Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti met Pope Francis in a private audience at the Vatican Friday, where the two discussed “the priorities of climate change, young people, poverty, and immigration.”
“I’m so grateful to Pope Francis for the deep and humbling honor of meeting with me at the Vatican today,” Garcetti said in a statement released Friday.
“I was moved by his inspired words about matters that will shape the future of our world, and to have the chance to speak to him about our mutual work to save this planet and serve our fellow human beings.”
According to Garcetti, the Holy Father “shared greetings for the people of Los Angeles” during their encounter.
Full story at Angelus News.
Did the Pope ask Garcetti when he was going to clean up the mess caused by 45,000 homeless living on the streets of LA? That would’ve been a more pertinent topic than climate change worldwide – just change the street climate in LA.
What would you suggest that he do cure homelessness? Honest question!
I wonder how long this meeting was. With all the requests the Pope must receive, I wonder if it’s a bit of an assembly line– a few minutes of discussion [shortened by needed translation], a photo or two, and a polite nudge to the exit.
I also wonder if ‘permissible’ topics are agreed to in advance.
No need for translation. Garcetti (and obviously the Pope) speak fluent Spanish. Having said that, I’m sure it was a short visit and I’d be surprised if the permissible topics wouldn’t be worked out in advance, though i don’t personally know.
Did the Pope raise abortion, marriage and transgender issues? If not, why aren’t they considered important at this time in history? Garcetti spoke about young people and serving our fellow human beings, but intentionally excludes preborn babies. It does make for a photo op that might help him with Catholic voters when he runs for senator. An LA paper reported earlier this year, “Garcetti said he loves an executive role like mayor and governor, but then bluntly expressed his interest in one of the state’s two U.S. Senate positions.”
So not one word about God or Jesus. Some pope we have.
Anon, you don’t know that!
“the two discussed climate change, poverty, and immigration at the Vatican”
The LA City Council and Mayor enacted travel bans prohibiting nonessential travel of city officials to states that enact restrictive abortion laws and states that separate male and female bathrooms (i.e., oppose transgenderism). But Mayor Garcetti has no problem traveling to the HQ of the Church that opposes abortion and transgenderism nor meeting with a pope who has frequently spoken against abortion and against gender ideology. Hypocrisy, anyone? Garcetti says, “Yes, please, I’ll take a double serving.”
I don’t believe the Vatican is a state, it is a country.
And whether he used LA funds for the trip isn’t quite clear.
And it could easily be regarded as essential travel.
I’m opposed to hypocrisy but this one doesn’t seem to rise to that standard. Your mileage may vary.
Hypocrisy? Pope Francis was kind enough to meet with the most active liar (this is factual) and hypocrite in the USA: President Trump!
How is it that this story about Garcetti becomes an opportunity to bash Mr. Trump? I forgot that Mr. Obama (“you can keep your doctor,” “you’ll pay less for your health insurance,” “marriage is a sacred union between a man and a woman”) and the Clintons never lied. Did you not notice that Mr. Trump has been the most pro-life President since at least Ronald Reagan, making some fine choices for federal courts and defending religious liberty, among other things?
Yep, the President who will win re-election in 2020 due in large part to delusional statements like this which help him. The Left eats the left ;)
Let he who is without sin cast the first sin Robert William.
Thanks for the laugh Billy!!
don’t these two have anything better to do ???
This could not have happened without the help of Abp Gomez of LA.
It was a crass photo op for Garcetti to use as a political tool with Catholics.
Who paid for Garcetti’s trip to Italy?
Mr. Trump is the esteemed President of the US, but has Garcetti–or even Abp Gomez—had their icture taken with him? I doubt it. American bishops only get their pictures taken with DEMs.
for what it’s worth,
Garcetti is Jewish
Anon: Trump is not pro-life as evidenced by his promotion of the death penalty – which is contrary to Catholic teaching. Trump is most certainly anti-abortion.
William, Since Donald Trump has been president, 58 convicted killers have been executed in the US. So, he is not perfectly pro-life. That said, since he has been president, approximately 2,285,000 innocent preborn babies have been killed in our country. He has worked to reduce that number. Do you not believe that magnitude is relevant? I pray Mr. Trump becomes completely pro-life, yet, I’m grateful that, in the meantime, he is working to stop the largest slaughter of our people (and working to stop the killing of babies overseas by way of his foreign policy budgeting). Will you give him some credit, where credit is due?
Trump has demonstrated public policies that could be called anti-abortion. However, given his well documented and admitted philandering ways, do we really believe he walks that talk in his private life?
GR: There are many pseudo conservatives who led the charge at “casting stones” when President Clinton’s personal sins became public . As a former republican of many years I remember when the party stood for character (“Character counts!”), integrity and principles. In fact, in 1980 there was real concern about presidential candidate Ronald Reagan’s divorce from his first wife as a sign of his character and loyalty. Now the party is all about greed and power.
Philandering is wrong whether a candidate or office holder has a R or D after his or her name. That said, if one’s actions protect the lives of thousands of babies, rather than promoting the taking of their lives, that should be recognized. William, you didn’t answer my question above. It wasn’t rhetorical.