Can the Francis factor work twice?

[Fantine]

I remember so vividly Speaker John Boehner's leaving Congress the day after Pope Francis spoke in 2015.

But Friday, one day after the emotional, historic visit by Pope Francis to Capitol Hill, Boehner found his moment.

“I decided today is the day I’m going to do this, simple as that,” Boehner said at a Capitol Hill press conference, saying his decision came after a night of sleep and prayers. https://www.cnn.com/2015/09/25/politics/why-john-boehner-quit/index.html

He was Catholic, and I believed that his encounter with the Pope made him question many (if not most) of the causes he was working for in Congress.

Biden, who was VP at the time, also seemed to be affected. I saw ABC's memoir of Pope Francis this morning, and when I saw Pope Francis spending hours comforting and weeping with the refugees I was reminded of Biden, who visited grieving families who had lost children--in war and in other tragedies--and even gave them his phone number and told them they could call him if they needed support.

So I am hoping against hope that perhaps VP Vance's encounter with Pope Francis may result in a transformation of his soul. I see him as the self-described hillbilly, desperate to reinvent himself, and perhaps falling into the wrong influences with the oligarchs of the Silicon Valley who shaped his ascent into politics. If he is still open to this process of reinvention, perhaps God called him to visit Pope Francis at that moment, and he may have been given the grace to see his role in the world through Pope Francis' vision--as a servant leader, serving those who need him most.

Am I too optimistic?

 

[Desk trauma]

Am I too optimistic?

Yes.

 

[RileyG]

I remember so vividly Speaker John Boehner's leaving Congress the day after Pope Francis spoke in 2015.

He was Catholic, and I believed that his encounter with the Pope made him question many (if not most) of the causes he was working for in Congress.

Biden, who was VP at the time, also seemed to be affected. I saw ABC's memoir of Pope Francis this morning, and when I saw Pope Francis spending hours comforting and weeping with the refugees I was reminded of Biden, who visited grieving families who had lost children--in war and in other tragedies--and even gave them his phone number and told them they could call him if they needed support.

So I am hoping against hope that perhaps VP Vance's encounter with Pope Francis may result in a transformation of his soul. I see him as the self-described hillbilly, desperate to reinvent himself, and perhaps falling into the wrong influences with the oligarchs of the Silicon Valley who shaped his ascent into politics. If he is still open to this process of reinvention, perhaps God called him to visit Pope Francis at that moment, and he may have been given the grace to see his role in the world through Pope Francis' vision--as a servant leader, serving those who need him most.

Am I too optimistic?

Hey! God can work on anyone! It’s always nice to have hope and be optimistic, regardless!