Chris Matthews, Modern-Day St. Francis
By Nikki Schwab, Washington Whispers
Chris Matthews may be best known for his loud mouth and sometimes cantankerous demeanor, but the Hardball host is a big softy for animals. "Well, first of all, anybody who spends two years in Africa is going to be fascinated with African wildlife," he tells us.
Matthews served in the Peace Corps in Swaziland from 1968 to 1970 and now sits on the board of the International Fund for Animal Welfare, which hosted an event last night bringing actors Pierce Brosnan and Goran Visnjic to the Capitol to promote whale protection legislation.
While whales were on the agenda, African animals are what really gets the MSNBC host going. "Imagine being down by a river and a herd of elephants come down to the river to drink water and you are watching them—how wild is that?" he says. But he gets a thrill from local wildlife, too, admitting that he will walk outside the parklike NBC News Washington bureau just to catch a glimpse of the deer. "I'm one of those people who just stands there, like St. Francis. I just want to stand there and look at the animals," he says, referring to the patron saint of animals. "I love them."
Actor Pierce Brosnan, International Fund for Animal Welfare CEO Fred O'Regan and Chris Matthews at the IFAW Congressional Reception Tuesday night.
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Reader Comments
St Francis and Matthews
I agree with Patrick. St Francis has been adopted by those who have shallow understanding of the saint. His great love was Jesus Christ in the Holy Eucharist and he was so devoted to the Passion of Christ, that he was visited by an angel who brought him the gift of the stigmata.
Enjoying God's creation is a start, Mr Matthews, but those who were raised Catholic know, sainthood normally carries the burden of rejection by your family and colleagues. St Francis divested himself of his father's wealth, and slept on a stone bed. He fasted and prayed ceaselessly, and walked to Rome for permission to start the Franciscans. He kissed lepers of whom he had an inordinate fear. He threw himself into a thorn bush to protect his purity. This is the true St Francis.
Are you willing to embrace that?
Chris Matthews on St. Francis
Loving animals does not make you like St. Francis. Loving God so much that you respect His creatures more is what would make you like St. Francis. That's a terrible caricature of a great saint.
Saving Whales
I think some of these comments have lost the point, we are talking about saving wild animals. This goes far beyond personal dislikes of people.
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