This week, there has been considerable discussion of a series of pictures released by the office of Representative Bob Brady that shows him pouring water in the mouths of family members and staff from the glass used by Pope Francis after speaking in Congress. Yesterday, Brady admitted to taking the glass and sharing the water (while insisting on holding the glass himself) but proffered that he asked permission to take the glass. He also confirmed that he did the same with a glass used by President Obama. What is really astonishing is that Brady not only took these pictures but instructed his staff to release them on social media.
Brady is a devout Catholic and Democrat from Pennsylvania and first drank some of the water and then poured some into the mouth of his wife Debra. He saved the rest for his children.
Confronted by a torrent of calls from voters and reporters in disbelief, Chief of Staff Stan White explained “The congressman is a Catholic and has immense respect for the Holy Father . . . [and] was immensely moved by the speech. He thought the Holy Father spoke to issues he cared deeply about … especially caring about the poor and the Holy Father’s concern about our environment.”
Brady said that, after sharing a few drops with staff, he plans to sprinkle the water on his grandchildren and one great-grandchild.
This is the second such glass snatch for Brady. He did the same thing in claiming the glass from President Obama’s inauguration. Reporters say that Brady told them that he intended have police dust it for fingerprints to prove it was used by Pope Francis and intends to do the same thing with the glass from President Obama.
Brady told Chris Stigall on Talk Radio 1210 WPHT that he really did not steal the glass:
“I asked permission. I asked the Parliamentarian if I could take the glass and he nodded and said ‘sure, it’s only going to go back into the kitchen and get washed up.’ I didn’t swipe it. I did ask for permission and I am going to get a bill for it. So, I’m going to pay for it. With all the news about it, when I saw the Pope last night, and what a gracious, gracious man. Unbelievable. After all the time in the United States, as he’s leaving, he still has time to stop and have a conversation with every person before he got on the plane. What I said to him, I don’t know whether you heard or not, but I’m the Congressman that took your water glass. He said, yeah, I did hear a little bit about that through his interpreter. I said, by the way, I wanted to make an even swap, I have a flag that was flown over the United States Capitol in your honor, and I want to give that to you for the glass. He said, good, good, good swap. Bueno, bueno.”
Truth be known, most of us were left speechless by the drinking of the Pope’s water as opposed to the question of whether the glass was lifted without permission.
Brady is a long-time Democratic pol in Philadelphia. He was a precinct committeeman for the Democratic Party in 1968 and later became a ward leader. He has also served as a staff aide in the Philadelphia City Council and a staff aide in the Pennsylvania State Senate. He then replaced City Council President George X. Schwartz in the 34th Ward after Schwartz was convicted in the Abscam scandal. Since June 1986, Brady has been the Chairman of the Philadelphia Democratic Party. He was a member of the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission from 1991 before being elected to Congress.
People snatch up uneaten food items of celebrities @ restaurants and sell them on eBay. If this guy was a greedy Republican, he would have done that.
I note the vast majority of people use ISIS. True cultists follow their cult leader and use ISIL. It’s not a big deal, I just notice stuff like that.
The glass should be revered as a sacred object, like the Holy Hand Grenade of Antioch.
What he did was superstitious. It makes an interesting story, but really, from a legal standpoint, who cares? His superstition is based in an emotional connection to the Catholic church and the pope. I do not see any harm in it. This is like someone listening to their favorite music and sharing it with friends.
I don’t see a problem here. My preference would be a solid gold Chalice topped off with the blood of Christ (red wine).
@TinEar
Well said. What’s the big deal? It made him happy. . . .
Yeah, I’m in the no harm, no foul camp. And hey, with the water shortages these days, every drop counts.
Question:
The question I hope someone is tracking closely is…
… Who paid for all of her travel?
As a state employee she can’t accept gifts over $25.
But did he get to meet the Pope in private?
Kim Davis, Kentucky Clerk, Is Said to Have Met Pope
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/09/30/us/county-clerk-kim-davis-who-denied-gay-couples-visited-pope.html
This is a case of fanaticism… Better hope no one was sick.
I get the idea of keeping the glass as a memento… a one of a kind for e-Bay some day.
However, I don’t get the need to post the drinking of the water, pics. And it’s him delivering this un-blessed water in a glass just like the Pope would have done (as seen in his mind). Fanaticism.
Doesn’t he have work to do, rather than waste time consuming the backwash of a mammal in a dress who pretends to know the will of a deity invented by people who didn’t know Earth went around the Sun?
Yes, Christians engage in similarly ridiculous rituals. But one hopes our elected leaders can find a better use of their time.
I think the pope farted in Statuary Hall. Maybe Rep. Brady should hurry so he can breathe-in the remaining air.
I don’t see a problem in what this representative did. I don’t regard this as a theft either.
He believes it is a blessing, or form of sacrament maybe, in sharing perhaps a form of communion with the pope–and wanted to share this experience with his family. As for the photos, many Christians take photos of their children at baptism or communion and are happy to share these with others.
How does this item rate any comment, especially in a blog such as this? There is an economic disaster pending if the Ex-Im Bank isn’t renewed and a cheap water glass captures the news and reporters tracking down comments and chain of custody. S o a B…..it’s not Christ’s Chalice. (Don’t even go down the Christ’s Vicar road.)
I’m not sure what the big deal is. It seems a bit nutty to me, but if it makes him happy…..who cares.
Magic water. This is what we should expect in 1502, not 2015.
I bet he’d like to lick the House rostrum microphone and podium, too.
Utter lunacy.
When a human “lifts a glass” it means he is raising it up in his hands and saluting someone or God or The Devil. Your article really says he stole the glass. Well so what? What is a glass worth? He said he would pay for it. Look folks, all Cat O Lics are a bit wacko. This guy thought that he just had to have that glass of water and share it, and bless his family with it. So be it. Move on. He did not steal the Pope’s cross. He took some glass owned by some other entity and it had the Pope’s germs on it and in the water. And this is just in from Pope.com, the Pope does have gonorea and it is possible that all these people are infected. Nuff said.
Crazy with religion.
The fact he lifted the glass… well if he hadn’t somebody else would have and sold it on eBay. But what’s truly twisted is how he is publicly performing some sort of bizarre sacrament with it. (as if the magic would be channeled through any member of either U.S. House) SICKENING and disrespectful to every Catholic world-wide!!!
Yes, Professor. The detailed CV you provided proves he is a Democrat. He is also looney.
Maybe this marks me as an ISIL sympathizer, but somehow this strikes me as akin to worshiping a graven image. But wait. I’ve lost sight that the Church is big on venerating assorted relics. I guess the Holy Glass won’t raise any eyebrows at Sunday mass.
Whether he stole the glass or not, there feels something inappropriate of his taking photos of his drinking from the Pope’s glass, giving water to his family via the Pope’s glass as if he were giving Communion to them, and then “sprinkling water” from the Pope’s glass on his children—all as if he were the Pope or a priest. Maybe if I were a Catholic, this wouldn’t seem out of place, but, then again, maybe it would.