was his idea to invite Sanders.

A Bloomberg report quoted Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, as saying that Sanders had broken with protocol by failing to contact her office first.

"This is not true and she knows it. I invited him with her consensus," said Sorondo, who is senior to Archer.

***

Not surprised this 'he invited himself' was a lie. Clintoon brings out the worst in everyone, especially supporters.

[geek tragedy]

356. the Vatican has sent mixed signals. People can say the opposite about what the Vatican has said

and both can be right.

Francis got bit by this with Kim Davis. Not comparing Sanders to Davis, but rather noting the intractable internal divisions inside the Vatican.

[PatV]

371. Surrrrrre. It's the 'Vatican's' fault. Sure seems funny a papal aide who is head of the organization

that this woman belongs to sure seems to say otherwise.


"Sorondo, a close aide to Pope Francis, is chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the event."

No, the only noise we're hearing is from some foreign woman bitching about Sanders. The end.

[geek tragedy]

377. "some foreign woman" who happens to be a Vatican official appointed

by Pope Francis.

[PatV]

382. And she's also a liar meddling into our election and disgracing that 'official appointment'

when she opened her mouth.

'foreign woman' is nicer than what I think of her and almost posted. She deserves no respect whatsoever.

[geek tragedy]

383. you are very lucky you changed your wording.

she's a Vatican official, my point being the same, different Vatican sources are giving different accounts.

[PatV]

388. No, only ONE woman. Post the other Vatican official's statements from the 'other' officials who say

Sanders invited himself please. Who are these 'different' Vatican sources? Why didn't the Clinton fans post those responses?

What is it they say? Link or slink?

[geek tragedy]

392. she is a Vatican official who heads up the academy hosting the event.

Simmah down nah.

[PatV]

397. Maybe not for long. I seem to remember something about not telling any lies.

And don't worry about me Hon. Just worry about how foolish you all look for promoting this crap.

[MADem]

446. Just so people understand, Archer has been affiliated with the Academy for YEARS.

Francis appointed her as President, but she has been an Academy member for much, much longer.

It's not like she's a newbie--she was chosen for the Presidency because of her experience.

[forest444]

389. Nice try.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141407803

Monsignor Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo shot down the allegation in no uncertain terms. He's the Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (its highest authority), and a close aide to Pope Francis besides (as well as a fellow Argentine who's known him well for decades).

Margaret Archer is a Thatcherite Opus Dei harpy. As such she'd rather eat a 72-oz Texas steak on Good Friday than see Bernie be elected President.

Not even close.

[Bad Dog]

2. I'm at a loss too.

This is what the BBC has to say. Nothing about discourtesy there.

Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders has accepted an invitation from the Pope to the Vatican.
Mr Sanders, who is Jewish, accepted an invitation to Rome for a conference at the end of next week.
The Vatican visit is four days before the primary contest in New York, a competitive battle between him and front-runner Hillary Clinton.
"I am a big, big fan of the pope," Mr Sanders told MSNBC, saying they share the same views on inequality.
"He's trying to inject this sense of morality into how we do economics... and we need that absolutely desperately."
He will attend a conference on social, economic and environmental issues and give a speech on 15 April, his campaign said.

Mr Sanders and Pope Francis have similar views on fighting income inequality, he said, and he was "very moved" by the invitation from the Vatican.
He said he and the pope disagree on women's rights and gay rights, but Pope Francis has "injected a moral consequence into the economy".
The senator from Vermont is trailing Mrs Clinton but gaining momentum after a strong of wins, most recently in the Wisconsin primary.
In the last few days, a mostly civil fight between the two became more personal as Mr Sanders accused his rival of not being "qualified" to be president.
Pope Francis said on Friday that the Catholic Church should be less strict and show more compassion to "imperfect" Catholics.
He called on the Church to be welcoming to gay Catholics but did not change the Church's views on LGBT families and marriage.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2016-35999269

Maybe he's just pissed of some functionary in the Vatican, it's easily done.

[revbones]

5. Might be a couple of lines in his interview

Such as "called on the Church to be welcoming to gay Catholics..." or the disagreement on women's rights or something.

[Bad Dog]

11. Maybe he used the wrong colour notepaper when he replied.

It seemed that he is backing the pontiff. That in itself may have upset conservative elements who feel his backing should be more appropriate and in keeping with the Vatican's archaic protocol.

[revbones]

14. My guess is that the "Vatican Academy" will turn out to be unassociated with the Vatican

At least that's my assumption since you can't google what it actually is. At this point, and that may change, it just seems like a cheap hit job by either Bloomberg, or a story by someone that didn't vet their source.

[Bad Dog]

25. Could be.

Or it could be some dusty old priest who thinks the Vatican should be treated with the same deference that it once was afforded over a thousand years ago.

[dorkzilla]

38. Bad headline

The link to the "Academy" is in the linked article:

http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en.html

[revbones]

173. Yeah. There's some other discussion going on here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511680901

[Cerridwen]

53. Links to website and wiki...

From the article in the OP:

“Sanders made the first move, for the obvious reasons,” Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the conference Sanders will attend, said in a telephone interview. “I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote but this is not the Catholic vote and he should remember that and act accordingly -- not that he will.”

Website:

Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (as listed in the article referenced in OP)
http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en.html

From their "About" page:

The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II (1 January 1994) with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science, thus offering the Church those elements which she can use in the development of her social doctrine, and reflecting on the application of that doctrine in contemporary society.

Each of the Academy’s meetings begins with a report on the Church’s social teachings relative to the topic in question. The Academy investigates points where further elaboration of these teachings seems advisable and provides a constructive evaluation of the teachings in the light of the social sciences.

To achieve its aims the Academy organizes conferences and workshops on specific themes, promotes scientific surveys and research, helps institutions and private individuals to execute them, publishes the results of its own consultations and issues publications of a scientific nature.

Wiki:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontifical_Academy_of_Social_Sciences

The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (PASS) was established in January 1994 by Pope John Paul II and headquartered in the Casina Pio IV in the Vatican. It operates much like other academies worldwide, but has the special task of entering into dialogue with the Church. Its scientific activities are organised and focused to promote this dialogue.

[brooklynite]

170. Um, right here...

http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en.html

[revbones]

172. Um, right here...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511680901

[revbones]

3. What is the "Vatican Academy"?

Google doesn't provide any results.

There is a Pontifical Academy of Science and one of Life though.

[Saviolo]

39. I think this is it, here:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontifical_Academy_of_Social_Sciences

From the wiki page:

The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (PASS) was established in January 1994 by Pope John Paul II and headquartered in the Casina Pio IV in the Vatican. It operates much like other academies worldwide, but has the special task of entering into dialogue with the Church. Its scientific activities are organised and focused to promote this dialogue.

PASS is one of the Pontifical academies at the Vatican in Rome. It was established to promote the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law, and political science. Through appropriate dialogue it offers the Church elements useful to the development of its social doctrine, and it reflects on the application of that doctrine in contemporary society. PASS, which is autonomous, maintains a close relationship with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

Edmond Malinvaud was the first president of the academy (1994-2004). In 2014 Pope Francis appointed Professor Margaret Archer president. PASS is headquartered in the Casina Pio IV, together with its sister academy the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, at the heart of the Vatican Gardens. The Chancellor of both academies is currently Msgr. Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo.

And the official website:
http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en.html

But I'm with you, that article didn't give me enough information to really understand what the gaffe was. I don't get it?

[Surya Gayatri]

4. Oh, snap! I'm loving this NY version of the campaign more and more.

Bernie makes a major gaff out of his much vaunted "invitation".

I LOVE IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

“I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote but this is not the Catholic vote and he should remember that and act accordingly -- not that he will.”

[revbones]

6. So do tell. What's the "Vatican Academy" and what was the gaff? nt

[Surya Gayatri]

27. Bloomberg apparently considered their opinion worthy of note...

Vatican Academy Criticizes Sanders’s ‘Monumental Discourtesy’

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-08/vatican-academy-criticizes-sanders-s-monumental-discourtesy

And, I WOULD qualify a ‘Monumental Discourtesy’ as a gaff in the circumstances.

[revbones]

31. So you just go around repeating what you don't understand. Got it. nt

[Surya Gayatri]

66. Read further down thread, if you want to understand. Dishonest move on Bern's part to wangle

an invite and exploit it for his campaign.

Who knew he's just a conniving pol like all the rest?

[riderinthestorm]

161. If he did ask, why wouldn't they have just said no

Like they did when the Clinton Foundation asked.

She's the chief, why not just tell him to fuck off?

[Surya Gayatri]

242. Why did the Pope inadvertently "meet" with Kim Davis under false pretenses,

and when she publicized it, expressly announce that the Vatican does NOT involve itself in US politics?
Why did the Pope go on to fire the Vatican rep. responsible for the enormously embarrassing "meeting"?

Somebody screwed up. Crap happens.

When it became obvious just today, that Bernardo was blatantly exploiting the finagled invitation for his own political ambitions, the smack down came.

BAF, dans la gueule!

[riderinthestorm]

297. OP is DEBUNKED!

The VATICAN debunks the OP. ..

Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the chancellor of the Academy, speaking on the phone from New York, said he extended the invitation to Sanders

“We are interested in having him because we have two presidents coming from Latin America, I thought it would be good to have an authoritative voice from North America,” Sanchez Sorondo said.Asked when he when the invitation was extended, he said, “Quite some time ago.”
 
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-04-08/sanders-accused-of-discourtesy-in-seeking-vatican-invitation

[Surya Gayatri]

322. "The office of the pope moved quickly to distance the pontiff from Sanders’s visit."

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141407275#post259

Sanders earlier on Friday said, “this is an invitation from the Vatican, from a pope that I have enormous respect for in term of the level of consciousness that he’s raising on the need to have morality in our economy."

The office of the pope moved quickly to distance the pontiff from Sanders’s visit. Father Federico Lombardi, the Pope’s spokesman, said Sanders had been invited “not by the pope but by the pontifical academy of social sciences.” Lombardi told the Italian news agency Ansa: “For the moment there is no expectation that there will also be a meeting with the pope.”

He wasn't invited by the Pope.
He lied.

[riderinthestorm]

328. "This is an invitation from the Vatican" he said.

Where in there does he say he was invited by the Pope...

[Surya Gayatri]

334. Did you hear Bern's fake-humble, misleading and disingenuous

announcement on MSNBC this morning?

He purposely left the impression that he was personally invited, out of the blue, by the Pope he SO admires.

[riderinthestorm]

341. Yes. He never said he was invited by the Pope nt

[kristopher]

351. Wrangle an invite?

All attendees make application to attend.

Very few are "invited" (that is the proper term).

The announcement letter from the Academy lists Sander's as the first attendee ahead of the President's of both Ecuador and Bolivia.

[Surya Gayatri]

360. Wangle...

Full Definition of wangle

intransitive verb

: to resort to trickery or devious methods
transitive verb

1
: to adjust or manipulate for personal or fraudulent ends

2
: to make or get by devious means : finagle <wangle an invitation>

[beastie boy]

41. The article clearly identifies it: Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_academies/acdsoc/index_social_en.htm

And the gaff is this:

The head of the academy said Thursday that Sanders sought the invitation and that put an inappropriate political cast on the gathering.

“Sanders made the first move, for the obvious reasons,” Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the conference Sanders will attend, said in a telephone interview. “I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote but this is not the Catholic vote and he should remember that and act accordingly -- not that he will.”

[dr60omg]

181. Yes but she is not part of the vatican she is a professor in the uk

http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en/academicians/ordinary/archer.html

[brooklynite]

193. She's the President of the Academy, which is part of the Vatican, but she's not part of the Vatican?

[dr60omg]

398. Margaret Archer is a professor in the UK

she is not from the church. The Chancellor of the Academy is from the Church itself and THEY invited Sanders and apparently Dr. Archer signed on ...what is so difficult to understand?
http://news.trust.org/item/20160408180858-dibw3

[pnwmom]

198. She's the President of the Academy that invited Bernie.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1407552

[Fiendish Thingy]

231. And yet, one must apply to be invited

As documented up thread, so should Bernie have not applied to participate? And he is listed at the top of important figures attending the conference by the hosting body that invited him. Sounds like Ms. Archer is speaking out of turn, and sharing her opinion, not that of the Academy. What could possibly be motivating her?


The timing is odd, just days before the NY primary, Bernie is going have some major jet lag that week. At least it's after the debate.

[jomin41]

15. Apparently you have some info the rest of us don't.

Please share.

[Surya Gayatri]

21. No, only Bloomberg's headline:

Vatican Academy Criticizes Sanders’s ‘Monumental Discourtesy’

[revbones]

30. So, you're just quoting a headline you don't understand? Got it.

and that says what about the rest of your comments?

[Surya Gayatri]

117. See here...and read down thread.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/10141407275#post66

[revbones]

167. See here

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511680901

[revbones]

226. Oh wait he WAS "invited"

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-04-08/sanders-accused-of-discourtesy-in-seeking-vatican-invitation

Sanders “made the first move two or three days ago,” Archer said. She did not know whom he or his representatives contacted about what she called “this little workshop.” Archer added: “His use of it is clearly a pretext. There are just 20 academics and there will be nothing of policy relevance.”
However Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the chancellor of the Academy, speaking on the phone from New York, said he extended the invitation to Sanders, though he declined to say who initiated the contacts.
“We are interested in having him because we have two presidents coming from Latin America, I thought it would be good to have an authoritative voice from North America,” Sanchez Sorondo said. Asked when he when the invitation was extended, he said, “Quite some time ago.”

[Surya Gayatri]

253. CYA - "he declined to say who initiated the contacts..." Bwaahaaa!

[azurnoir]

107. BOOM he pope accepted Bernies request and turned the Clinton's Foundation down flat

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/255058-elton-john-pope-francis-turned-down-clinton-foundation-invites

[BlueMTexpat]

287. Actually the Pope had nothing to

do with inviting Bernie.

[FailureToCommunicate]

7. How is seeking an audiance at the Vatican (as opposed to an invite) a monumental

discourtesy? Is that the Bloomberg headline writer's, or an actual quote?

[Igel]

135. "Obama invited me to the White House"

= "I asked to be included in a White House tour, and some low-ranking employee wrote in my name"?

One says I'm sucking up. The other says that somebody important think I'm important enough to be invited.

To bill my request and their acceding to it as equal to my being so important as to be invited misuses the other party's reputation. I've just twisted them into saying something good about me that not only did they not say, but which they'd have never said.

For political reasons, one presumes. Thereby making it seem that the Pope has all but taken sides.

