(CP) President Joe Biden awarded Pope Francis the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction, recognising him as a recipient of the nation’s highest civilian honour. The Biden administration announced the honour following a conversation between the president and the pontiff.
Biden “spoke with His Holiness Pope Francis and named him as a recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom with Distinction”, the White House said in a statement Saturday.
The distinction is a component of “the Nation’s highest civilian honour, presented to individuals who’ve made exemplary contributions to the prosperity, values, or security of the United States, world peace, or other significant societal, public or private endeavours”.
Officials said this occasion marks Biden’s first time awarding the medal with distinction.
The official citation for the honour reads, “As a young man, Jorge Bergoglio sought a profession in science before faith led him to a life with the Jesuits. For many years, he served the voiceless and vulnerable across Argentina. As Pope Francis, his mission of serving the poor has never ceased.”
The citation describes him as “a loving pastor” who responds “joyfully” to kid’s questions on God and as “a difficult teacher” who “commands us to fight for peace and protect the planet”.
The text also refers to him as “a welcoming leader” who “reaches out to different faiths”, noting the importance of his position as “the primary pope from the Southern Hemisphere”.
“Above all, he’s the People’s Pope — a light-weight of religion, hope, and love that shines brightly internationally,” the Biden administration statement concluded.
Although such recognition typically involves a White House ceremony, no immediate details were provided about any related event.
Biden’s Press Secretary, Karine Jean-Pierre, said last week that Biden would not be travelling to Rome on account of the wildfires in Los Angeles.
Jean-Pierre said that after the president returned from Los Angeles, he “made the choice to cancel his upcoming trip to Italy to stay focused on directing the complete federal response in the times ahead”. However, she didn’t indicate whether the visit could be rescheduled before the tip of Biden’s presidential term on January 20, only adding that the White House would offer further information soon.
Biden had initially planned to travel to Italy on Thursday night and meet with Francis over the weekend.
Biden, the primary Roman Catholic to function president of the United States since John F Kennedy, had earlier clashed with Catholic Church leadership within the US over his steadfast support of abortion.
In October 2021, Biden received communion at St Patrick’s Church in Rome a day after he said Francis called him “a superb Catholic” amid the talk on the time over whether pro-abortion Catholic politicians ought to be given the sacrament.
Supporters of denying communion to Biden and other pro-abortion Catholic politicians pointed to the Catholic Church’s Code of Canon Law, which states that those “obstinately persevering in manifest grave sin will not be to be admitted to Holy Communion” because the justification for his or her position.
Francis has also faced quite a few controversies, including pushback against his decision to advertise transgenderism by inviting a gaggle of trans-identified men to dine with him during a luncheon on the Vatican in 2023.
