President Joe Biden met with Pope Francis on Friday, October 29, and shared during a press conference that he was told to "keep having communion."
The Eternal Word Television Network (EWTN) News Nightly said that according to Biden, the Pope actually called him a "good Catholic" and that he can continue receiving communion.
"When asked if they discussed the topic of abortion, President Biden said no and told reporters, the Pope "was happy I was a good Catholic" and added that the Pope told him he should keep receiving Holy Communion," EWTN tweeted Saturday.
When asked if they discussed the topic of abortion, President Biden said no and told reporters, the Pope "was happy I was a good Catholic" and added that the Pope told him he should keep receiving Holy Communion. White House Correspondent, @owentjensen reports. pic.twitter.com/cLWlDpIS4y
"” EWTN News Nightly (@EWTNNewsNightly) October 29, 2021
The Catholic news outlet said Biden passed by the Vatican to meet with Pope Francis alongside two global summits scheduled in Europe over the weekend. He was with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Secretary of State Antony Blinken. Besides Pope Francis, Biden also met with Vatican's top diplomats such as the Holy See's Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin.
Biden, during the press conference, was asked by a reporter whether he and the Pontiff were able to talk about abortion, which the Democrat strongly supports despite being contrary to Catholic teaching. Biden responded to the reporter in the negative and instead focused on what the Pope told him.
"No, it didn't. It came up, we just talked about the fact that he was happy I was a good Catholic and I should keep receiving communion," Biden disclosed.
The White House said Biden expressed his gratitude for the Pope's "advocacy" against persecution, conflict, and hunger, as well as, in fighting the "climate crisis" and in urging people to take the COVID-19 vaccines.
"In his audience with Pope Francis today, President Biden thanked His Holiness for his advocacy for the world's poor and those suffering from hunger, conflict, and persecution. He lauded Pope Francis' leadership in fighting the climate crisis, as well as his advocacy to ensure the pandemic ends for everyone through vaccine sharing and an equitable global economic recovery," the White House announced.
In the video of his meeting with Pope Francis, Biden is seen initially greeting Vatican officials with handshakes and saying "it was good to be back." He is said to have met the Pope four times already but this visit is his first as President of the United States.
Biden was reported to have "exchanged gifts" with Pope Francis, who he had established "rapport" with. The Pope him a ceramic tile painting containing the "iconography of a pilgrim" and "a collection of the Pope's main teaching documents."
While Biden gave the Pope a "woven chasuble which was made in the 1930s from the archives of the Holy Trinity Church," the parish he goes to in Washington D.C.
The meeting of Biden and Pope Francis lasted 75 minutes. IT was originally scheduled to be aired live with the media but was canceled last minute by Vatican Media, which later on released an edited copy for members of the press to use.
During his meeting with Cardinal Parolin, The White House said Biden also expressed gratitude for the Vatican's condemnation of the "wrongly detained" and assured commitment for religious freedom.
"President Biden thanked the Vatican for speaking out on behalf of the wrongfully detained, including in Venezuela and Cuba. The leaders committed to continue using their voices to advocate for personal and religious freedoms world-wide," The White House highlighted.
White House Press Secretary Jen Psaki, during last week's conference prior to the meeting of Biden and Pope Francis, reportedly dodged questions raised by EWTN on whether the president agrees with the Pontiff's statements on "abortion is murder." Psaki responded by emphasizing the president's belief on women's rights.
"You know that the president believes in a woman's right to choose. You're very familiar with this issue," Psaki said.
"We've spoken about it many times," she stressed when the reporter pressed on that she is not answering the question.