[FailureToCommunicate]

152. I take your point. But here is the actual invite. Looks like they didn't just 'write in

his name for a Vatican tour' and call it an invite:

"We're delighted to host this conference to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Centesimus Annus, bringing together world leaders, including US Senator Sanders, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, Bolivian President Evo Morales, Academicians of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences such as its President Margaret Archer, and leading scholars such as Professor Daniel Finn, Professor Jeffrey Sachs etc., to examine and discuss changes in politics, economics, and culture in the world these last 25 years in the light of Pope Francis' new encyclical Laudato si'. Our intention is socio-political in the highest sense of the term, because according to art. 1 of our Statutes, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science.
Title I - Constitution and Aims of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences
Art. 1
The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 (AAS 86 , 213), with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science. The Academy, through an appropriate dialogue, thus offers the Church the elements which she can use in the development of her social doctrine, and reflects on the application of that doctrine in contemporary society. The Academy, which is autonomous, maintains a close relationship with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
✠ Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo "

[riderinthestorm]

184. President Margaret Archer could just have said no if it was Bernie’s request

[BlueMTexpat]

300. She was not contacted about it.

Breach of protocol.

[BlueMTexpat]

298. Spot on!

Keeping the Kim Davis incident in mind - I very much suspect that Pope Francis's people will arrange to have him be very FAR from the Vatican during Bernie's visit. Or at least indisposed.

They know exactly how it will look and it's not good. It's just another US politician - or political faction - cynically trying to use the Pope in a very unpapal way.

[IdaBriggs]

8. Seems a tad odd - why would an Englishwoman be talking about our elections?

She is known for her blunt talk about climate change though. Still seems odd that she would diss someone who is saying good things about her boss and bringing awareness to her issues to a large percentage of the American public.

Here is a fun article about her - https://www.commonwealmagazine.org/blog/margaret-archer-speaks-out

[pnwmom]

16. Because she is the President of the Academy he finagled an invitation from

without explaining he was in the middle of a campaign.

That seems discourteous at the least, dishonest at worst.

[Surya Gayatri]

36. Just a tad "off-color" for "His Pureness", don't you think?

And, the way he so "humbly" mentioned it on MSNBC this morning, practically hanging his head in humility.

Little did he reveal that HE had sought said "invitation".

[RoccoR5955]

86. Sorry to tell you but

The elections here are major news in Europe. I have a girlfriend in the Netherlands, and she is telling me this. She hopes that Drumpf does not get to be president because if so we are all doomed.

Just because we here in the US do not hear news from abroad, does not mean that people overseas, especially places affected by our policies like Europe do not hear about things here.

[pnwmom]

103. Sorry to tell you this but the Vatican already forced one Bishop into retirement for getting them

entangled in the Kim Davis mess, and they won't be happy about once again finding themselves accidentally entangled in U.S. politics.

[RoccoR5955]

132. West Virginnie, and the US president race

are two different things. Don't you understand this?

[pnwmom]

136. This would be an even bigger deal and he would be even LESS likely to want

to get entangled.

[creatives4innovation]

99. That doesn't make sense

The pope has already made a public statement in reference to Trump so the Vatican is aware there is an election going on.

[pnwmom]

110. The U.S. is not at the center of the Vatican's universe, and this has been a very long

primary season with many candidates.

Pope Francis already found himself at the center of a scheme to connect him with Kim Davis, and a Bishop was forced into retirement over that. Now he's being connected with Bernie. Some head will roll.

And he didn't bring up Trump, by the way. The reporter asked him.

http://nymag.com/daily/intelligencer/2016/04/sanders-to-campaign-at-the-vatican-next-week.html

Francis injected himself into the U.S. presidential campaign in February when he responded to a journalist’s question about Republican Donald Trump’s proposal to build a wall along the U.S. southern border to prevent immigrants from crossing illegally.

"A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian," the Pope responded. He demurred when asked if Catholics should vote for Trump.

"As far as what you said about whether I would advise to vote or not to vote, I am not going to get involved in that. I say only that this man is not Christian if he has said things like that," Francis responded.

[creatives4innovation]

129. I'm not familiar with the Kim Davis matter

Still I live in Europe and everyone here is well aware of the presidential campaign and knows Sanders.

[pnwmom]

168. You don't speak for everyone in Europe, obviously. And being aware that there is a campaign on

doesn't mean they're following it closely in the Vatican, or realized that Sanders was in the middle of a very important primary race in a state with lots of Catholics.

[MADem]

466. Francis doesn't really like us all that much. He thinks we're soft and pampered and jerky. He's

not all wrong on that score, either. Some of the real sanctimonious blowhards are NOT happy with this Pope--those activist nuns like him, though.

He knows, though, that there's gold in them thar hills, and US Catholics are very generous, so he has to temper his scolding with social progress "droppings" that will make Americans feel less guilty for taking a cafeteria approach to their religion.

The whole "divorcees, come back into the fold" and "Who are we to judge" and "Don't worry so much about birth control" and "Teaching sex education is a good thing" is DESIGNED to drag American Catholics back into the church so they'll put those envelopes in the baskets.

[Blue Meany]

17. She is blunt and feisty, and most of her jabs are at the right-wing...

such as her point question as to why concern for human beings only cover the time from concerption to birth. She is on the right side of most issues--poverty, the environments--but I suspect she is tired of seeing politicians exploit their meetings with the pope.

[Bad Dog]

19. Why is that odd.

The American presidential elections affect everyone. The BBC alone. has devoted a lot of air time to it. In this case I don't think Margaret Archer is responding as an Englishwoman but as president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

[MADem]

24. They believe he is trying to "use" the Pope to get "the Catholic vote."

The head of the academy said Thursday that Sanders sought the invitation and that put an inappropriate political cast on the gathering.

Probably not a good move.

The best way to do this stuff is quietly. Let it leak out. Don't bang the drum.

[revbones]

32. And who is the "Vatican Academy"? Try googling it. nt

[MADem]

46. It's the Pontifical Academy--"Vatican" is shorthand. Sanders is going to a conference there.

“Sanders made the first move, for the obvious reasons,” Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the conference Sanders will attend, said in a telephone interview. “I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote but this is not the Catholic vote and he should remember that and act accordingly -- not that he will.”

[pnwmom]

47. You have the name wrong.

Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the conference Sanders will attend, said in a telephone interview.

Try googling that:

http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en.html

[revbones]

79. No, I had the name the article originally used. nt

[beastie boy]

50. Did you even try googling it before dispensing with your advice?

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_academies/acdsoc/index_social_en.htm

[revbones]

76. The article said "Vatican Academy" not "Pontifical Acedemy of Science" nt

[beastie boy]

139. For god's sake, read the OP!

“Sanders made the first move, for the obvious reasons,” Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences,

[revbones]

146. So tell me what changed. Is Clinton speaking at the Vatican now? Nope. nt

[beastie boy]

192. Huh?

Is Bernie speaking at the Vatican?

Well, maybe he will, but to the cameras, not the convention.

[revbones]

165. Here's a link that might be relevant.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511680901

[beastie boy]

187. It has zero relevance unless you document a lie and link it to

a "third way" personality.

So far, you can't even confirm Bernie is not lying about how "delighted" the Vatican is to see him.

[liberal from boston]

282. Pope Francis

You realize that political leaders, heads of state are
invited. IMHO, Bernie, Professor Jeffrey Sachs, others requests were accepted because of their concern of the poor, climate change, income inequality, the common good. All the Vatican had to is say no to Bernie like they did to the Clinton Foundation. Why would this Vatican press statement be released? We're delighted to host this conference to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Centesimus Annus, bringing together world leaders, including US Senator Sanders, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, Bolivian President Evo Morales, Academicians of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences such as its President Margaret Archer, and leading scholars such as Professor Daniel Finn, Professor Jeffrey Sachs etc., to examine and discuss changes in politics, economics, and culture in the world these last 25 years in the light of Pope Francis' new encyclical Laudato si'. Our intention is socio-political in the highest sense of the term, because according to art. 1 of our Statutes, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science.
Title I - Constitution and Aims of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences
Art. 1
The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 (AAS 86 , 213), with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science. The Academy, through an appropriate dialogue, thus offers the Church the elements which she can use in the development of her social doctrine, and reflects on the application of that doctrine in contemporary society. The Academy, which is autonomous, maintains a close relationship with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

[salinsky]

67. Here ya go ....

http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pontifical_Academy_of_Social_Sciences

[revbones]

73. The article said "Vatican Academy" not "Pontifical Acedemy of Science" nt

[muriel_volestrangler]

147. I can explain - 'Vatican' is an adjective, and 'Academy' is a noun

This is an academy that is associated with the Vatican - hence 'Vatican Academy'. And major words are capitialised in headlines, by common usage. You might refer to a person in their hierarchy as a 'Vatican Official' in a headline. That doesn't mean you should expect to find them on Google with "Vatican Official".

So, now you know how headlines are written, don't you? Who says your participation in the thread has been a waste of time?

[revbones]

162. Sure, explain it some more. Break down all the headlines about Bernie being invited

and then explain this: http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511680901

[muriel_volestrangler]

186. No, I don't think you're ready for anything more about how to write articles

You don't seem to have absorbed the basics yet. You posted multiple times complaining you weren't getting Google results for "Vatican Academy", and I've explained to you why. If you still can't understand, then try to put your problem into words. Don't just throw out links that aren't about your comprehension problem. That's not how to learn.

[revbones]

197. Sure. I can admit the headline was misleading and I read it incorrectly.

That's despite your juvenile response.

Don't think you're going to admit anything or answer to the rest, so off to ignore you go.

[IdaBriggs]

91. Disagree. Bringing this topic up as mainstream news

Is HUGE and makes all involved look good. This is one of those extraordinary important topics and I love that Bernie is using his bully pulpit as a candidate to bring awareness of the topic into public discussion.

[MADem]

101. What topic?

“Sanders made the first move, for the obvious reasons,” Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the conference Sanders will attend, said in a telephone interview. “I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote but this is not the Catholic vote and he should remember that and act accordingly -- not that he will.”

[IdaBriggs]

109. Creating a MORAL economic model, etc.

The actual topic of the CONFERENCE.

[MADem]

171. I think this might shed some light on the matter--not much, but a little

Bernie Sanders Has Really Pissed Off Margaret Archer

http://www.motherjones.com/kevin-drum/2016/04/bernie-sanders-has-really-pissed-margaret-archer

Does that help? No? Sorry about that. I guess someone will have to ask Archer just what Bernie did that was so monumentally discourteous. Was it merely asking for an invitation in the first place? Is it the fact that Bernie is pro-choice? Or something more? We need someone to dig into the Vatican gossip machine and let us know.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/bernie-sanders-accepts-invitation-meet-pope-francis-article-1.2593187


The NYDN leads off with this thought:

The Vermont senator was invited out of the blue Friday by Pope Francis to speak at an April 15 church conference on social, economic and environmental issues.

But then swiftly flips to Ms. Archer's accusation.

But a senior Vatican official told Bloomberg News that Sanders — in a show of “monumental discourtesy” — lobbied for a spot at the annual Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences conference.

He'd better not count on grabbing the Catholic vote this way--John Kasich, former altar boy, nearly a priest, is probably better positioned for that--not that endorsements from priests hold much sway.


And I strongly--STRONGLY--doubt that Ms. Archer says stuff like "He pushed in," in essence, without the absolute PERMISSION -- no, DIRECTION -- of this pontiff to say so.

Francis does NOT like to be played. I understand there was hell to pay when Kim Davis ended up in his vicinity.

[pnwmom]

120. No, he's using this "invitation" to curry the Catholic vote. But he's currying it under

false pretenses, because they didn't ask him to speak -- he lobbied for the invitation.

[IdaBriggs]

154. I think he's doing it because he CARES about the issue.

His entire career has been about the "little guy". Why do you automatically assume he isn't going to engage in actual dialogue while he is there?

Will it look good to Catholics because he's taking this important issue seriously? Yes. Should it? Yes. He went to Liberty University and dialogues with them, too.

He isn't going to agree with them about everything (and spells those areas out clearly) but in areas where consensus can be achieved, he's going for it.

It's what statesmen are supposed to do.

[pnwmom]

158. I think he's doing it because there are a lot of Catholics in NY and this is free publicity.

And it's a bonus that he can speak on a topic he's interested in.

[IdaBriggs]

190. Well, the fact is he's going to do it.

Impugning motive depends on our interpretation of his character. I think it's pretty cool he's willing to take time to attend this conference/bring national media attention to it and the issues being raised when he could be sleeping or doing local events. No matter the outcome of the election, he is pointing the world media squarely at the issue as a global moral and ethical one. That is a powerful use of his bully pulpit.

Those who see his candidacy as simply hubris are free to assume differently.

If we didn't have different opinions on motivation, we might be supporting the same candidate. We don't and aren't.

I did a poll about this. Apparently we both hail the Dark Lord of Blueberry Pancakes! Lol!

[stupidicus]

178. well, they turn Clinton's many and varied FP failures into success

so it's not much of a leap to make BS's noble efforts into the ignoble.

It's what they do, and likely their largest defining characteristic

[The Wielding Truth]

354. I agree with you.

[riderinthestorm]

176. If he asked to be there, why didn't she just say no?

There's no reason for him to be there unless he was wanted. She's the chief, she has the control to just say no right?

Unless she were overruled by someone? Hmmm, who could that be?

[pnwmom]

201. The Vatican says they didn't invite him.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1407552

[MADem]

203. If she were "overridden by someone" she wouldn't have said a word.

I think she's being protective of her boss OR her boss told her to make the point that he invited himself.

Frank is large and in charge--he knows he doesn't have a lot of time, and he knows how to exercise leadership skills.

[riderinthestorm]

310. Looks like she was overriden.

Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the chancellor of the Academy, speaking on the phone from New York, said he extended the invitation to Sanders

“We are interested in having him because we have two presidents coming from Latin America, I thought it would be good to have an authoritative voice from North America,” Sanchez Sorondo said.Asked when he when the invitation was extended, he said, “Quite some time ago.”

 
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-04-08/sanders-accused-of-discourtesy-in-seeking-vatican-invitation

[MADem]

451. The Chancellor is subordinate to the President. She's the commander, he's the XO.

http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en/about/council.html

More like she was blindsided--it's a little bit different than being overridden. She probably gets along fine with Sorondo--she has been an academy member for many years, as well, and doesn't want to screw him over, but by the same token, she's calling out "politicization" when she sees it.

Which is a fair point--this IS her show, and he's using it to fulfill a non-academic agenda. I can see why she doesn't appreciate it.

[riderinthestorm]

459. The chancellor is a close aide to Frances and a permanent member of the Vatican elite

Sorondo is absolutely NOT subordinate to Archer. She's a female head of one of several Vatican Academies of which Sorondo supervises two.

The church has been meddling in politics since the day it was born. Its entire history is political maneuvering. This episode is no different.

It reeks of a private spat gone public.

Seeing as how it was Archer who decided to go public, and as a Vatican "outsider" versus Sorondo, the ultimate insider, I'm not surprised she's gone completely awol with.the press. Sorondo says Archer was involved in this decision every step of the way...

