Papal 'Hint! Hint!' to Obama

Sunday, 12 July 2009

Obama: "...so, in conclusion then, that is why you can now see that all of those Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah, were in fact referring to me. I know its hard to believe, but, heck, when I realised I could hardly believe it myself! Also, do us a favour and cover up that image of the Resurrection will you?"

Pope Benedict XVI: "May I give you some light reading?"

Pope Benedict XVI gave a warm and charitable reception to the Obama couple on Friday. Obama, who has courted the most controversy in US political history in the context of abortion and life issues, was given Dignitas Personae as a Papal gift which reaffirms clearly the fundamental right to life of every human being.

The Holy See released the following statement:

“This afternoon, Friday 10 July 2009, His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI received in Audience the President of the United States of America, His Excellency Mr. Barack H. Obama. Prior to the Audience, the President met His Eminence Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Secretary of State, and also His Excellency Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with States.

“In the course of their cordial exchanges the conversation turned first of all to questions which are in the interests of all and which constitute a great challenge for the future of every nation and for the true progress of peoples, such as the defense and promotion of life and the right to abide by one’s conscience.

“Reference was also made to immigration with particular attention to the matter of reuniting families. “The meeting focused as well upon matters of international politics, especially in light of the outcome of the G8 Summit. The conversation also dealt with the peace process in the Middle East, on which there was general agreement, and with other regional situations. Certain current issues were then considered, such as dialogue between cultures and religions, the global economic crisis and its ethical implications, food security, development aid especially for Africa and Latin America, and the problem of drug trafficking. Finally, the importance of educating young people everywhere in the value of tolerance was highlighted.”

However, the real story was broken by Cindy Wooden of the Catholic News Service. It appeared on theCNS blog. She reported that Pope Benedict XVI gave his own gift to the U.S. President, a copy of the extraordinary document entitled “Dignitas Personae” (”The Dignity of a Person”). This instruction was released by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith on September 8, 2008. It is a passionate defense of the dignity of every single human life from the moment of conception until natural death.

Deacon Keith Fournier takes up the story here on Cathtolic Online ...

POPE CHALLENGES OBAMA DIRECTLY ON LIFE ISSUES

JULY 10, 2009

In advance of Pope Benedict's meeting with President Barack Obama on July 10, several major American media outlets advanced the theme that the Pontiff, unlike some American bishops, was likely to show sympathy for Obama's political approach.

However, a Vatican statement released soon after the Friday meeting indicated that the Pope had spoken directly into a discussion of issues involving the sanctity of human life, on which Obama differs markedly from the Catholic Church. The Vatican said that the "cordial" conversation "turned first of all to questions which are in the interests of all and which constitute a great challenge for the future of every nation and for the true progress of peoples, such as the defense and promotion of life and the right to abide by one’s conscience."

The conversation also touched upon embryonic stem-cell research, and the Pope gave his guest a copy ofDignitas Personae, the Vatican document that explains the Church's teaching on cloning, stem-cell research, and in vitro fertilization. Obama promised to read the document during his flight to Ghana.

The Pontiff and the American president also spoke about the quest for peace in the Middle East, concern for the environment, and efforts to relieve poverty.

Father Federico Lombardi, the director of the Vatican press office, told reporters that the Pontiff was impressed by the American president. Father Lombardi emphasized in his own comments to reporters that President Obama had spoken at length about his commitment to reduce the number of abortions performed in the US. Thus the papal spokesman-- who has issued public statements reducing the force of papal pronouncements on several recent occasions-- delivered the message that the White House had clearly hoped to convey to the world's media.

President Obama reportedly gave Pope Benedict a private letter from Senator Edward Kennedy. Although the contents of that letter were not disclosed, Obama did ask the Pope's prayers for Kennedy, who is suffering from a brain tumor.

Source(s): these links will take you to other sites, in a new window.

