The most definitive article to date: Vatican: Pope Didn't Invite Bernie Sanders

[BlueMTexpat]

23. That any foreign policy "advisor"

would advise his candidate to reach out to ANY foreign Head of State during a primary election campaign does not speak well for that person's smarts. It certainly does not speak well for that person's practical experience or protocol when dealing with foreign Heads of State.

In some ways this whole "Pope" incident has reminded me of how Sarah Palin in 2008 was so thoroughly punked by The Masked Avengers into thinking that she was speaking to Nicolas Sarkozy. As if ANY foreign Head of State would do such a thing during an election. But Sarah's huge ego made such a stunt easy to pull off. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Masked_Avengers%27_prank_on_Sarah_Palin

OK, so despite the "spin" presented and allowed to stand by Bernie himself, it was not actually the Pope who was approached. But like you, I am totally mystified as to why any person with common sense would think that ANYONE - Catholic or not (the latter especially) would be impressed that someone who has basically been secular throughout his career (whatever his own religious background or lack of it) would think it a coup to finagle an invitation to "a dusty think tank associated with the Vatican" - as you described it so well.

Beyond quirky, IMO.