[MADem]

463. And Professor Archer has been a member of the ACADEMY since way before FRANCIS (IS, not ES)

arrived. She is NOT a "Vatican outsider." She's been there for years. Christ!

No one bothers to do any homework around here--they just make shit up.

Look, I'll provide proof of my assertions--here is a speech by Pope Benedict to the Academy in 2008. Guess who INTRODUCED him? None other than Margaret Archer, member of the Academy--he thanks her in the 1st paragraph:

https://w2.vatican.va/content/benedict-xvi/en/speeches/2008/may/documents/hf_ben-xvi_spe_20080503_social-sciences.html

I am pleased to have this occasion to meet with you as you gather for the fourteenth Plenary Session of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. Over the last two decades, the Academy has offered a valuable contribution to the deepening and development of the Church’s social doctrine and its application in the areas of law, economics, politics and the various other social sciences. I thank Professor Margaret Archer for her kind words of greeting, and I express my sincere appreciation to all of you for your commitment to research, dialogue and teaching, so that the Gospel of Jesus Christ may continue to shed light on the complex situations arising in a rapidly changing world.

Margaret probably has more time in Vatican City than the Bishop does. It was her EXPERIENCE that caused Francis to name her as Academy President--she was a subject matter expert with no need for a learning curve.



Archer, the President, is senior to the Bishop, who is Chancellor. That's in the damn bylaws:

The President is nominated by the Supreme Pontiff, to whom he reports directly. The President remains in office for five years and his mandate may be renewed. He is directly assisted by the Chancellor, who is nominated by the Supreme Pontiff.

http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en/about/statutes.html

SEE? The PRESIDENT IS ASSISTED BY THE CHANCELLOR.

And they are AUTONOMOUS from the Vatican.

It's ALL IN THE ACADEMY BYLAWS. If people would only read them....!!!

[riderinthestorm]

465. Lol, proving my point that this is a private spat gone public

I'm posting from my phone. I have no context of where this thread has gone since loading anything more than 200 posts makes it impossible to follow whose responding to who.

Bottom line, you have the last word!

If you really think a temporary female hire has more clout than a bishop than good luck with that argument.

The church has been meddling in politics at every level since they were born. This is no different.

Sorondo, a close aide of Francis (heh. ) is an insider. Period. Archer is a member of Opus Dei. Nuff said

[MADem]

467. Do you not even read? "Temporary Female Hire?" She's been there longer than two Popes!

smh.

She absolutely has more clout when it comes to running the Academy. Why? Because she's IN CHARGE of it, and it is AUTONOMOUS from the Vatican.

All the "period-ing" in the world doesn't change that.

If Sorondo was such a top dog, why didn't he get first chair? Hmmmm??

You do realize they're from the same country, Frank and Sarondo? THAT's the "relationship?"

It's not clout--it's culture and language.

[liberal from boston]

321. Pope Francis

You do know that the Clinton Foundation request was refused. IMO, it is understandable that Bernie along with Professor Jeffrey Sachs because of their unwavering commitment to those who have no voice, the poor, the common good that their requests were accepted. Why would the Vatican release this press statement:We're delighted to host this conference to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Centesimus Annus, bringing together world leaders, including US Senator Sanders, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, Bolivian President Evo Morales, Academicians of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences such as its President Margaret Archer, and leading scholars such as Professor Daniel Finn, Professor Jeffrey Sachs etc., to examine and discuss changes in politics, economics, and culture in the world these last 25 years in the light of Pope Francis' new encyclical Laudato si'. Our intention is socio-political in the highest sense of the term, because according to art. 1 of our Statutes, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science.

[pnwmom]

9. Maybe they didn't realize he was going to use this as a campaign event. n/t

[riversedge]

10. Bernie not having a good week.

[revbones]

18. Yeah, winning Wisconsin and getting invited to the Vatican isn't good.

[gabeana]

90. I know its a bad week for Bernie

also because he is closing the gap in the polls fast in NY and CA
bad bad bad week

[NorthCarolina]

230. Yes, but can he recover?

[riderinthestorm]

12. Sounds like papal politics to me.

Francis is positively loathed in some sectors of the Vatican.

[liberal from boston]

166. Pope Francis

I get it-- It is OK for the Clinton Foundation to ask for an invitation but not Bernie. Senator Sanders often talks of Pope Francis at his rallies & in interviews. BTW, Boston Mayor Walsh & other Mayors were recently invited to meet with Pope Francis.

[Tempest]

13. Translation

A conservative bishop doesn't like the idea of a liberal showing up at the Vatican.

[revbones]

20. ^^^DING DING DING ^^^

I lean toward this myself since there doesn't seem to be a "Vatican Academy"

[MADem]

62. Their home page....

http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en.html

Origin and Development
The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was estabished by the Supreme Pontiff John Paul II with the Motu Proprio of 1 January 1994. Each of the Academy's meetings begins with a report on the Church's social teachings relative to the topic in question. The Academy investigates points where further elaboration of these teachings seems advisable and provides a constructive evaluation of the teachings in the light of the social sciences. To achieve its aims the Academy organizes conferences and workshops on specific themes, promotes scientific surveys and research, helps institutions and private individuals to execute them, publishes the results of its own consultations and issues publications of a scientific nature. Thus far the Academy has addressed the following topics:

- Work and employment (1996, 1997 and 1999 Plenary Sessions)
- Democracy (1996 Workshop; 1998 and 2000 Plenary Sessions)
- Globalization (2000 Workshop; 2001, 2003, 2005 and 2012 Plenary Sessions; 2002 Round Table)
- Intergenerational Solidarity (2002, 2004 and 2006 Plenary Sessions)
- Charity and Justice (2007 Plenary Session)
- Solidarity and Subsidiarity (2008 Plenary Session)
- Human Rights (2009 Plenary Session)
- Crisis in a Global Economy (2010 Plenary Session)
- Religious Freedom (2011 Plenary Session)
- Pacem in Terris Fifty Years Later (2012 Plenary Session)
- Human Trafficking and Modern Slavery (2013 Workshop; 2015 Plenary Session; 2015 Workshop; 2015 Youth Symposium)
The Academy's Premises
The Academy's headquarters are in the Casina Pio IV, in the Vatican City. Built in 1561 as a summer residence for Pope Pius IV and surrounded by the trees and lawns of the Vatican gardens, the Casina is a well-preserved treasury of 16th century frescoes, stucco reliefs, mosaics and fountains.
Who are the Pontifical Academicians?
The Pontifical Academicians are no less than 20 and no more than 40 men and women, suitably representing the various disciplines of the social sciences and geographical regions. They are appointed by the Holy Father after nomination by the Academic body on the basis of their competences and outstanding contributions in the social sciences, and of their moral integrity. The Academy is headed by a President, who acts with the assistance of the Council of the Academy, which meets at least twice a year. The President is appointed by the Supreme Pontiff, to whom he or she reports directly, and is assisted by the Chancellor. The Pontifical Academicians take part in the sessions organized by the Academy together with a few carefully-selected experts on the specific topic addressed. Their deliberations and scientific papers are published by the Academy (or other publishers). They also have the right to propose candidates for nominations and subjects for work. The Council is currently made up of the President and 6 members of the Academy appointed by the Supreme Pontiff, on the proposal of the President, after consultation with the Academicians.
Funding and International Cooperation
For its operating expenses, the Academy receives financial support from a special Foundation for the Promotion of the Social Sciences and from donations and gifts. At present, when these means are not sufficient, the Holy See covers the rest of the budget. The Academy maintains relationships and exchanges publications with other academies and institutions of scientific research.

[revbones]

69. The article at the time said "Vatican Academy" not "Pontifical Academy"

That may explain the difference.

[MADem]

219. It's all the same thing. The two words are used interchangeably.

The Pontificate references the being of the Pope, the Vatican is more about the buildings, the chunk of land in the middle of Rome, but they're all of a piece. The official title of the Academy uses the P word, but it's not like there are a few dozen social science academies under the imprimatur of the Vatican.

[pnwmom]

23. Translation: the Vatican doesn't endorse politicos. Bernie snookered them.

The head of the academy said Thursday that Sanders sought the invitation and that put an inappropriate political cast on the gathering.

“Sanders made the first move, for the obvious reasons,” Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the conference Sanders will attend, said in a telephone interview. “I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote but this is not the Catholic vote and he should remember that and act accordingly -- not that he will.”

[morningfog]

54. They didn't realize he was in the middle of a hotly contested campaign? LOL

[getagrip_already]

93. well, they did get snookered with kim davis...

and a few vatican notables got either demoted or removed.

They don't like being played for pawns. True, they should have read through a request to attend, but just cause one person said yes doesn't mean the org will be happy.

[aquamarina]

94. ^^^ This ^^^

[pnwmom]

124. The US and its political campaigns are not at the center of the Vatican' world. Far from it. n/t

[morningfog]

169. They don't have the google there either? That's hilarious! Bernie Snookered them!

Do you realize how stupid you sound?

[pnwmom]

174. Kim Davis snookered them. How is it surprising to think Bernie could? From a narcissistic

perspective, the US is at the center of the world. But it really isn't.

[morningfog]

182. SO why would they even extend an invite to this old Jewish guy from Vermont?

[MADem]

455. I think Bernie called the Argentine Bishop, with whom he shares certain philosophical approaches,

and the Bishop sneaked the invite past his boss, Prof. Archer.

By the time she realized what he'd done, the cat was out of the bag, but she expressed her displeasure because she does not want the academy politicized.

I don't blame her.

Her "XO" probably got a swell talking-to after this story broke.

[Scootaloo]

281. Translation: She's upset that she wasn't personally genuflected towards

Archer said that while she “quite liked” Sanders’s program on paper, his failure to contact her first is a breach of protocol. “The president of the academy organizing this event has not been contacted with monumental discourtesy,” she said, referring to herself.

Sanders “made the first move two or three days ago,” Archer said. She did not know whom he or his representatives contacted about what she called “this little workshop.” Archer added: “His use of it is clearly a pretext. There are just 20 academics and there will be nothing of policy relevance.”

However Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the chancellor of the Academy, speaking on the phone from New York, said he extended the invitation to Sanders, though he declined to say who initiated the contacts.

[PatV]

288. Hahahaha! Pettiness and being bitter fits Clinton supporters perfectly. And since you want to

insinuate someone is putting on an act to gain votes, let's talk about when Hillary did her big show of compassion toward the 'super predators' (HER words, not mine) of Flint, Michigan. And she STILL lost the Michigan primary. She never gave a damn about those people until right before the Michigan primary and THEN she went up their doing that fake compassionate act of hers. And I repeat, she still lost the Michigan primary.

People are seeing the real Hillary Clinton and they don't like what they see. What with only 29% of eligible voters being registered Democrats, and only part of them being Clinton supporters (maybe half or slightly less than half), there is no way she gets in the White House. The young hate her, left leaning Independents hate her, and obviously so does everybody on the right. That's why we've seen so much cheating and so many lies out of the 'Party' and it's leaders. Leaders line Payday Debbie.

So enjoy your outrage at Sanders speaking at the Vatican.

[Tempest]

420. You're wrong. Will you offer a retraction?

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was invited to speak at an April 15 Vatican event by the Vatican, a senior papal official said on Friday, denying a report that Sanders had invited himself.

"I deny that. It was not that way," Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo told Reuters in a telephone interview while he was traveling in New York. Sorondo, a close aide to Pope Francis, is chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the event.

He said it was his idea to invite Sanders.

A Bloomberg report quoted Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, as saying that Sanders had broken with protocol by failing to contact her office first.

"This is not true and she knows it. I invited him with her consensus," said Sorondo, who is senior to Archer.

An invitation to Sanders dated March 30, which was emailed to Reuters, was signed by Sorondo and also included Archer's name.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-vatican-idUSKCN0X5257

[jberryhill]

97. Bingo

[salinsky]

98. Bishop?? Here's who was quoted in the article ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Archer

Sounds like an incredibly intelligent, competent, and powerful woman.

She's undoubtedly a big fan of Hillary.

[pnwmom]

22. So he pretended he got this invitation "out of the blue" when in reality

he approached them and lobbied for an invitation.

And then he went on TV and made a big deal of announcing his invitation.

What a fraud.

[MADem]

28. Bingo. nt

[JonLeibowitz]

29. According to this person. The truth is unknown, but I see you've already divined what the truth is.

[pnwmom]

35. "This person" is the President of the organization and she's speaking for it. That is the truth.

Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the conference Sanders will attend, said in a telephone interview.

[JonLeibowitz]

43. That doesn't mean she's telling the truth.

[pnwmom]

52. If they HAD initiated the invitation, there's no reason they'd be denying it. But Bernie

has plenty of political reasons for wanting to pretend that they asked him "out of the blue."

[JonLeibowitz]

56. You assume that they weren't forced to do so by the pope?

I don't know what the truth is here, I just don't claim that the full story is one particular narrative. That's your claim.

[pnwmom]

126. Yes. Because the Pope has made a point in other situations of staying out of 'US politics.

He forced another Bishop into early retirement, when that Bishop arranged a meeting with Kim Davis for political purposes.

[creatives4innovation]

121. Do you have a source for that?

I don't think a Vatican invitation ever occurs "out of the blue".

[pnwmom]

133. The MSNBC story. And I agree with you. That's why his claim smelled so fishy. But that's

what he claimed.

And there's this.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/bernie-sanders-accepts-invitation-meet-pope-francis-article-1.2593187

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders is making a one-of-a-kind campaign stop — at the Vatican.

The Vermont senator was invited out of the blue Friday by Pope Francis to speak at an April 15 church conference on social, economic and environmental issues.

Sanders will then return to New York for the final days of campaigning before the April 19 primary.

SNIP

But a senior Vatican official told Bloomberg News that Sanders — in a show of “monumental discourtesy” — lobbied for a spot at the annual Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences conference.

SNIP

A Sanders campaign spokesman did not return a call for comment on the Archer allegation.

[dr60omg]

183. It would be a VATICAN spokesperson not a Professor in the UK

http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en/academicians/ordinary/archer.html

The church would have a spokesperson for the church speak out not someone who is a member of an academic body

[CoffeeCat]

369. This "President" and her comments have been thrashed by her superior, a chancellor

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-vatican-idUSKCN0X5257

Wow! It looks like this woman was being untruthful! I'll avoid calling a Vatican employee a liar, but it is clear that this woman ran to the press with allegations and a story about Bernie that was completely false.

Incredible!

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was invited to speak at an April 15 Vatican event by the Vatican, a senior papal official said on Friday, denying a report that Sanders had invited himself.

"I deny that. It was not that way," Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo told Reuters in a telephone interview while he was traveling in New York. Sorondo, a close aide to Pope Francis, is chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the event.

He said it was his idea to invite Sanders.