• Pope Benedict Receives US President Barack Obama (Vatican Radio)
• Obama, pope discuss the poor, abortion, stem cells (Washington Post)
• Obama tells pope he wants to reduce abortions in U.S. (Reuters)
• Obama delivers letter from Kennedy to Pope (Reuters)
• U.S. Bishops and Vatican View Obama Differently (New York Times)
• Obama and pope to hold their first meeting (AP)
• How Meeting the Pope Can Change Obama's Rocky Catholic Narrative (US News)

Pope gives Obama 'unannounced' gift: Vatican document on right to life and bioethics

Vatican City, Jul 10, 2009 / 11:37 am (CNA).- Pope Benedict XVI received President Barack Obama this afternoon in his private library, and after 36 minutes of private conversation, the pair emerged without providing any details about their topics of conversation. Nevertheless, the Holy See revealed that the Pope gave Obama an “unannounced gift”--a Vatican document on bioethics and the right to life.

"The G8 has been very productive, 20 billion dollars have been allocated [to poor countries]; that's something concrete," President Obama told the Pope when he asked about the summit, as photographers and journalists were ushered out of the Papal library.

The meeting between the Pope and the U.S. President started at 4:25 p.m. local time, after an unusually short meeting of ten minutes with the Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone.

After the private conversation, and again in front of the cameras, President Obama gave the Pontiff a stole that was drapped upon the body of St. John Neumann from 1988 to 2007. The Pope instead presented the president with a mosaic portraying St. Peter's Square and the Vatican Basilica, and an autographed copy of his latest social encyclical “Caritas in Veritate.”

“I will have something to read on the plane,” President Obama joked after receiving the encyclical.

In addition to his family, Obama’s entourage included Kaye Wilson, General Jim Jones, Denis McDonough, Mona Sutphen, Robert Gibbs, David Axelrod, Julieta Valls (currently responsible for the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See), Alyssa Mastnaco Clay Beers, Melissa Winter, Joseph Clancy and interpreter Elisabeth Ullman. They all received commemorative medals and blessed Rosaries.

At the end of the meeting, the Pope said in English, "I pray for you and bless your work."

"I am very grateful, I hope we will have fruitful relationships," the President responded.

Despite the fact that the Vatican did not release an official statement about the nature of the meeting, the “unannounced” gift to Obama of the 2008 document "Dignitas Personae" on bioethics and the right to life, could be a signal of the nature of at least part of their conversation.

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Head Knight of Columbus hopeful about upcoming Benedict XVI - Obama meeting

CNA STAFF, Jul 9, 2009 / 08:09 am (CNA).- Knights of Columbus leader Carl Anderson has expressed his hopes that the meeting between U.S. President Obama and Pope Benedict XVI this Friday will be a "wonderful opportunity" for sharing the Catholic faith. In an interview with CNA, Anderson said that the meeting will be a chance for the Pontiff to clearly explain Church teaching on a wide range of topics.

"I think it is always a wonderful opportunity when a Head of State meets with the Holy Father," Anderson told CNA. "Obviously, the relationship between the United States and the Vatican is very important, is very complex," he noted.

Anderson said that the upcoming meeting "provides the Holy Father with an opportunity to make clear why the Church’s teaching covers a broad spectrum, why it arises from a consistent ethic and a consistent view of the person, and why it is that those in public policy, such as the President, whether he’s a Democrat or a Republican, should try to understand the foundation for the Church’s teaching."

He went on to explain that if politicians and public figures understand this crucial foundation, hopefully they can then "understand what’s built upon the foundation, specific ethical positions or recommendations."

Anderson is hopeful that the meeting will allow the Pope to share the truths of the Catholic faith with Obama, whose early months in office have given him a reputation for violating Church teaching on fundamental issues such as abortion, same-sex "marriage" and embryonic stem cell research.

"A new president represents new opportunities," Anderson told CNA. "He has a new chance to chart different kinds of discussions on health care, immigration, peace, dealing with the Middle East situation."

He added that the Vatican should "encourage a consideration of those kinds of issues from the perspective of Catholic social doctrine, as well as fundamental issues such as abortion and the role of population control in foreign policy and economic development."

Nonetheless, Anderson stressed the idea that all these social issues are connected, pointing to Benedict’s new encyclical, "Caritas in veritate" (Charity in truth). He explained, "The Pope makes very clear that authentic economic development, human development must include respect for the unborn child, respect for the institution of marriage as between a man and a woman, and hopefully they will have the opportunity to speak at length about those issues."

"It’s not enough that we respect those who disagree with us," Anderson concluded, explaining that we need to "make clear the teaching of the Church in a way that’s respectful, but nonetheless in a way that we hope will be persuasive."