Why can't we get Sister Simone Campbell for the Benediction??

[OmahaBlueDog]

Last edited Thu Jan 10, 2013, 06:25 PM - Edit history (1)

Sister Simone Campbell

It seems too obvious, so there must be a reason.

She could bring the Nuns on the Bus with her to the podium.

EDITED TO ADD:

Here is the contact page for the Presidential Inaugural Committee 2013
http://www.2013pic.org/contact

e-mailto:[e-mail]

[hedgehog]

1. Works for me!

[patrice]

2. KICK!

[AndyA]

3. Great idea! Send it to The White House... n/t

[OmahaBlueDog]

10. I just did!

[MgtPA]

4. Terrific idea! I nominated her this morning.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2167379

[OmahaBlueDog]

5. Great minds think alike!

[MgtPA]

9. Back atcha!

I love Sr. Simone.

[LeftofObama]

6. Excellent choice! n/t

[Cha]

7. Get it to the Inaugural Committee!

Addie Whisenant of the Presidential Inaugural Committee said in a statement:

We were not aware of Pastor Giglio’s past comments at the time of his selection and they don’t reflect our desire to celebrate the strength and diversity of our country at this Inaugural. Pastor Giglio was asked to deliver the benediction in large part for his leadership in combating human trafficking around the world. As we now work to select someone to deliver the benediction, we will ensure their beliefs reflect this administration’s vision of inclusion and acceptance for all Americans.

http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2013/01/10/1429501/anti-gay-pastor-removed-from-inaugural-program/

[OmahaBlueDog]

12. HERE IS WHO WE NEED TO CONTACT

http://www.2013pic.org/contact

mailto:[e-mail]


Thanks Cha!

[Isoldeblue]

14. Thanks!

I just tweeted there to have Sister Simone do the prayer. That is an excellent idea.

[Cha]

15. Thanks for the Contact to the Inaugural Committee, OmahaBlueDog!

[hamsterjill]

8. Wonderful idea!!

She would be awesome.

[moondust]

11. Yes!!

Good idea!

[OriginalGeek]

13. Why does there have to be any benediction?

I'll be glad when people no longer need all this nunsense.

[DavidDvorkin]

26. Yes. We should be talking about getting rid of the benediction

not about who will be giving it.

[OneGrassRoot]

16. Brilliant! K&R

[oldhippydude]

17. i asked for objections

they said Nun

[TxDemChem]

18. She is wonderful

I am not religious but she after seeing the work she and her sisters are doing, I don't think there is a better choice

[ReRe]

19. Exactly! Why not?

Nuns on a Bus! They really did a wonderful thing, exposing little Lyin Ryan last year during the campaign. Surely the Inauguration Committee has a list to choose from, and she must be on it. Wonder when they will announce it? Maybe by Friday?

[warrprayer]

20. Because Nuns don't write

big campaign checks

[randome]

21. I'm not one to be afraid of power.

But since Campbell is not in 'good graces' with the Catholic Hierarchy, I doubt they would approve. And subsequently, a lot of Catholics would see it as a fork in the eye of the Pope.

Which also I wouldn't mind but that's beside the point.

[FiveGoodMen]

22. OR ...

Why should there be a benediction at a ceremony for government that is supposed to have separation of church and state?

Not knocking Sister Simone here, but the whole thing is wrong from the get-go.

[rhett o rick]

23. Are you series???? We'll be lucky not to get Pat Robertson. nm

[frylock]

24. word up!

this atheist is totally down with Sister Simone!

[Chan790]

25. Doctrinally, as a Catholic...she can't. More to the point, I don't think she would be willing to.

It may pass muster with the WH but benediction (the giving of a blessing) would be viewed by the church as conducting a religious service.

Nuns may not conduct religious services, only members of the clergy can. Full stop. End of story. Setting aside the objections of DUers to the inherent sexism of the church, the doctrinal tenets of the faith are important to practicing Catholics and certainly more-so to anybody who has demonstrated dedication to them by taking religious vows such as Sister Simone has.

What you're suggesting is something that not only would infuriate the Vatican and the USCCB, it's something that many Catholics including presumably Sister Simone would consider a blasphemy. I'd love to have her involved and support any effort to draw attention to her work, but that involvement must respect her religious values.

[OmahaBlueDog]

27. With respect, I disagree

Nobody is asking her to administer a sacrament (marriage, communion, absolution, etc.). She's also not being asked to conduct a Mass. She's actually not being asked to bless any one or any thing. She's being asked to offer a prayer. In my view, it's no different than if I asked the Nuns on the Bus over to my house for supper, and asked Sr. Simone to say Grace. It's not terribly different than if there were a group of Catholics she were leading in saying the Rosary.

As for the Vatican and the USCCB: we have two different topics there. The Vatican is a nation state with severe credit problems at the moment. I suspect they'd welcome any chance to engage The Church with President Obama in a positive way. They didn't object, for example, when he spoke at Notre Dame. The USCCB is another topic. That said, they didn't object when she spoke at the DNC (granted, she didn't pray), and they let Dolan give the benediction there (which I would not suggest we allow again for a moment).