A Bloomberg report quoted Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, as saying that Sanders had broken with protocol by failing to contact her office first.

"This is not true and she knows it. I invited him with her consensus," said Sorondo, who is senior to Archer.

An invitation to Sanders dated March 30, which was emailed to Reuters, was signed by Sorondo and also included Archer's name.

[MADem]

80. "This person" is running the conference. I think she might know who wanted to get on the list of

attendees.

“Sanders made the first move, for the obvious reasons,” Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the conference Sanders will attend, said in a telephone interview. “I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote but this is not the Catholic vote and he should remember that and act accordingly -- not that he will.”

[riderinthestorm]

34. Who you going to believe, the Vatican or this Academy? nt

From the BBC

Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders has accepted an invitation from the Pope to the Vatican. 
Mr Sanders, who is Jewish, accepted an invitation to Rome for a conference at the end of next week.
The Vatican visit is four days before the primary contest in New York, a competitive battle between him and front-runner Hillary Clinton. 
"I am a big, big fan of the pope," Mr Sanders told MSNBC, saying they share the same views on inequality. 
"He's trying to inject this sense of morality into how we do economics... and we need that absolutely desperately." 
He will attend a conference on social, economic and environmental issues and give a speech on 15 April, his campaign said. 

Mr Sanders and Pope Francis have similar views on fighting income inequality, he said, and he was "very moved" by the invitation from the Vatican. 
He said he and the pope disagree on women's rights and gay rights, but Pope Francis has "injected a moral consequence into the economy".
The senator from Vermont is trailing Mrs Clinton but gaining momentum after a strong of wins, most recently in the Wisconsin primary. 
In the last few days, a mostly civil fight between the two became more personal as Mr Sanders accused his rival of not being "qualified" to be president. 
Pope Francis said on Friday that the Catholic Church should be less strict and show more compassion to "imperfect" Catholics. 
He called on the Church to be welcoming to gay Catholics but did not change the Church's views on LGBT families and marriage.


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2016-35999269 

[brooklynite]

37. The Academy is the sponsor of the forum Sanders is speaking at.

[riderinthestorm]

44. Understood but how do you square this with every other report

that it was the Pope who issued this invitation?

[pnwmom]

70. The other reports were speaking loosely. The conference is being held by the

Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is part of the Vatican. And the President of that Academy knows precisely how that invitation was acquired -- after a lobbying effort by Bernie.

[riderinthestorm]

82. I'm going to have to have more than one outlier report on that

Otherwise I'm seeing papal politics spilling out in the open.

One news outlet versus everyone else...

[pnwmom]

88. The only report quoting the HEAD of the organization sponsoring the conference

where he's speaking.

[salinsky]

108. She was appointed by Francis ...

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Margaret_Archer

[riderinthestorm]

113. Thanks. Just read that

and was going to correct.

I still stand by my post though that until there's more than one outlier report on this, its possible there's more going on behind the scenes than we know right now.

[bigbrother05]

191. If she was so concerned, why not just turn down the request?

To me the obvious reason Bernie would want to attend a conference focusing on the last 25 years impact on economic inequality would be just that, to talk about economic inequality, i.e. his "one issue" to quote HRC.

It appears that the Academy Prez is the one putting the Catholic vote spin on it. If it's so discourteous, just beg off for not taking sides?

[pnwmom]

206. You know the US isn't really the center of the universe. We just think we are.

So i suspect this woman wasn't aware that they were dealing with a Presidential candidate in the heat of a primary in a state with lots of Catholics.

The Church always avoids endorsements, but Bernie took this and tried to run with it.

[bigbrother05]

355. And their press release touted Senator Sanders at #1 on their speakers list

The Vatican is one of the most politically savvy organizations/governments in the world, they know exactly who Bernie Sanders is. He was listed before heads of state and subject matter experts.

"It's obvious" she's practicing personal damage control to avoid missing out on future invitations from the global elites that might be on the receiving end of criticism at her conference.

See, I can play the attributed intents game too.

[MADem]

89. Because the President of the Academy, who sets the agenda, says otherwise?

In no uncertain terms, too?

“Sanders made the first move, for the obvious reasons,” Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the conference Sanders will attend, said in a telephone interview. “I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote but this is not the Catholic vote and he should remember that and act accordingly -- not that he will.”

[riderinthestorm]

106. Until there's more than one outlier report on this

versus everyone else, I'm not jumping to that conclusion.

[JonLeibowitz]

40. To be fair to brooklynite, the wire services may have been taking Sanders' press statement as source

[beastie boy]

55. I am going to believe the Vatican. Or maybe thje Vatican.

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_academies/acdsoc/index_social_en.htm

It's so hard to make up my mind!

[pnwmom]

64. This isn't a statement from the Vatican. The President of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences,

the Academy that is holding the conference, is the person who has now accused Bernie of lobbying to get the invitation.

The Vatican has confirmed he was invited, but the Academy has clarified that HE was the one who lobbied for the invitation -- they didn't seek him out as he has been boasting.

[Surya Gayatri]

150. Typical conniving pol...his "faux" humility when announcing the invite on

Morning Joe was laughable in hindsight.

[BillZBubb]

362. You mean typical Hillarybot LIES. Archer has been shown to be a liar.

Her boss said HE invited Bernie and she knew it.

How do you feel now about pushing more Hillary lies?

[Surya Gayatri]

366. He said, she said...sounds a bit like Bern backtracking on yesterday's "misspeak". LOL!

[BillZBubb]

370. It's not he said she said. He's her boss. Sounds like more Hillarybot LYING. LOL!

But anyway, you've just been assigned to ignore. You have nothing honest to contribute.

[Surya Gayatri]

373. Finally! Small favors, thank god for them...LOL!

[riversedge]

26. Just Sanders pandering for the Catholic vote.....

... “I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote but this is not the Catholic vote and he should remember that and act accordingly -- not that he will.”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-08/vatican-academy-criticizes-sanders-s-monumental-discourtesy

[Jerry442]

33. Shoulda said he was pushing blanket amnesty for priests.

They would have sent a plane for him.

[beastie boy]

60. We have a winner! n/t

[Renew Deal]

42. Sanders asked to be there and they said yes.

They didn't seek them out. He sought them.

[riderinthestorm]

49. Not according to every other news report out there

From the BBC 

Democratic presidential hopeful Bernie Sanders has accepted an invitation from the Pope to the Vatican. 
Mr Sanders, who is Jewish, accepted an invitation to Rome for a conference at the end of next week. 
The Vatican visit is four days before the primary contest in New York, a competitive battle between him and front-runner Hillary Clinton.  
"I am a big, big fan of the pope," Mr Sanders told MSNBC, saying they share the same views on inequality.  
"He's trying to inject this sense of morality into how we do economics... and we need that absolutely desperately."  
He will attend a conference on social, economic and environmental issues and give a speech on 15 April, his campaign said.  

Mr Sanders and Pope Francis have similar views on fighting income inequality, he said, and he was "very moved" by the invitation from the Vatican.  
He said he and the pope disagree on women's rights and gay rights, but Pope Francis has "injected a moral consequence into the economy". 
The senator from Vermont is trailing Mrs Clinton but gaining momentum after a strong of wins, most recently in the Wisconsin primary.  
In the last few days, a mostly civil fight between the two became more personal as Mr Sanders accused his rival of not being "qualified" to be president.  
Pope Francis said on Friday that the Catholic Church should be less strict and show more compassion to "imperfect" Catholics.  
He called on the Church to be welcoming to gay Catholics but did not change the Church's views on LGBT families and marriage. 


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/election-us-2016-35999269 

 

[Renew Deal]

57. It's possible to ask for an invitation.

At least that's what I get reading between the lines of the OP. If it's not that, then I don't understand what the discourtesy is.

What it could be:
Sanders asked for an invitation and got one. They didn't seek him out.
The Vatican was supposed to announce it first and Bernie jumped the gun.
It could be that this person didn't want him there, but the Pope overruled her. But if that's her issue, it would be poor form to undermine the pope.
She's upset that he's happy to be there.

But inviting a presidential candidate anywhere will always carry the weight of politics.

[riderinthestorm]

71. Agreed. I think we're looking at nuance here

And quite likely papal politics.

[Iliyah]

77. If that is the case why distort it by claiming they invited him?

[CoffeeCat]

45. This is negative spin, designed to lessen Bernie's amazing invitation

This is most likely orchestrated baloney.

Bernie was invited. That has been widely reported.

Hey, we all know that the Clinton camp's new-and-improved strategy is "Disqualify, Defeat and Unify."

I think this is hilarious. I also think that it will be powerful when the POPE sets the record straight.

This is nothing but bunk. The Clinton camp knows that Bernie being invited to the Vatican is very big news.

This is their response. "Quick!! Find someone who can put a negative spin on this...pronto!!!"

Typical. She doesn't get something wonderful, so she has to destroy the wonderful that someone else gets.

[beastie boy]

78. That's right, tell the President of the Academy to quit spinning!

She must be a Hillary shill! And the Academy is Hillary's dark money super PAC!

We know how those Christian women operate: no shame!

[CoffeeCat]

111. Here is the letter that the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences wrote to Bernie

They seem thrilled to invite Bernie. I think what this one woman has said, is indeed negative spin.

They even put Bernie's name first--on the list of attendees. Obviously, they extended the invitation and they are happy to have him there.

We're delighted to host this conference to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Centesimus Annus, bringing together world leaders, including US Senator Sanders, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, Bolivian President Evo Morales, Academicians of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences such as its President Margaret Archer, and leading scholars such as Professor Daniel Finn, Professor Jeffrey Sachs etc., to examine and discuss changes in politics, economics, and culture in the world these last 25 years in the light of Pope Francis' new encyclical Laudato si'. Our intention is socio-political in the highest sense of the term, because according to art. 1 of our Statutes, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science.
Title I - Constitution and Aims of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences
Art. 1
The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 (AAS 86 [1994], 213), with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science. The Academy, through an appropriate dialogue, thus offers the Church the elements which she can use in the development of her social doctrine, and reflects on the application of that doctrine in contemporary society. The Academy, which is autonomous, maintains a close relationship with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
✠ Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo


https://berniesanders.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Bernie-Sanders-Vatican.pdf

[beastie boy]

122. It appears they are so delighted, they didn't see fit to put Bernie's name on the invitation.

And the signature appears to be a very personal rubber stamp.

I've had more heartwarming letters from my bank inviting me to get a new credit card.

[CoffeeCat]

142. This is a formal press statement from the Pontifical Academy of Arts and Sciences

It looks like a press release, announcing who the attendees are. At first glance, I thought it was a letter to attendees, but it's not--it's publicity materials.

I've written hundreds of press releases in my lifetime. They most certainly are touting Bernie's involvement, as they mentioned him first in the list of attendees. They are proud to spotlight his involvement.

They could have invited many world leaders and officials. Bernie made the cut.

I wouldn't worry too much about the statements of one person from the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. She can have her opinion.

The organization as a whole clearly wants Bernie there and is thrilled to have him participating.

Cheers!

[beastie boy]

163. OK, I am taking your word over that of the President of the Academy.

but just to satisfy the doubters, could you link to where Bernie's name is mentioned in the context of how delighted the Academy is to see him?

That will surely put a serious dent into what the President of the Academy said about Bernie...

[CoffeeCat]

196. I think it's important to understand the dynamics here

We have the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences who invited Bernie to attend their conference. We also have a press release that they've issued--that lists Bernie's name FIRST in the list of many who are attending.

Again, I've written hundreds of press releases. They could have left Bernie's name off of the press release. Many are attending who weren't mentioned in their press release. They put Bernie's name first.

So, they are obviously--not only happy to have him there, but they're proud of his participating and are leveraging that in the press.

This woman who made the negative comments. Yes, she is the President of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences. She is also a very conservative bishop. She has an opinion, she's one person. However, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences selected Bernie to be there. He obviously has the "blessing" (ha, no pun intended) of this important group, in general. Otherwise they would not have invited him.

Her opinion suggests that she does not agree with the group. That's fine. She can have that opinion, which doesn't diminish that Bernie was invited, that this is a high honor and that the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, as a whole, wants him to be there and it touting his involvement in a press statement.

Here is the text of the press release, for your perusal (and link)
-------------
We're delighted to host this conference to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Centesimus Annus, bringing together world leaders, including US Senator Sanders, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, Bolivian President Evo Morales, Academicians of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences such as its President Margaret Archer, and leading scholars such as Professor Daniel Finn, Professor Jeffrey Sachs etc., to examine and discuss changes in politics, economics, and culture in the world these last 25 years in the light of Pope Francis' new encyclical Laudato si'. Our intention is socio-political in the highest sense of the term, because according to art. 1 of our Statutes, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science.
Title I - Constitution and Aims of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences
Art. 1
The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 (AAS 86 [1994], 213), with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science. The Academy, through an appropriate dialogue, thus offers the Church the elements which she can use in the development of her social doctrine, and reflects on the application of that doctrine in contemporary society. The Academy, which is autonomous, maintains a close relationship with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
✠ Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo

https://berniesanders.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Bernie-Sanders-Vatican.pdf

[beastie boy]

217. Still no invitation, or any record of how Bernie obtained it.

Which, of course, means that the President of the Academy is a Hillary shill out to get Bernie, and the press release takes precedent over the statement of the President of the Academy.

OK-Kay!

[The Wielding Truth]

365. So who is .... including US Senator Sanders....? It's on the second line.

[beastie boy]

384. That was unclear until very recently

It now appears that the Chancellor of the Acaddemy has confirmed the invitation.

Even though there is no written record of it ever being issued, I will take the Chancellors word for it.

[The Wielding Truth]

394. beastie boy, Check into Bernie. Look how his life has been honest. He as been trustworthy.

[JonLeibowitz]

48. Fascinating how you posted the story (8:49) 10 minutes before its posting (8:59).

I guess you're on the rapid response list from camp weathervane? I don't begrudge it of course, but it's useful to know who is operating directly on behalf of the campaign.

[morningfog]

59. Did you ever doubt it?

[Scuba]

72. Curiouser and curiouser.

[Blue_Adept]

74. Probably an updated time on the article

It may just not reflect when it was last updated. Something as simple as a typo fix could account for the timestamp change or its push to a different section of the site in question.

[JonLeibowitz]

84. Nope! They updated the story for real now, and posted a timestamp!

April 8, 2016 — 8:59 AM PDT Updated on April 8, 2016 — 9:17 AM PDT

[Blue_Adept]

96. I run a few different sites myself - nothing of that scale of course

But it's the most likely thing. Hell, I've posted an article once, deleted it a few minutes later, and reposted with fixes inside because something was mucked up in the code - but didn't impact the display of it to readers.

I just don't see a nefarious aspect to it.

