Sen. Bernard Sanders is scheduled to visit Vatican City on April 15, just days before the April 19 Democratic primary in New York, the senator’s campaign announced Friday.
Mr. Sanders has accepted an invitation to attend a conference, hosted by the Pontifical Academy of Social Sciences, to examine and discuss changes in politics, economics and culture.
“It was an invitation from the Vatican,” Mr. Sanders said on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe.” “I was very moved by the invitation, which just was made public today.”
“I am a big, big fan of the pope,” the Vermont senator said. “Obviously there are areas where we disagree on, on women’s rights or gay rights, but he has played an unbelievable role — an unbelievable role — of injecting a moral consequence into the economy.”
The announcement coincided with the Friday release of a major document in which Pope Francis does not advocate a change in church doctrine on issues involving marriage and family, but also advises, for example, a more accepting attitude toward Catholics who have divorced and since remarried.
• David Sherfinski can be reached at dsherfinski@washingtontimes.com.
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