What has Obama done well?

[Slingin Sammy 33]

Originally Posted by BringBackJoeT

On this note, what would the expectation be for a Catholic president meeting with the Pope? From a starting point, such a meeting would be a meeting of two heads of state (U.S. and Vatican). But, I suppose theoretically, there would be a level of meaning for that particular U.S. president that would transcend politics, and isn't it common for Catholics meeting the Pope to make a sort of gesture? (Kneeling maybe? I honestly don't know.) If it is common for a Catholic to do such a thing, and a president happened to be Catholic and did it, but claimed that it was in his/her "status" as a Catholic, how would people come down on that?

I'm Catholic, I believe the correct greeting for the Pope is to kneel and kiss his ring. I can't speak for all Catholics, but if it was me as President meeting the Pope, I would greet him as any other head of state, with a handshake. I wouldn't kneel and kiss his ring because as President I would be meeting him as POTUS, not as a "Catholic". Maybe that's just me and I'm completely wrong, but that's what I would do.

Behind closed doors with just the Pope and I, I would show his position the respect all Catholics should. To Catholics this greeting is not to the man but for his position as Christ's ambassador to the world.