[JonLeibowitz]

102. I edited my post...I initially agreed with you, but now doubt it's the case here.

[hedda_foil]

251. They didn't just update. They rewrote the entire article. The chancellor disputes her.

It sounds like she was having a hissy fit because the Sanders team didn't go to her instead of her boss, who issued the invite.

Sanders Accused of ‘Discourtesy’ in Seeking Vatican Invitation

Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders’s plans to attend a Vatican-sponsored conference put him in the middle of a diplomatic row as a senior Vatican official accused Sanders of showing "monumental discourtesy" in seeking an invitation and for putting a political cast on the gathering in Rome.

--snip--

However it has also inserted Sanders into a dispute among Vatican officials. The president of the academy said Friday that Sanders didn’t follow proper protocol by failing to contact her office and that his presence threatens to make the event political. The academy’s chancellor said he arranged the invitation and defended the Vermont senator.

-- snip--

.First Move

Sanders “made the first move two or three days ago,” Archer said. She did not know whom he or his representatives contacted about what she called “this little workshop.” Archer added: “His use of it is clearly a pretext. There are just 20 academics and there will be nothing of policy relevance.”

However Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the chancellor of the Academy, speaking on the phone from New York, said he extended the invitation to Sanders, though he declined to say who initiated the contacts.

“We are interested in having him because we have two presidents coming from Latin America, I thought it would be good to have an authoritative voice from North America,” Sanchez Sorondo said. Asked when he when the invitation was extended, he said, “Quite some time ago.”
Sanders “made the first move two or three days ago,” Archer said. She did not know whom he or his representatives contacted about what she called “this little workshop.” Archer added: “His use of it is clearly a pretext. There are just 20 academics and there will be nothing of policy relevance.”

However Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the chancellor of the Academy, speaking on the phone from New York, said he extended the invitation to Sanders, though he declined to say who initiated the contacts.

“We are interested in having him because we have two presidents coming from Latin America, I thought it would be good to have an authoritative voice from North America,” Sanchez Sorondo said. Asked when he when the invitation was extended, he said, “Quite some time ago.”

--snip --

Much more.

[concreteblue]

81. Great catch

There truly is no bottom to the barrel at Clinton HQ. The slime just gets thicker and nastier.

[LadyHawkAZ]

105. !!!

Speaking of gaffes...

Nice catch.

[muriel_volestrangler]

177. Bloomberg has redirected their first story to that new page

The URL in the OP is

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-08/vatican-academy-criticizes-sanders-s-monumental-discourtesy

If you click on that, you are redirected to the page you have shown the title of, which has a URL of

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-04-08/sanders-accused-of-discourtesy-in-seeking-vatican-invitation

so the date we see there doesn't have to correspond to the one the OP would have had at first.

[brooklynite]

224. OR.....I read Twitter.

Still, it's nice to have a conspiracy theory I can be a part of...

[Skittles]

243. SNAP!

[Maedhros]

309. They must have had to run the story by the Clinton Campaign to make sure they hit all the points

before publishing.

[Scuba]

51. Hmmm, violating a papal protocol vs lying us into an illegal war. Yeah, that balances the scale.

[leftynyc]

304. Hillary lied us into an illegal war?

So she not only controls the Obama administration, she also controlled the Bush administration? Because she was the only vote for the AUMF? Or the deciding vote? The depths the Bernie supporters have sunk to for their candidate is nauseating...but kinda laughable.

[Scuba]

316. She helped Bush, a lot. Ever hear her impassioned speech, which repeated Bush's lies?

Or is quoting Hillary now considered a "smear"?

[leftynyc]

323. And more bullshit from

a Bernie supporter. Yes, let's just let the entire bush administration - the republican president, VP, SOS, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs off the hook because they were all FORCED by one senator from NY to to go war. Is this really what this place has been reduced to? She made the mistake of believing what she was told by the administration and has apologized for it but you want to make one senator responsible for the whole fucking war. That's fucking nauseating and it's because of those like you that I will never lift a finger for Bernie. He'll get my vote but not one dime, not one phone call. I have never had supporters of any candidate turn me off a candidate so completely. And look around the web and get out of your DU bubble, I'm not alone. Have fun raising the funds for campaign ads.

[Scuba]

330. Here's Hillary, parroting her "brother" George W. Bush ...

Your being in denial doesn't change these facts.

[leftynyc]

337. You can post that

until the cows come home. That doesn't change the fact she was lied to and has apologized repeatedly for believing them while you slobber over a protector of NRA. Keep it up and stay in your bubble. Like I said good luck getting funds for campaign ads. You wont be getting a nickle from anyone I know. Start saving your pennies now.

[Scuba]

342. So she's gullible? That's how you defend her?

C'mon, millions of us knew Bush was lying. If Hillary didn't, she's too stupid to be President.

[immoderate]

490. President has to show good judgment.

More than anything else.

--imm

[CanadaexPat]

58. I'd take the Pope's judgement over whomever this is.

[pnwmom]

83. Bernie's speqking at a conference held by the Pontifical Academy of Social Science.

"Whomever this is" is the President of the organization sponsoring the conference. She is in the best position to know how her own organization issued the invitation.

[brooklynite]

188. Fair enough...show us a quote by the Pope on this matter.

[hollowdweller]

63. This reminds me a bit of the Kim Davis thing

Hearing difft things from difft sources.

[Renew Deal]

100. The person that put Davis there was recently fired

[PatrickforO]

65. 'Monumental discourtesy???'

Really? Or do the reporters at Bloomberg just have corporate 'gas?'

Lucky Bloomberg and other such corporate organs no longer control the message, isn't it?

We do.

They wanna throw the kitchen sink because Bernie's starting to win???

FUCK THEM.

Fight line by line every lie, twist and distortion. Get it out, over and over and over. Twitter, facebook, other social media.

WE CONTROL THE MESSAGE, NOT THE ESTABLISHMENT.

[Renew Deal]

92. That's an attributed quote

Not some unnamed source. It has nothing to do with Bloomberg

[FailureToCommunicate]

140. If you found that actual quote please show us. It appears no where in the various updates to the

Bloomberg article.

[pnwmom]

148. It was discourteous to trick the Pontifical Academy into issuing an invitation

to a candidate in the heat of a political campaign. The Vatican avoids endorsements or even the appearance of endorsements, which this obviously was intended to do.

[FailureToCommunicate]

327. And you know those two points how?

[Else You Are Mad]

85. Well..

It is not like the Vatican doesn't know Sanders is running for president. Until the spokes person for or the Pope himself says what this article is positing, I would take this with a grain of salt. The Hillary camp is just upset and is just trying to smear Sanders.

[beastie boy]

115. No mention of the Hillary camp here

Seems to me it is the Vatican that is upset and is trying to smear Bernie.

Wait a minute... OMG! Hillary is in bed with the Inquisition!... And Bernie is Jewish!... Clearly, Hillary wants to burn Bernie at the stake! Where is the outrage, Democrats?

[Else You Are Mad]

118. That is an absurd comment and I implied NOTHING of the sort. nt.

[beastie boy]

137. You implied the invitation snafu is a consequece of Hillary being upset and trying to smear Bernie

Absurd indeed.

The rest of my post is just taking your absurdity to its logical conclusion.

Insert at the end of my post if it helps.

[Else You Are Mad]

138. No, it isn't...

...but nice try.

[beastie boy]

145. Direct quote from your post:

"Until the spokes person for or the Pope himself says what this article is positing, I would take this with a grain of salt. The Hillary camp is just upset and is just trying to smear Sanders. "

How would a sane person interpret this as not implying Hillary's complicity in the whole matter?

[pnwmom]

153. The Pope didn't issue the invitation. The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences

organized the conference and issued the invitation. And the President of that academy is the one saying Sanders lobbied for the invitation.

[Csainvestor]

95. They didn't have to issue an invite in the first place.

Another Bernie Bash in the billionaire owned media.

[alcina]

112. I think this comment says more about Margaret Archer

I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote but this is not the Catholic vote and he should remember that and act accordingly -- not that he will.”

"Not that he will?" WTF? Clearly Margeret Archer has a very low opinion of Sen. Sanders.

If the Academy thought so poorly of him, why did they invite him? Even if -- IF -- he requested the invitation, they did not have to agree. Perhaps she was opposed to his inclusion, but got outvoted?

Weird.

[PatV]

358. She's a liar.

Papal official denies report Sanders invited himself to Vatican
*
A Bloomberg report quoted Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, as saying that Sanders had broken with protocol by failing to contact her office first.

"This is not true and she knows it. I invited him with her consensus," said Sorondo, who is senior to Archer.

An invitation to Sanders dated March 30, which was emailed to Reuters, was signed by Sorondo and also included Archer's name.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-vatican-idUSKCN0X5257

[still_one]

123. wow, that is a big deal

[Fast Walker 52]

128. what a stupid clickbait article... this is truly the silly season

[closeupready]

130. Vatican Academy/Charm School/Finishing School for Girls?

Wow, what a bunch of nothing to get your panties in a twist over.

[shawn703]

131. If Bernie Sanders showed "monumental discourtesy"

In the process of obtaining his invitation to the Vatican, why did he get an invitation? The last people I would invite to something I'm hosting would be the people who were monumentally discourteous to me.

Maybe he was "monumentally discourteous" after receiving the invitation... but in that case couldn't the invitation be rescinded?

Let's use a little more critical thinking, shall we?

[pnwmom]

207. It has.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1407552

[Uponthegears]

143. Here's a link to the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences

website:

http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en.html

Could anyone in at SmearBernie.Hillary point out where this statement came from the Academy or ANYONE other than Ms. Archer?

Oh, btw, whether he asked to be invited is IRRELEVANT. Someone at the Academy made the decision to invite him. If Hillary thinks everyone who asks automatically gets invited, maybe she should have given it a try . . . she could have used one of her Goldman Sachs speeches.

[jeepers]

144. Our voice

I don't care if Bernie had to rip the door off of its' hinges to get into that conference, he belongs there, Income inequality is Bernies revelation, his cause. Monumental discourtesy be damned, this is a revolution, not a tea party.

[Hoppy]

149. The point of the harridan's press release can be gleaned from her last sentence,"...not that he will

Last edited Fri Apr 8, 2016, 02:48 PM - Edit history (1)

[IdaBriggs]

159. No press release - phone interview.

She might not have even known she was going to be quoted.

[pnwmom]

213. The Vatican has confirmed that they didn't issue the invitation -- she did.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1407552

[scioto99]

236. Please define the word "harridan" for us all.

Oh wait. A gender-specific insult.

Generally: a shrewish female who doesn't know her place and dares to peck at and aggravate males. It's vaguely Shakespearian sounding.


Funny: yesterday I saw a DU person refer to a public figure (whose character he disliked) as a BIMBO and a WHORE.

His/her name is downtown hound. You guys should date and shout BIMBO! WHORE! HARRIDAN! at all females you take a dislikin' to - you would get along GREAT together!!

What a terrific liberal site ya got here on DU..... Please, keep it up!

[displacedtexan]

402. Upthread, she was accused of "bitching" and "pitching a hissy fit"

The insults are so ingrained that those hurling them aren't even aware they're doing it. Or, if they are aware, they must just feel entitled to do so.

Truly heavy sigh.

[scioto99]

443. How do we fix it?

I mean, these are supposedly democrats.

Democrats are supposed to be about equality and righting wrongs.

One or two woman-hating asshats on this site isn't a problem to me. There's gonna be a few asshats everywhere. But check out the silence in response - from everyone. Look at the effing benign acceptance of misogyny by the majority of self-identified "progressive" people. Like, it's normal.

To be clear, in case anyone (not you, displaced ) misunderstands me:

Go ahead and express anger at a woman who had made you angry. Nothing wrong with calling a female a shithead; a liar; a publicity hound, an idiot, or whatever other pejorative term best describes what she did or how she acted. You're entitled to say the same stuff about her that you would say about a man who did the same thing.

But when you reach not for "she's an idiot, a liar, a monster" but for your ready supply of gender-specific insults - "harridan, whore, bimbo. shrew, slut, cunt, pitching a hissy-fit, shrill and hysterical" - you are saying, "I'm angry not because of what she did/said, but because it's a mere female who dared cross me. And females need to know their inferior place."

Not too hard to understand.

Here's a tip, people: just fucking stop.

And when you see misogyny, call it out. Stand up and make it clear that equality and respect are the expected norm, and woman-hating asshats in your presence need to improve - or expect ostracism.

[Bonhomme Richard]

151. The whole thing smells of horseshit and I don't think the church would...

react, even if true, in such a horseshit way.

[stupidicus]

155. do you mean into a better Bernie condemnation than you can come up with?

apparently it's a lone wolf whining for attention

[muriel_volestrangler]

156. Sanders Aide Disputes Vatican Story on Lobbied Invitation

“Your story is categorically untrue. The invitation came to the senator from the Vatican,” Bernie Sanders spokesman Michael Briggs says in e-mail. Related: Sanders Accused of ‘Discourtesy’ in Vatican Invitation

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/trackers/2016-04-08/sanders-aide-disputes-vatican-story-on-lobbied-invitation

That's all there is there.

[pnwmom]

215. The Vatican disputes that. And they would know.

The President of the Academy is the woman interviewed in the Bloomberg article.

http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/04/08/bernie-sanders-accepts-pope-franciss-invitation-to-travel-to-the-vatican/

The Vatican press office later clarified that it did not issue the invitation, but that it came from the academy.

[Iliyah]

258. The Vatican press office later clarified that it did not issue the invitation . . .

The Pope is not into American Politics.

[muriel_volestrangler]

260. No-one claimed the press office issued an invitation

The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences is, in general parlance, part of 'the Vatican'. It was established by a pope, its headquarters are in the Vatican City, and its president is appointed by the pope. The Holy See gives it money.

[scioto99]

160. I did kinda assume that the Pope had heard his stump speech and personally called him to say,

"Come on over and let's talk about helping the poor, you mensch!"

Now? I feel like a rube.

I will hang back and wait for the final analysis.

I suppose all politicians play games. On the one hand, it's a bit hard to imagine a Sanders minion calling a Popey minion and saying, "My boss really really wants to show up on TV with your boss and talk piously about The Poor since you and he both care about The Poor and it has NOTHING AT ALL to do with political hijinks in America... oh pleasey please?"

But I guess that's actually way more likely than my earlier assumption: that the Pope took an interest in a pack of weird random politicians from across the ocean, and then chose favorites among them in the middle of election season, and made one of them his special little pet !?

I'm gonna guess modern popes don't embarrass themselves like that (at least, not until the election is in the bag and they know what they're going to get from it. Ya don't wanna back the wrong horse, after all....)

[pnwmom]

225. The Vatican says they didn't issue the invitation. It came from the Academy run by the woman

who says she had been lobbied.


http://www.nytimes.com/politics/first-draft/2016/04/08/bernie-sanders-accepts-pope-franciss-invitation-to-travel-to-the-vatican/

The Vatican press office later clarified that it did not issue the invitation, but that it came from the academy.

