Posted on 07/05/2009 12:30:31 PM PDT by presidio9
When Pope Benedict XVI greets U.S. President Barack Obama at the Vatican on July 10, the symbolism and sheer star power of the encounter will keep the pundits chattering away. The photo op alone is worth a thousand words: The 82-year-old man in white, the world's most recognizable religious leader and head of its largest single denomination comes face-to-face with the charismatic first black President of the world's last superpower. And the scheduling efforts of both the Vatican and the White House suggest a shared appreciation of the symbolic weight the first encounter between Obama and Benedict could carry.
It was confirmed last week that the two would meet during a highly unusual Friday, 4 p.m. slot immediately after Obama finishes the G8 summit in Rome and prepares to depart for Ghana. Pontiffs almost always meet with visiting dignitaries before lunch, but that's not an option for Obama. And the fact that Benedict leaves Rome two days later for his summer holiday in the Italian Alps has some speculating that the pontiff had delayed his departure in order to be there when the new U.S. President comes to town.
Once they've allowed the photographers their opportunity, Benedict and Obama will speak alone and in private for what will likely be less than one hour. To paint the Obama-meets-Benedict dossier in broad strokes, says one senior Vatican diplomat, "It's basically the reverse of Bush." In other words, the Pope tends to appreciate the new President's less aggressive approach to foreign affairs, while clashing on ethical matters such as abortion rights and stem cell research — where President George W. Bush was seen by the Vatican as one of the few like-minded Western leaders on social issues,
(Excerpt) Read more at time.com ...
Obama can help the Catholic Church find a mission, relevance, staying power.
Benedict, 2000 years of St. Peter. Obama, 6 months of Richard Daley.
One would hope the Pope will remind the pro-abortion Obama that his conduct will lead him straight to hell.
This assinine comment serves no purpose in the context of this article, other than to let the reader know you have a perjudice of some sort against the Catholic Church. You obviously did not read any of Pope Benedict XVI's comments about Palestine, which were 100% neutral. President George W. Bush gave a speech on June 24 2002 in which he proposed a Palestinian state. It was a lot more specific. I suppose you lump him in witrh Obama and Arafat for that one. Not.
“Obama will help the Catholic Church find its footing in the world”
hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahaha
YEAH RIGHT
Exactly- GWB was against all kinds of abortion while zero wanted to allow live birth abortion....nothing could be more opposite...
The Roman Catholic Church has been around for almost two thousand years. "0" has only been around for a few. What an arrogant, narcissistic buffoon!
Although I do not for one second, in my heart, believe that uhbama, inside, gives two hoots and one hollar what the Pope believes or has to say.
uhbama is a narcissist. He will do what he has to for the photo op, tell the Pope he hopes abortions lesson, and then be on his merry way.
I hope the Pope is armed with words that shake the very soul of uhbama.
And that will be my prayer.
In the ambassador noms, O has been sending deliberately insulting candidates to the Vatican. The pope refused to make any comment on honoring Obama with a degree at Notre Dame.
Wouldn’t that be grand?
“the symbolism and sheer star power of the encounter “
“And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. “ - Luke 16:15
Love to be a fly on the wall. It’s about time Obama made time in his schedule for the Holy Father.
The press will have their carefully worded review for our edification of how well the event went and how charming Michelle was. Maybe it's already typed! ;-)
Obama isn’t pretending to be a Catholic, so the Pope is less likely to read him the riot act.
And Kerry, Rudy, Justice Anthony Kennedy, Ted Kennedy, Pelosi, and all the rest of those clowns.
I've always liked this Pope. But when he expresses hope for a philistinian state he's lost me.
Bush was wrong about it too, so on that score, yeah, I'd "lump him in" with Arafat, Obama and you evidently.
**the Pope is less likely to read him the riot act.**
Personally, I’d rather see the Pope Publicly Refute Nobama, and announce He will NOT RECEIVE the President for any reason.
Bless their hearts, sometimes even the Vatican is politically tone deaf.
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