09-28-2015, 03:38 PM
As great as it would be to see the Pope give some fire and brimstone speech and get booed out of Congress, I'm not surprised it was generally a bland and inoffensive talk.
Even Archbishop "Dagger" John Hughes, when invited by some Christian Congressman to give a Sunday Sermon in the Capitol (back when they did such things!), just talked about things his audience would all agree on, explicitly saying that was his purpose:
"Beloved brethren, it was at quite a late period of the week that I was honored with the invitation, which I prize so highly, to address you from this place. I had already consented to speak in one of our churches, where my presence would be more natural and more expected; and for that place I had prepared, by reflection, some remarks on a subject which I would not deem suitable, on the present occasion; for I should feel that I corresponded but poorly to a compliment so much to be valued, if I could obtrude upon you any reflections or arguments upon those doctrinal subjects, which to too great an extent, have divided the Christian world."
Even Archbishop "Dagger" John Hughes, when invited by some Christian Congressman to give a Sunday Sermon in the Capitol (back when they did such things!), just talked about things his audience would all agree on, explicitly saying that was his purpose:
"Beloved brethren, it was at quite a late period of the week that I was honored with the invitation, which I prize so highly, to address you from this place. I had already consented to speak in one of our churches, where my presence would be more natural and more expected; and for that place I had prepared, by reflection, some remarks on a subject which I would not deem suitable, on the present occasion; for I should feel that I corresponded but poorly to a compliment so much to be valued, if I could obtrude upon you any reflections or arguments upon those doctrinal subjects, which to too great an extent, have divided the Christian world."