[scioto99]

241. Too byzantine for me.

In a week i will check back and see what the vatican folks say.

The sanders people have reason to spin it or disguise it. The papacy doesn't. But I'll let the dust settle first before I ask myself who the villain of the story is.

[dr60omg]

175. IN case you were wondering WHO Margaret Archer is

http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en/academicians/ordinary/archer.html

She is a lay professor

[pnwmom]

248. And she's the President of the Pontifical Academy that organized the conference. nt

[dr60omg]

396. The Chancellor of the Academy refutes this

The chancellor of the academy refuted Ms. Archer's statements And the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences' chancellor, Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, told Bloomberg News that he invited Sanders to the conference "quite some time ago."
"We are interested in having him because we have two presidents coming from Latin America, I thought it would be good to have an authoritative voice from North America,"


And Bloomberg is walking this back

[Sky Masterson]

179. Let me get this straight

Bernie was invited to speak but he wasn't allowed to tell anyone.

Seems a bit fishy of story to me.

[bluedigger]

290. He's also getting a quarter million in speaking fees.

And there will be no transcript.

[Sky Masterson]

294. Bazinga!

OMG! That is perfect!

[4139]

194. Jealousy is what drove ms. Archer's statement...she needs to go to confession.

[scioto99]

249. What's she jealous of? Did she suddenly wanna win Oregon?

Ya lost me there.

[4139]

273. It was/is 'her event' and now Bernie is upstaging here by a million times. And there big media....

...coverage but it is about Bernie and not here and her event.

[scioto99]

285. i would think getting media to crawl all over her event would be a coup.

Most people like to get celebs and cameras at their events. Isn't that how it works?

Enough, please.

[4139]

299. She didn't invite him, she is layperson and President of the group; The Chancellor, a Bishop invited

Bernie.

Just petty office politics
http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-04-08/sanders-accused-of-discourtesy-in-seeking-vatican-invitation

[shireen]

367. i think you're right ...

i got the same impression. Bernie seems to be caught up in some weird office politics. Sounds like a power struggle.

[Lars39]

199. Where was Hillar's invite?

Or any of the clown car brigade's invites? This conference is about Bernie's interests, why wouldn't he reach out to them?

[phazed0]

200. Bloomberg falling in line with the Daily News.. full of shit. nt

[Laser102]

209. I think the Catholics would have preferred to be left out of the political discussions.

I'm sorry Bernie thinks this will help him. It is such an obvious ploy that it stinks.

[pnwmom]

254. Exactly. The Vatican tries to stay out of politics. A Bishop was forced into early retirement

after he arranged for the Pope to have a meeting with Kim Francis, and she publicized it.

[Tempest]

426. Oops. Vatican confirms they invited Sanders

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was invited to speak at an April 15 Vatican event by the Vatican, a senior papal official said on Friday, denying a report that Sanders had invited himself.

"I deny that. It was not that way," Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo told Reuters in a telephone interview while he was traveling in New York. Sorondo, a close aide to Pope Francis, is chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the event.

He said it was his idea to invite Sanders.

A Bloomberg report quoted Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, as saying that Sanders had broken with protocol by failing to contact her office first.

"This is not true and she knows it. I invited him with her consensus," said Sorondo, who is senior to Archer.

An invitation to Sanders dated March 30, which was emailed to Reuters, was signed by Sorondo and also included Archer's name.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-vatican-idUSKCN0X5257

[Arugula Latte]

210. Fuck the Vatican. It's a corrupt cesspool.

[liberal N proud]

212. Another BS fail!

Time to pull the plug on Bernie, you have gotten in way over your head!

[pandr32]

386. Yep

This was a silly, desperate move on his part. He should fire whoever advised this campaign tactic.

[LaurenG]

214. Hillary's invite? Where is that?

The rest of this is just more smear Bernie.

[earthmanneil]

218. Hey, anybody on this post want to invite me to dinner?

If not, I guess I'll just have to go on somehow.
If yes, thank you, but please don't imply that I forced the invitation out of you.

BTW, if you happen to be sociologist Margaret Archer, I'm going to have to refuse since you have already pre-judged me as having bad table manners

[deacon_sephiroth]

220. I'll translate for you

since you asked for a translation it goes like this

There's a Vatican thing happening

Bernie said "Hey I like the pope, he seems like a decent stand-up guy like me, can I go"

Vatican thing said yes

Then some conservative bullshit artist decided to act like a terrible affront to all that is good an holy occurred.

Did any of us THINK for one moment that this wouldn't be spun by some asshole? Of course not. What season is it? Let's all keep perspective here.

Also, I think anyone that's been on this board for any length of time knows a crock of hollow politicking drivel when they see it. The people treating it like it's some sort of credible INCIDENT either haven't read anything about it, or would like to ride that wave of conservative bullspin. Either way, they and I both know they're full of it.

[Worldly Traveler]

222. Never Mind

What a gracious woman! Not!

[Cheese Sandwich]

223. When you post in the LBN the instructions say "Use the EXACT TITLE of the article you are posting,

without additional comment."

But the real title is "Sanders’s Vatican Invitation Sparks Accusation of ‘Discourtesy’"

You've made it seem worse by changing the title.

[Cheap_Trick]

235. It's the kind of desperation I've come to expect

from $hills.

[brooklynite]

244. This was the exact headline at the time I read it.

I picked it up from Twitter.

Bloomberg Politics ?@bpolitics 1h1 hour ago
Bernie Sanders accused of "monumental discourtesy" in seeking Vatican invite http://bloom.bg/1RIZJ0e

[Skittles]

252. IT HAS TO BE A CONSPIRACY BROOKLYNITE!

Last edited Fri Apr 8, 2016, 02:34 PM - Edit history (1)

GET WITH THE PROGRAM!

[brooklynite]

267. I assumed it was a mis-translation from Latin...

[creatives4innovation]

318. Is the story different now?

From what's there now, the monumental discourtesy was to her personally, not the Vatican. That's not the impression I got the first time I read the article.

[muriel_volestrangler]

270. Bloomberg have redirected requests to a new page

Here's the cache of the original:

http://webcache.googleusercontent.com/search?q=cache:4X3C3rZPHKkJ:www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-04-08/vatican-academy-criticizes-sanders-s-monumental-discourtesy+&cd=3&hl=en&ct=clnk&gl=uk

[MrMickeysMom]

425. The OP tried their best...

As usual, it was bunk, fluff and poorly described horse shit.

[elleng]

227. Here is the press release from the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences.

xpost from CoffeeCat @ GD-P:

You had to apply to be invited to this important event. Bernie obviously applied. Many important world leaders and scholars applied. Bernie was personally invited.

The press release from the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences touts Bernie's name FIRST on the list of attendees. Obviously, this organization is very proud to have him attend. Firstly, they invited him. Secondly, the are using his name prominently in their press materials that promote the event.

It appears that the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences is very happy to have Bernie there and is promoting his involvement. I think all is well.

There is one person, a conservative Bishop, who has come out to criticize Bernie, after this exciting announcement was made. She can have her opinion. She sounds politically motivated to me.

It is undeniable that the organization, as a whole, wants Bernie there. They invited him above many other applicants and he's a part of their publicity effort to spark interest in this important event.

I work in public relations, and have done so for many years. I've written hundreds of press releases--and clearly the organization as a whole is very happy with Bernie!

Text of press release/statement:

We're delighted to host this conference to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Centesimus Annus, bringing together world leaders, including US Senator Sanders, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, Bolivian President Evo Morales, Academicians of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences such as its President Margaret Archer, and leading scholars such as Professor Daniel Finn, Professor Jeffrey Sachs etc., to examine and discuss changes in politics, economics, and culture in the world these last 25 years in the light of Pope Francis' new encyclical Laudato si'. Our intention is socio-political in the highest sense of the term, because according to art. 1 of our Statutes, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science.
Title I - Constitution and Aims of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences
Art. 1
The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 (AAS 86 , 213), with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science. The Academy, through an appropriate dialogue, thus offers the Church the elements which she can use in the development of her social doctrine, and reflects on the application of that doctrine in contemporary society. The Academy, which is autonomous, maintains a close relationship with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.
✠ Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo

https://berniesanders.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/Bernie-Sanders-Vatican.pdf

[pnwmom]

246. If you had to apply, then why did Bernie say on MSNBC that he had just gotten the invitation

"out of the blue"?

It's one lie or another. Nothing but lies.

[muriel_volestrangler]

277. You think Margaret Archer is a 'conservative Bishop'?

Do you know anything about the Roman Catholic church, and the positions women can hold in it?

[Grins]

229. Quote: ":...he should remember that and act accordingly.."

“I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote but this is not the Catholic vote and he should remember that and act accordingly - not that he will.” - Someone no one has ever heard of before today.

And maybe you should "remember that and act accordingly" when speaking about someone who has a real shot at being the President of the United States and not some ecclesiastical state off a boulevard in Rome.

PS: And for the f*ck-all of it, I'm Catholic and already voted for Sanders, so this is one vote he didn't have to go after.

[DrBulldog]

234. That's how most conferences work. Potential invitees typically first apply and propose their talks.

Then they are vetted by a conference committee and a select few are chosen.

[nichomachus]

239. You don't rise through the ranks in the Vatican unless you're an extreme right-winger.

In fact, you have to swear an oath to pursue the Vatican's anti-woman, anti-LGBT agenda.

So, consider the source on this one.

[DesertRat]

247. He was never invited to talk to Pope Francis or to the "Vatican"

And the head of the conference he's attending called him discourteous.

[pnwmom]

257. The Vatican disagrees with the economics of the right and the social philosophy of the left.

So they don't want to endorse anyone here.

Ever.

Bernie's claim smelled fishy right from the beginning.

[LiberalLovinLug]

345. I find her much more "discourteous"

Whether Sanders applied for an invitation or not, his invitation was accepted.

Archer's tone is the one that is very disrespectful of Sanders and also her own members, one of which issued the invitation.

“Sanders made the first move, for the obvious reasons,” Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the conference Sanders will attend, said in a telephone interview. “I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote but this is not the Catholic vote and he should remember that and act accordingly -- not that he will.”

Archer said that while she “quite liked” Sanders’s program on paper, his failure to contact her first is a breach of protocol. “The president of the academy organizing this event has not been contacted with monumental discourtesy,” she said, referring to herself."


Talking about herself in the third person sounds like the height of arrogance. And OMG he didn't go through the proper channel? Hell hath no fury.. And for her to ASSume his motivations..ie. going for the Catholic vote, scolding him to act a certain way, and then to also chide him with the snide "not that he will"

The Writer of this post is not buying it.

[beastie boy]

259. Bernie lied on at least one count

Sanders earlier on Friday said, “this is an invitation from the Vatican, from a pope that I have enormous respect for in term of the level of consciousness that he’s raising on the need to have morality in our economy."

The office of the pope moved quickly to distance the pontiff from Sanders’s visit. Father Federico Lombardi, the Pope’s spokesman, said Sanders had been invited “not by the pope but by the pontifical academy of social sciences.” Lombardi told the Italian news agency Ansa: “For the moment there is no expectation that there will also be a meeting with the pope.”

He wasn't invited by the Pope

[Surya Gayatri]

272. OMG! It just keeps getting better and better.

Keep talking Bern. We're waiting for the next foot-in-mouth incident.

[Iliyah]

306. Geez, just be truthful with it.

[BlueMTexpat]

283. After the Kim Davis imbroglio last

summer, I fully believe that Pope Francis's people will keep Bernie as far away from the Pope as possible. Yikes!

This could be seen as interference in a foreign election campaign, which is a major NO-NO for any foreign Head of State.

Unfortunately, Bernie has made it sound like an invitation from the Pope himself, which is very much NOT the case.

[scioto99]

292. It's like that Trump thing with the pope.

I don't remember the pope ever coming into past elections. Is this a common thing - "Let's all grope the pope! Elections are coming up!"

Possibly I have not paid enough attention in past years. I just wish they'd stop trying to stick their damn hands up his skirt. He's not my cuppa tea but he shouldn't be used as a fire hydrant where a succession of candidates rub their scent.

[greymouse]

265. Margaret has her knickers in a twist

Just read this stuff below:

"failing to contact her office" - like who knew that had to be done. An invitation from the Pope sounds good enough to me.

"for obvious reasons" - but what obvious reasons

Then all those snotty remarks about how he is bound to be discourteous, going for votes, etc.

Basically: what a bunch of crap from some snotty bureaucrat. You can bet the Pope would not say those things.


"However it has also inserted Sanders into a dispute among Vatican officials. The president of the academy said Friday that Sanders didn’t follow proper protocol by failing to contact her office and that his presence threatens to make the event political. The academy’s chancellor said he arranged the invitation and defended the Vermont senator.

“Sanders made the first move, for the obvious reasons,” Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the conference Sanders will attend, said in a telephone interview. “I think in a sense he may be going for the Catholic vote but this is not the Catholic vote and he should remember that and act accordingly -- not that he will.”

Michael Briggs, a spokesman for Sanders, disputed Archer and said the characterization of the invitation is “categorically untrue. The invitation came to the senator from the Vatican."

[hedda_foil]

268. Certainly. The piece has been completely rewritten. Click on your original link.

Or post 251: http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1407632

Apparently, they went to her boss instead of her. He invited Bernie, so she's feeling dissed.

[BlueMTexpat]

274. Breach of protocol involved -

therein the discourtesy. From the link ..

However it has also inserted Sanders into a dispute among Vatican officials. The president of the academy said Friday that Sanders didn’t follow proper protocol by failing to contact her office and that his presence threatens to make the event political. The academy’s chancellor said he arranged the invitation and defended the Vermont senator.
...
The office of the pope moved quickly to distance the pontiff from Sanders’s visit. Father Federico Lombardi, the Pope’s spokesman, said Sanders had been invited “not by the pope but by the pontifical academy of social sciences.” Lombardi told the Italian news agency Ansa: “For the moment there is no expectation that there will also be a meeting with the pope.”
...
Presidential candidates including Democrat Barack Obama in 2008 and Republican Mitt Romney in 2012 made tours of foreign capitals to respond to criticism of inexperience though in both cases they traveled to multiple countries and waited until after they had clinched their party’s nominations.
...

Jumping the gun a bit methinks.

[frylock]

276. I bet a lamp or two will be hitting the wall over at Clinton Campaign HQ over this.

Judging by the amount of pushback against Bernie's announcement, there can't be too many happy faces over there today.

[DesertRat]

406. More like glasses clinking in a toast

[frylock]

407. Oh, okay.

[NCjack]

278. It's a bad idea to involve the Vatican in American politics. Americans have

worked hard in the past to keep them out of our business. One the problem is ironed out, I hope Bernie then declines to go. If he made a mistake of "monumental discourtesy", so has she.

