Staff Reports
Joe Biden, who was the first Catholic president in several decades, will not attend the funeral of Pope Benedict. He stated that he was a "devout follower" of the church.
“You're not attending [Pope Benedict’s] funeral tomorrow… Why?"
BIDEN: "Well, why do you think?
“You tell me!”
BIDEN: "You know why." pic.twitter.com/Wo521Msozh
— Townhall.com (@townhallcom) January 4, 2023
When asked about Biden's religious beliefs, White House press secretary, Jean-Pierre, confirmed that the President was a devout Catholic.
During the briefing, Jean-Pierre confirmed that the US delegation would be represented by Joe Donnelly, the US Ambassador to the Holy See. The reason Biden plans not to attend the funeral was due to the wishes of the Vatican and the late Pope.
It's something that's a bit surprising, considering that Biden is the chief executive of the US and also frequently uses his Catholic faith in his speeches. Not being invited to the funeral of the late Pope is a bit strange.
The strange factor continued on Wednesday when Biden was asked about his reasons for not attending the funeral. His response made it appear like he was either more confused or he was aware of the reason behind his absence.
If Biden is not giving reasons as to why he wasn't invited to the funeral, it's likely that he was not invited due to his work on the pro-abortion agenda. This issue has caused him to have a difficult time working with the Vatican.
In November 2021, Biden went to the Vatican for a meeting with Pope Francis. The purpose of the meeting was to talk about efforts that were focused on respect for human dignity. Jen Psaki, the White House press secretary at that time, noted that the topic was likely climate change and the COVID pandemic. Unfortunately, Biden didn't tackle these issues during his time in office.
Biden noted that the Holy Father told him that he was happy with how the president was a good Catholic. He also said that Biden should continue receiving communion.
In the past, Pope Francis did not always warm up to Biden. In a 2022 interview, the Pope stated that the unborn are truly human beings. He also noted that the fetus' DNA has already been obtained and its organs are aligned.
The Pope then went on to say that the president's position on abortion was left to his conscience. He also suggested that Biden should speak with his pastor about his thoughts on this issue.
The Vatican may have decided not to invite Biden to the funeral due to internal discussions. It's an embarrassment for Biden, as he had promised during his campaign to improve the relationship between the US and other countries.
