* Habemus Papam (We have a Pope) : We have a Yale Father and an Argentine Father

Senator Rob Portman, former presidential candidate, and his son, Will, a current student at Yale.

Pope Francis paying his own hotel bill in Rome.

A TALE OF TWO FATHERS

Pope (from Latin: papa; from Greek: πάππας pappas, a child's word for father) 

Would  Ohio (R)  Senator Rob Portman's sudden, public  reversal of his position on gay marriage have happened if his son had been a student at an Ohio state university, for instance,  instead of the prestigious, Ivy-League Yale University?

I doubt it.

The extremely supportive environment of Yale toward same gender alliances and affection made it possible not only for Senator Portman to refer to  his son without fear that the lad would be shamed or uncomfortable, but for him to instruct the country in the values of one of the world's great universities.

It is a tribute not only to Sen. Portman's courage and his son's courage, but to the courage of Yale University, whose leadership in this issue has been admirable in recent years.

I must confess that they were a bit more timid in 1983 when I brought the AIDS issue to the attention of Woodbridge Hall.

But then, we all go through growing pains, don't we?  Even 300 year old institutions.

It is ironic that almost simultaneously to Senator Portman's declaration of growth, a 2000 year old institution was installing a new leader whose position on this matter was rigid and stagnant.


Maybe its Papa will look to a certain  Son for a lesson about growing in love.

Maybe.