[riderinthestorm]

293. Debunked by a Vatican chancellor

The VATICAN has DEBUNKED the smear already concerning Bernie's invite.

Unbelievable that the hatred for Bernie has come down to this! 

Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the chancellor of the Academy, speaking on the phone from New York, said he extended the invitation to Sanders

"We are interested in having him because we have two presidents coming from Latin America, I thought it would be good to have an authoritative voice from North America,” Sanchez Sorondo said.Asked when he when the invitation was extended, he said, “Quite some time ago.”

So it seems that this lower level employee that put out the hit piece was not aware of conversations going on earlier. 

http://www.bloomberg.com/politics/articles/2016-04-08/sanders-accused-of-discourtesy-in-seeking-vatican-invitation

25

[BlueMTexpat]

305. There is a protocol that

must be followed. It was not followed.

No hit piece. The truth.

[riderinthestorm]

312. Whom am I to believe? You or the Vatican chancellor? nt

[BlueMTexpat]

325. Please read the article more carefully.

The office of the pope moved quickly to distance the pontiff from Sanders’s visit. Father Federico Lombardi, the Pope’s spokesman, said Sanders had been invited “not by the pope but by the pontifical academy of social sciences.” Lombardi told the Italian news agency Ansa: “For the moment there is no expectation that there will also be a meeting with the pope.”

Bernie has let it be understood that the invitation was from the Pope himself. Just Google the slew of articles about this.

And yes, there was a breach of protocol, which is something that Bernie's campaign clearly does not understand.

[riderinthestorm]

332. How about you read the text of the actual press release?

Actual text of the the Vatican Press Release - (thanks Coffee Cat)

Text of press release/statement: 

We're delighted to host this conference to celebrate the 25th anniversary of Centesimus Annus, bringing together world leaders, including US Senator Sanders, Ecuadorean President Rafael Correa, Bolivian President Evo Morales, Academicians of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences such as its President Margaret Archer, and leading scholars such as Professor Daniel Finn, Professor Jeffrey Sachs etc., to examine and discuss changes in politics, economics, and culture in the world these last 25 years in the light of Pope Francis' new encyclical Laudato si'. Our intention is socio-political in the highest sense of the term, because according to art. 1 of our Statutes, the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science. 
Title I - Constitution and Aims of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences 
Art. 1 
The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 (AAS 86 , 213), with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science. The Academy, through an appropriate dialogue, thus offers the Church the elements which she can use in the development of her social doctrine, and reflects on the application of that doctrine in contemporary society. The Academy, which is autonomous, maintains a close relationship with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. 
✠ Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo 

Here are Coffeecat's observations that are on point: 


You had to apply to be invited to this important event. Bernie obviously applied. Many important world leaders and scholars applied. Bernie was personally invited. 

The press release from the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences touts Bernie's name FIRST on the list of attendees. Obviously, this organization is very proud to have him attend. Firstly, they invited him. Secondly, the are using his name prominently in their press materials that promote the event. 

It appears that the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences is very happy to have Bernie there and is promoting his involvement. I think all is well. 

There is one person, a conservative Bishop, who has come out to criticize Bernie, after this exciting announcement was made. She can have her opinion. She sounds politically motivated to me. 

It is undeniable that the organization, as a whole, wants Bernie there. They invited him above many other applicants and he's a part of their publicity effort to spark interest in this important event. 

I work in public relations, and have done so for many years. I've written hundreds of press releases--and clearly the organization as a whole is very happy with Bernie! 

[BlueMTexpat]

336. The press release is from the Academy.

The Academy is NOT the Pope.

[riderinthestorm]

339. Ok. Agreed.

[aintitfunny]

307. One woman's opinion, she feels slighted

I'm guessing she does not support the same agenda as Bernie Sanders and Pope Francis. It is simple fact that Bernie and the Pope are aligned in their views, as pointed out by Time Magazine last year when Bernie was a likely candidate and the Pope would be addressing Congress. http://time.com/3661552/bernie-sanders-pope-francis/

Bernie Sander's greatly admires Pope Francis and his opinions and policies are more in tune with those of Pope Francis more than any other US Candidate for the presidency.

It is important to note that the Academy's chancellor disagrees with the president and points out that he arranged the invitation. The Sander's campaign is very clear that the invitation originated from within the Vatican.

"However Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the chancellor of the Academy, speaking on the phone from New York, said he extended the invitation to Sanders though he declined to say who initiated the contacts."

“We are interested in having him because we have two presidents coming from Latin America, I thought it would be good to have an authoritative voice from North America,” Sanchez Sorondo said. Asked when he when the invitation was extended, he said, “Quite some time ago.”

That is is not an endorsement of Sander's candidacy is clear and this was expressed by the Pope's office. This woman, however, is helping Sander's opponents throw some trash on something special that is not really political.

[BlueMTexpat]

319. Most of the articles that I can see

about this have swallowed Bernie's story whole that he was invited by "The Vatican" - i.e., "The Pope" without making the distinction that he was invited - whether he actually asked to be invited first or not - by the Academy simply to speak at one of its functions.

For a Head of State to issue an invitation to meet with a President candidate during a campaign is unusual, to say the least, and could very readily be interpreted as interference in a foreign election. Pope Francis will likely be appalled when he understands what is going on.

I expect that the Pope's representatives will likely issue a clarification soon. The invitation did not come from the Pope and will not entail a papal visit.

[My Good Babushka]

320. The Catholic Church will get no genuflection from me

I hope Sanders goes in there and tells them to quit protecting pedophiles and prosecute them to the fullest extent of the law before they dare open their holy horseshit holes on any other issues.

[EndElectoral]

324. Thank God the bishop's letter clarified things showing Ms. Archer's error.

[Wibly]

326. More 'artful smear'

From the Clinton smear factory.
This is one individual who said Sanders made the move "for obvious reasons".
That's all.
Thanks to Bloomberg, who is heavily invested in all the same things the Clintons are invested in, it comes off sounding like Sanders did a no-no.
Sanders only did what was expected for "obvious reasons".
Clinton campaign is really getting desperate when this is all they can come up with.

[nyabingi]

329. Uh oh

The Hillary supporters on the ground and in the pro-Hillary New York media are working feverishly to diminish the significance of this invite and it's going to backfire just like the rest of her baseless attacks.

[raindaddy]

338. Bernie will be on the world stage speaking out against a corrupt global economy that tolerates

world wide hunger and severe damage to the planet... while Hillary attends a $2,700 per person fundraiser at Goldman...

Bottom line!

[wagepeace]

343. Vatican Academy critizes Sanders Monumental Dishonesty

Please read update from dailykos Sanders was in fact invited, Bloomberg, thehill got it WRONG...if it was a false claim on his part that the media would be railing against him on every channel?? The power elite are trying every dirty trick in their nasty little hands to diminish him to cause him to lose support, to have his supporters lose faith in him well, Im standing with this man, I'm with Bernie Sanders to the convention... to the White House
I #FeelTheBern

[w4rma]

352. Papal official denies report Sanders invited himself to Vatican (Papal aide accuses Archer of lying)

VATICAN CITY/WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was invited to speak at an April 15 Vatican event by the Vatican, a senior papal official said on Friday, denying a report that Sanders had invited himself.

"I deny that. It was not that way," Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo told Reuters in a telephone interview while he was traveling in New York. Sorondo, a close aide to Pope Francis, is chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the event.

He said it was his idea to invite Sanders.

A Bloomberg report quoted Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, as saying that Sanders had broken with protocol by failing to contact her office first.

"This is not true and she knows it. I invited him with her consensus," said Sorondo, who is senior to Archer.

An invitation to Sanders dated March 30, which was emailed to Reuters, was signed by Sorondo and also included Archer's name.
https://www.yahoo.com/news/senior-papal-official-untrue-sanders-invited-himself-vatican-173414032.html

[deacon_sephiroth]

344. turns out, it WAS bullshit

https://www.yahoo.com/news/senior-papal-official-untrue-sanders-invited-himself-vatican-173414032.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw

[renate]

348. thank you!

I haven't looked yet but is this a thread of its own? Because it certainly ought to be. If it isn't yet, I'd do it myself, but my threads always sink like a stone falling into a black hole.

Whoops! It is: http://www.democraticunderground.com/12511682103

[MADem]

439. Nooooo.......that Bishop is refusing to say WHO initiated the contact--now, obviously if it was the

Bishop himself, he would have said so.

You can learn a lot from what is left unsaid.

FWIW, the backstory on that Bishop is something else--a story for another day, though. He's quite a character.

Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the academy's chancellor, said he arranged for Sanders' invitation, although Bloomberg reports that the bishop "repeatedly declined to say who initiated the contact."

The public imbroglio over how Sanders was invited, and by whom, forced his campaign to defend itself on a day when it should have been hailing a development that could benefit him on several levels. A trip to Rome helps Sanders upgrade his thin diplomatic experience, has the potential for a photo op that will appeal to New York Catholics and energize secular admirers of Pope Francis, who has a parallel message on the evils of greed and poverty.

Sanders himself on Friday trumpeted the invitation, saying he was "very excited" to have received it.

"To me, this a source of real pride and excitement that I have been invited to speak to a major conference at the Vatican on how we can create a world economy that is moral and how we address the massive levels of wealth and income inequality that exist around the world, how we deal with unemployment, how we deal with poverty and how we create an economy that works for all people rather than the few," he told the New York Times.

The Vatican, however, said it had nothing to do with the invitation.

Father Federico Lombardi, the Pope's spokesman told the Italian news agency Ansa that the Academy of Social Sciences invited Sanders, not Pope Francis, and that His Holiness doesn't plan to give the senator an audience.

"For the moment there is no expectation that there will also be a meeting with the pope," Lombardi said.

[Hawaiianlight]

347. TYT for debunking exposure

[Uponthegears]

361. Translate this

This latest missal from SmearBernie.Hillary is a lie.

https://www.yahoo.com/news/senior-papal-official-untrue-sanders-invited-himself-vatican-173414032.html?soc_src=social-sh&soc_trk=tw

"I deny that. It was not that way," Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo told Reuters in a telephone interview while he was traveling in New York. Sorondo, a close aide to Pope Francis, is chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the event.

He said it was his idea to invite Sanders.

A Bloomberg report quoted Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, as saying that Sanders had broken with protocol by failing to contact her office first.

"This is not true and she knows it. I invited him with her consensus," said Sorondo, who is senior to Archer.

An invitation to Sanders dated March 30, which was emailed to Reuters, was signed by Sorondo and also included Archer's name.

[BillZBubb]

364. Another day, another Hillarybot lie. You all should be ashamed.

But if you support a corrupt candidate like Hillary, that isn't likely to happen.

[shireen]

372. this has nothing to do with Hillary

The OP did not mention her. Why are you bringing it up?
This is the Academy's office politics with Bernie caught in the middle.

I'm a Bernie supporter. But I won't let Hillary be unfairly maligned in something that has nothing to do with her.

[BillZBubb]

374. It has everything to with Hillarybots. That's what I wrote.

The fact that they support a corrupt money grubber like her just helps explain their lack of a moral compass.

[NastyRiffraff]

412. Thank you.

A voice of sanity, at last.

[LaurenG]

376. I think the Hillary people here are being lied to as well

[BillZBubb]

378. I don't doubt it, but they gleefully post about any negative thing on Sanders.

They never wait to get the facts. They never learn from their prior mistakes. They just don't care. They just double down on the dirt.

[LaurenG]

380. Yep.

Kind of like the Clinton's do...

[kennetha]

401. and this has to do with Hillary, how?

It was Bernie who was caught lying about visiting the Pope.

[BillZBubb]

438. Wow, you repeat the lie! Bernie didn't lie about anything. The Hillarybots like you did.

[TubbersUK]

379. Papal official denies report Sanders invited himself to Vatican

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was invited to speak at an April 15 Vatican event by the Vatican, a senior papal official said on Friday, denying a report that Sanders had invited himself.

"I deny that. It was not that way," Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo told Reuters in a telephone interview while he was traveling in New York. Sorondo, a close aide to Pope Francis, is chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the event.

He said it was his idea to invite Sanders.

A Bloomberg report quoted Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, as saying that Sanders had broken with protocol by failing to contact her office first.

"This is not true and she knows it. I invited him with her consensus," said Sorondo, who is senior to Archer.

An invitation to Sanders dated March 30, which was emailed to Reuters, was signed by Sorondo and also included Archer's name.

(Reporting By Philip Pullella in Vatican City and Alana Wise in Washington; Editing by Chizu Nomiyama, Toni Reinhold)

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-vatican-idUSKCN0X5257

[Iliyah]

381. The Vatican is not a happy camper on this.

[rug]

387. This controversy will break DU.

Immovable object of scorn meets irresistible object of adulation.

[malthaussen]

390. The chancellor and the president need to get their stories straight.

I think we may be getting the edge of some intramural fighting in the Vatican, here.

-- Mal

[stupidicus]

391. well, looks like the gullible ones bite the bullet on this one

does it come as any surprise that they are all HC supporters?

lol

[elleng]

393. Not laughing at this,

in fact quite distressed to see the 'confused' and hateful comments. Clearly DUers aren't in any condition to conciliate in brotherhood/sisterhood.

[stupidicus]

400. well

I often make light of things I don't take lightly.

And in this forum, it's likely best given the likely result of a more spirited critique of the conduct you noted.

[CTyankee]

435. you and me, too, ellen. This is a train wreck. I haven't seen it so bad in a long time.

I hope it calms down soon...

[elleng]

436. Yes, yank; so do I.

P.S., Raine and her husband are in Paris now, having a great time!

[CTyankee]

469. wonderful!

[DisgustipatedinCA]

395. You people need to stop with the constant lies. I hate liars.

The entire Clinton campaign is nothing but a pus-filled bag of lies.

[Lizzie Poppet]

399. Like candidate, like supporters...

And they wonder where the"Bernie of Bust" movement came from...

[Tarheel_Dem]

403. Ahemmmm....

Typical. His whole candidacy is based on illusion.

[proverbialwisdom]

404. That headline is part of the repeating scroll on Bloomberg TV today, incidentally. (nt)

[Warpy]

405. I hate to break it to Archer, but there is no "Catholic vote."

Even out here in heavily Catholic NM, most are pro choice and use contraception.

Damned fools think it's still 1300.

[IdaBriggs]

411. Should this thread be locked in LBN

as it has now been thoroughly debunked?

[Warren DeMontague]

416. THIS BERNIE SANDERS DEATH STAR HAS GOTTA HAVE A THERMAL EXHAUST PORT SOMEWHERE!

KEEP LOOKING!

[polly7]

418. There was no 'discourtesy', let alone a monumental one. Such drama.

The senator from Vermont will speak about creating a “moral economy.”

