This is blasphemous and the Pope should have refused to accept it no matter how undiplomatic that may have been.
"Bolivian President Evo Morales presents Pope Francis with a crucifix carved into a wooden hammer and sickle, in La Paz, Bolivia, Wednesday, July 8, 2015. The crucifix is a replica, originally designed by Jesuit activist Luis Espinal, who was assassinated in 1980 by suspected paramilitaries during the months that preceded a military coup. Even though the Vatican was not expecting the unusual gift, it is seeking to explain the "Communist crucifix" given to Francis, saying it's a symbol of dialogue and not an offensive melding of faith and ideology. (L'Osservatore Romano/Pool Photo via AP)"
"14Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness? 15And what concord hath Christ with Belial? or what part hath he that believeth with an infidel?" 2 Cor 6:14-15
"This is the most lavishly funded and entirely moronic foreign ministry on the planet."~~Mark Steyn's description of the US State Dept.
"This is blasphemous and the Pope should have refused to accept it no matter how undiplomatic that may have been."
I'm certain the Pope is quite comfortable with the 'Communist Crucifix" The WH is not the only place that has been infiltrated by fellow travelers.
For those who are unaware of it Pope Pius X11 was very anti Communist The Decree against Communism "The Decree against Communism is a 1949 Catholic Church document (by Pope Pius XII) which excommunicates all Catholics collaborating in communist organizations. The document resulted in one of thelargest formal excommunications in the history of the Catholic Church (it could include more than severalmillion Catholics).
The ruling followed suit to an earlier 1937 encyclical entitled Divini Redemptoris which was strongly critical of communism and its Christian variants.
The Holy Office issued several decrees, falling broadly into two categories:
Defence of Church rights regarding the ordination of bishops and Church activities, and,
Condemnations of participation in Communist parties and organizations.
On July 15, 1948, L’Osservatore Romano published a decree about communism, which excommunicated those who propagate "the materialistic and anti-Christian teachings of communism", which was widely interpreted as an excommunication of the Communist Party of Italy, which however, was not mentioned in the decree.[1] The Sanctum Officium continued to issue condemnations:
Membership in communist parties, July 1, 1949:[2]
Excommunication of Bishop Dechet, February 18, 1950,[3]
Membership in communist youth organizations, September 28, 1950,[4]
Usurpation of Church functions by the State, June 29, 1950,[5]
Illegitimate state ordered ordinations of bishops, April 9, 1951,[6]
Publications favouring totalitarian Communism, June 28 and July 22, 1955,[7]
The decree against communism was declared invalid by the New "Codex Juris Canoni" promulgated on 25 January 1983 by John Paul II."
Familiar with Bella Dodd? Ms Dodd was a committed Communist almost all of her adult life ascending to membership on the CPUSA National Council. Later in life Ms Dodd repudiated her Communist beliefs and reentered the Church (under the tutelage of no less a figure than Bishop Fulton Sheen).
One of Ms Dodd's most famous and chilling pronouncements was: “In the 1930’s, we put eleven hundred men into the priesthood in order to destroy the Church from within. The idea was for these men to be ordained, and then climb the ladder of influence and authority as Monsignors and Bishops”. She is also reported to have said, "“When she was an active party member, she had dealt with no fewer than four cardinals within the Vatican who were working for us, [i.e. the Communist Party]” (Christian Order magazine, “The Church in Crisis”, reprinted from The Latin Mass magazine)."