EMMA GREEN 5:14 PM ET

The Atlantic

A socialist, Jewish, “not particularly religious” senator from Vermont will soon make his debut at the Vatican. On Friday, Bernie Sanders announced that in a week or so, he will be speaking at the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, a scholarly body that’s part of Catholic Church in Rome.

There is a somewhat uncanny overlap between the way Bernie and Francis talk about economic issues. One of the first pieces of writing the pope released during his tenure, Evangelii Gaudium, is all about the greed and fundamental corruption at the heart of the global economy. Both men speak with passion about poverty and talk about labor and wages in moral terms. And Sanders has often praised the pope, including after the pontiff addressed the U.S. Congress in September.

It might also seem like the Vatican is getting involved in a controversial presidential race—not just to throw shade at Donald Trump, which the pope has done before, but to tacitly show favor to one of the Democratic candidates. But the internal politics of the Church, as it turns out, can be rather complicated. After the speaking gig became public, Bloomberg ran an interview with Margaret Archer, the president of the academy, who said that Sanders had approached the Vatican to solicit an invite, showing “monumental discourtesy” in making a Church event into something political. The chancellor of the body, Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, denied that in an interview with Reuters, though, saying that it was his idea to invite Sanders.

Jeffrey Sachs, a Columbia University professor who is presenting at the event, said in a phone interview that he helped the Vatican reach out to Bernie Sanders in March, and he doesn’t know why Archer alleged that the Sanders campaign initiated the gig. “The academy sent the invitation, it’s pure and simple,” he said. “A lot of people in the Vatican respect him a lot. He is speaking in the same kind of moral themes that Pope Francis, and the social teachings of the Church, promote, which is a moral economy.” A representative who works with Sachs also passed along an official invitation from Sanchez Sorondo to Sanders dated on March 30. But even though the invite appeared to come from an official Church body, that doesn’t mean it came from Pope Francis, and a spokesperson for the Vatican said it hasn’t been confirmed whether the senator and the pontiff will have a sit-down in Rome.

But although the venue isn’t much like the small-town high-school gymnasiums where Sanders has spent much of his time in recent weeks, this is another moment of Bernie being Bernie: taking any chance he can to decry the ills of the capitalism and the global economy, and to advance his vision of social justice.

Full article: http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/04/bernie-heads-to-the-vatican/477471/

[Tempest]

422. VATICAN CONFIRMS IT, NOT THE ACADEMY SENT OFFER TO SANDERS

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was invited to speak at an April 15 Vatican event by the Vatican, a senior papal official said on Friday, denying a report that Sanders had invited himself.

"I deny that. It was not that way," Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo told Reuters in a telephone interview while he was traveling in New York. Sorondo, a close aide to Pope Francis, is chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the event.

He said it was his idea to invite Sanders.

A Bloomberg report quoted Margaret Archer, president of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, as saying that Sanders had broken with protocol by failing to contact her office first.

"This is not true and she knows it. I invited him with her consensus," said Sorondo, who is senior to Archer.

An invitation to Sanders dated March 30, which was emailed to Reuters, was signed by Sorondo and also included Archer's name.

http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-election-vatican-idUSKCN0X5257

[MADem]

430. NO--that invitation was NOT issued by the Vatican--it was issued by the ACADEMY.

The Academy is an AUTONOMOUS institution--it is not an "arm" of POPE FRANCIS. Sorry.


But the invitation was actually made by Bishop Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, the chancellor of the pontifical academy, an autonomous institution that receives some funding from the Holy See but is not officially part of it.
In a March 30 letter inviting Sanders to the event, Sánchez Sorondo wrote, "On behalf of the President, Professor Margaret Archer, the Organizers, and as Chancellor, I am very happy to invite you to attend the meeting on 'Centesimus Annus: 25 Years Later.' The meeting, which is humanitarian in its objects, will be held at the Casina Pio IV, the headquarters of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, from 15 to 16 April 2016."
But Archer, an English academic, appears not to have known about the invitation. On Friday, she accused Sanders of “monumental discourtesy” for not contacting her, telling Bloomberg that he was the one who had made the first move regarding the meeting — and “for obvious reasons.”


Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/bernie-sanders-vatican-conference-221708#ixzz45HQySWFO
Follow us: @politico on Twitter | Politico on Facebook

[muriel_volestrangler]

433. "Therefore we cannot say that it is an invitation from the pope, but from a Vatican institution."

You should 'read more', as the instruction says.

The Rev. Federico Lombardi, director of the Vatican Press Office, told POLITICO, "My information is very simple: the invitation came from the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences for the Meeting 'Centesimus Annus — 25 Years Later.' Therefore we cannot say that it is an invitation from the pope, but from a Vatican institution."

Neither Sanders nor his campaign said it came 'from the pope' or an arm of his;

"It was an invitation from the Vatican," Sanders replied

Reports that Sanders had said that Pope Francis himelf had invited him were incorrect, Shank said, but he argued that the invitation had effectively come from the Vatican. "The PASS is part of the Vatican. So the senator is right when he says the Vatican invited him," he said.

[MADem]

434. Yeah-YOU should read more, and learn what "autonomous" means! LOL!!!!

It is not a Vatican invitation, and the Vatican has said as much. It is a Vatican funded autonomous institution.

About that "read more" snark?

But the invitation was actually made by Bishop Marcelo Sánchez Sorondo, the chancellor of the pontifical academy, an autonomous institution that receives some funding from the Holy See but is not officially part of it.
In a March 30 letter inviting Sanders to the event, Sánchez Sorondo wrote, "On behalf of the President, Professor Margaret Archer, the Organizers, and as Chancellor, I am very happy to invite you to attend the meeting on 'Centesimus Annus: 25 Years Later.' The meeting, which is humanitarian in its objects, will be held at the Casina Pio IV, the headquarters of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, from 15 to 16 April 2016."
But Archer, an English academic, appears not to have known about the invitation. On Friday, she accused Sanders of “monumental discourtesy” for not contacting her, telling Bloomberg that he was the one who had made the first move regarding the meeting — and “for obvious reasons.”


Read more: http://www.politico.com/story/2016/04/bernie-sanders-vatican-conference-221708#ixzz45HQySWFO
Follow us: @politico on Twitter | Politico on Facebook

[muriel_volestrangler]

437. The quote is there: the Vatican press office says it's a Vatican institution

That's a direct quote. And, you know, that '.va' web address is a bit of a giveaway too.

"The Holy See" is the see - the division of the church. The Politico reporter may have thought it worthwhile to try and distinguish between the Holy See and the Vatican.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Episcopal_see

The headquarters of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences is in the Vatican. It is, as the Sanders campaign and the Vatican press office said, a Vatican institution.

[MADem]

440. Yeah, the quote is there--the Vatican didn't invite him. smh!!!

Good grief, you want another source? Here ya go--it doesn't get better:

Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the academy's chancellor, said he arranged for Sanders' invitation, although Bloomberg reports that the bishop "repeatedly declined to say who initiated the contact."

The public imbroglio over how Sanders was invited, and by whom, forced his campaign to defend itself on a day when it should have been hailing a development that could benefit him on several levels. A trip to Rome helps Sanders upgrade his thin diplomatic experience, has the potential for a photo op that will appeal to New York Catholics and energize secular admirers of Pope Francis, who has a parallel message on the evils of greed and poverty.

Sanders himself on Friday trumpeted the invitation, saying he was "very excited" to have received it.


"To me, this a source of real pride and excitement that I have been invited to speak to a major conference at the Vatican on how we can create a world economy that is moral and how we address the massive levels of wealth and income inequality that exist around the world, how we deal with unemployment, how we deal with poverty and how we create an economy that works for all people rather than the few," he told the New York Times.

The Vatican, however, said it had nothing to do with the invitation.

Father Federico Lombardi, the Pope's spokesman told the Italian news agency Ansa that the Academy of Social Sciences invited Sanders, not Pope Francis, and that His Holiness doesn't plan to give the senator an audience.

"For the moment there is no expectation that there will also be a meeting with the pope," Lombardi said.

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-04-08/so-who-exactly-invited-bernie-sanders-to-the-vatican

[muriel_volestrangler]

445. Again, you're trying to use the words of American reporters, not the Vatican

The pope's spokesman said the pope didn't invite him. That's correct, but the American reporter has incorrectly put that as "the Vatican, however, said it had nothing to do with the invitation". However, we have the direct quote from the Vatican press office that the Academy is a "Vatican institution", and that it invited him. Sorondo says he arranged the invitation. Although the invitation is what is being talked about, you for some reason chose to highlight a different sentence about who "initiated the contact".

Here, let's have some more words from the bishop himself:

U.S. Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders was invited to speak at an April 15 Vatican event by the Vatican, a senior papal official said on Friday, denying a report that Sanders had invited himself.

"I deny that. It was not that way," Monsignor Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo told Reuters in a telephone interview while he was traveling in New York. Sorondo, a close aide to Pope Francis, is chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, which is hosting the event.

He said it was his idea to invite Sanders.
...
"This is not true and she knows it. I invited him with her consensus," said Sorondo, who is senior to Archer.

An invitation to Sanders dated March 30, which was emailed to Reuters, was signed by Sorondo and also included Archer's name.

http://mobile.reuters.com/article/idUSKCN0X5257

Jeffrey Sachs, a Columbia University professor who is presenting at the event, said in a phone interview that he helped the Vatican reach out to Bernie Sanders in March, and he doesn’t know why Archer alleged that the Sanders campaign initiated the gig. “The academy sent the invitation, it’s pure and simple,” he said. “A lot of people in the Vatican respect him a lot. He is speaking in the same kind of moral themes that Pope Francis, and the social teachings of the Church, promote, which is a moral economy.” A representative who works with Sachs also passed along an official invitation from Sanchez Sorondo to Sanders dated on March 30. But even though the invite appeared to come from an official Church body, that doesn’t mean it came from Pope Francis, and a spokesperson for the Vatican said it hasn’t been confirmed whether the senator and the pontiff will have a sit-down in Rome.

http://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2016/04/bernie-heads-to-the-vatican/477471/

Once again, we find that no-one is saying it came from the pope, but everyone, with the bizarre exception of Archer, says it came from the Academy, a Vatican institution.

[MADem]

450. It is an institution that is AUTONOMOUS from the Vatican. THEY say so--not "American reporters"

The word AUTONOMOUS has meaning, you know. Where do you think those reporters GOT that word? Good grief!



It's written right into their frigging BYLAWS:

The Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences was established by the Holy Father John Paul II on 1 January 1994 (AAS 86 [1994], 213), with the aim of promoting the study and progress of the social sciences, primarily economics, sociology, law and political science. The Academy, through an appropriate dialogue, thus offers the Church the elements which she can use in the development of her social doctrine, and reflects on the application of that doctrine in contemporary society. The Academy, which is autonomous, maintains a close relationship with the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace.

Are you going to complain about THAT source, too? Because that is the ACADEMY WEBSITE. The Horse's Mouth, as it were.

http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en/about/statutes.html

[muriel_volestrangler]

458. No, that doesn't say "from the Vatican"

The other entity mentioned in that sentence is the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace. That page goes on to point out the pope nominates the president and chancellor of the academy, and he appoints its council, on the advice of the president. It is situated in the Vatican.

And, yeah, there's that '.va' Vatican web address.

[MrMickeysMom]

423. Yeah, I can translate for you...

HORSE SHIT.

It didn't take long to debunk, either.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1014&pid=1408086

Next?

[MADem]

442. Uh oh.....turns out your debunk got debunked.

http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2016-04-08/so-who-exactly-invited-bernie-sanders-to-the-vatican

Bishop Marcelo Sanchez Sorondo, the academy's chancellor, said he arranged for Sanders' invitation, although Bloomberg reports that the bishop "repeatedly declined to say who initiated the contact."

What did the Bishop do again? Why, he REPEATEDLY DECLINED to say who had initiated the contact.

Now, obviously, if he'd done it, he would have said so. But he won't lie, so he issues this sad little "declined to say" statement which makes it clear that Sanders asked for the invite.



Why didn't he just admit it? "I wanted to participate in this important and worthwhile conference so I asked if I could join in?" Sounds completely normal to most people, but no, he's got to act like Frank called him up and said Bernie, come on down.

That "Big Man on Campus" game is just so .... Brian Williams.

[MrMickeysMom]

447. Nice try...

I tend to agree that the Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (its highest authority) dispelled that nonsense.

I agree with others that Margaret Archer's subordinate position to the Chancellor shows that her words means nothing, and as someone here should have made it clear to you, had you the interest, her words least of all mean anything to Pope Francis.

But, thank you for playing.

[MADem]

452. LOL--highest authority? Stop making stuff up!

The pecking order is on the Academy website--he's Number TWO, Margaret The Pissed Off Archer is Number One. President, first, Chancellor, second.

You should check your facts before you make claims like that.

http://www.pass.va/content/scienzesociali/en/about/council.html


Anything to "win?" LOL!!!!

Oh, and that post is a keeper, especially given all the dripping sarcasm:

Star Member MrMickeysMom (19,175 posts)
447. Nice try...

I tend to agree that the Chancellor of the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences (its highest authority) dispelled that nonsense.

I agree with others that Margaret Archer's subordinate position to the Chancellor shows that her words means nothing, and as someone here should have made it clear to you, had you the interest, her words least of all mean anything to Pope Francis.

But, thank you for playing.

[dchill]

427. Monumental Thread Fail

-1

[DisgustipatedinCA]

429. This was debunked long ago. Brooklynite, do you care to disassociate yourself with the lie?

As of this moment, you own the lie.

[MrMickeysMom]

448. Not only does he own the lie...

I think he's behind on payments!

[MADem]

453. LOL! That sanctimonious post is a keeper, too!

DisgustipatedinCA
429. This was debunked long ago. Brooklynite, do you care to disassociate yourself with the lie?
View profile
As of this moment, you own the lie.

It wasn't debunked, damn the bad luck!

[DisgustipatedinCA]

454. Yes, it was debunked. I don't bother much with people who aren't acquainted with truth.

[MADem]

456. You clearly don't bother with yourself, then! nt

[DisgustipatedinCA]

457. Synopsis: "I know thou art, but what am I"? Good stuff there, MD.

[yurbud]

431. even if true, so what?

[JesterCS]

441. Well well well....

A whole lot of nasty from Clinton supporters, and the story ends up being false. Won't hold my breath waiting for an apology from the Shills

[Historic NY]

449. LOL Reuters is already demoting the Bishop.....

in it new releases.

[lakeguy]

460. another day, another lie.

what will it be tomorrow?

[George II]

462. Translate? Basically he invited himself.

[noiretextatique]

484. Wrong

That lie has been debunked too.

[noiretextatique]

482. And Archer got shot down.

But that does not fit your narrative.

[Dont call me Shirley]

488. Story translated: Hogwash.

[LaurenG]

491. And he had an audience with the Pope while there.

So many lies...