Posted on 11/13/2011 11:26:33 AM PST by NYer
President Obama met quietly with New York Archbishop Timothy Dolan Nov. 8, the White House has confirmed. Dolan is the president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops.
The men discussed a range of issues related to the often complicated and recently fractious relationship between the administration and the U.S. church hierarchy. A spokesperson for the USCCB declined to confirm or deny the meeting.
The meeting came in advance of next weeks plenary meeting of the USCCB in Baltimore at which the bishops will discuss their new ad hoc committee on religious liberty. It was sandwiched between two of President Obamas foreign trips, to France for the G-20 summit and his forthcoming trip to Asia.
According to a White House official, who spoke with NCR on background, the meeting was part of the Obama Administrations work with faith leaders from across the spectrum, and was one among many meetings with officials from the Catholic Church and the Administration.
The official also noted that the Obama Administration has robust partnerships with organizations such as Catholic Relief Services and Catholic Charities USA to serve individuals and families in need across the country and the world. The official said that the administration looks forward to continuing these critical partnerships in the future.
The meeting between the President and Archbishop Dolan comes against the backdrop of continued news stories about friction between the administration and the bishops. In this mornings Washington Post, Jerry Markon reports on congressional Republicans inquiring into the decision by the Department of Health and Human Services not to renew a contract with the USCCB for a program assisting the victims of human trafficking. Another article in the Post, by Religion News Services David Gibson, highlights that tension between the White House and the USCCB.
On the other hand, my colleague John Allen has just published a book, A People of Hope: Archbishop Timothy Dolan in Conversation with John Allen, Jr., based on a series of interviews with Archbishop Dolan in which Dolan had kind words for the President. Ive been impressed with Obamas sincerity, Dolan says in the book. On the day of the vote on health care, which was a tough day for us, I was talking to Patrick Gaspard [Director of the Office of Political Affairs in the White House]. He said that some of the things Bart Stupak had said about a group of sisters who came out in favor of the legislation were very uncivil. I said, Patrick, theres been a lack of civility on both sides. Have you read Maureen Dowd this morning? For anybody you can bring up on the pro-life side whos been uncivil, I can match it. He said, Point well taken. I then remarked, Having said that, I think the man you work for, the President, has been a model of civility. I do admire that.
Reminder - EWTN is providing live coverage of the Fall meeting.
No doubt comparing politics.
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If he’s meeting “quietly” why is the WH announcing it?
I certainly hope that Dolan stands firm against the onslaught. Everything I know about him indicates that he will — but, like most of the hierarchy, he got there by being a diplomat.
Maybe I'm being too cynical, but Stupak was the supposedly pro-life Democrat who was suckered into supporting Obamacare on the pretence that it wouldn't be a pro-abortion measure--and the big issue is whether someone is "civil" towards the nuns who backed Obamacare? Obama has been the least civil President in memory--no other one has spent so much time mocking, blaming, or belittling his political opponents.
Yes...dear bishops....Killing babies is just fine with me.
The Church and laymen need to understand that there is a battle for our very souls right now. The Church has its own problems with infiltration and destruction of Dogma. Unless we pray for our saviors help, stand for our traditions and teachings from all those many years of the church we will loss many souls and nations.
Pope Pius XI
“In the beginning Communism showed itself for what it was in all its perversity; but very soon it realized that it was thus alienating the people. It has therefore changed its tactics, and strives to entice the multitudes by trickery of various forms, hiding its real designs behind ideas that in themselves are good and attractive. Thus, aware of the universal desire for peace, the leaders of Communism pretend to be the most zealous promoters and propagandists in the movement for world amity. Yet at the same time they stir up a class-warfare which causes rivers of blood to flow, and, realizing that their system offers no internal guarantee of peace, they have recourse to unlimited armaments. Under various names which do not suggest Communism, they establish organizations and periodicals with the sole purpose of carrying their ideas into quarters otherwise inaccessible. They try perfidiously to worm their way even into professedly Catholic and religious organizations. Again, without receding an inch from their subversive principles, they invite Catholics to collaborate with them in the realm of so-called humanitarianism and charity; and at times even make proposals that are in perfect harmony with the Christian spirit and the doctrine of the Church. Elsewhere they carry their hypocrisy so far as to encourage the belief that Communism, in countries where faith and culture are more strongly entrenched, will assume another and much milder form. It will not interfere with the practice of religion. It will respect liberty of conscience. There are some even who refer to certain changes recently introduced into soviet legislation as a proof that Communism is about to abandon its program of war against God.”
DIVINI REDEMPTORIS (On Atheistic Communism)
http://www.ewtn.com/library/ENCYC/P11DIVIN.HTM
Fatima was a warning which many have forgotten, but we are now reaping the failings to adhere to the warning from God given to us from the Virgin Mary, Lady of Fatima. “Russia will spread it errors throughout the world”
The lesson we need to learn is you do not deal with the devil you hold fast to the light/truth. Obama is evil call him for what he is.
PUKE!!!! Dolan is NAIVE, to say the least!! CIVIL...Obama is DISGUSTINGLY UNCIVIL!! Bet Dolan had NO good words for Bush.
because Dolan PRAISED the ONE!!!
IBDCS (In Before Dolan Can’t Sing!)
Obama is PURE EVIL. He voted to let Born alive babies DIE.
It is well known that the National Council of Catholic Bishops absolutely loathes EWTN founder Mother Angelica as much for her defiance as for her traditional Catholic beliefs.
IIRC, the NCCB threatened to confiscate MA’s network studios, invoking her vows of poverty, chastity & obedience. But this schoolkid’s worst nightmare of a tough old nun replied “I’ll burn the d@mn thing down first!”
So, EWTN reporters just might feel the teensiest bit unwelcome at the Obama-bishops’ confab. Like FoxNews in the White House.....
I am afraid I share your cynicism. I do not trust Dolan.
Obama is the most anti-life President,he supports gay marriage and homosexuality,he is forcing Catholic colleges and health facilities to act against their moral beliefs.But Archbishop Dolan gives Obama a coup of meeting with Obama in an election year.
No wonder so many Catholics feel strongly that our Bishops are more loyal to the Democratic Party than the Catholic Church.
Oh how we miss our courageous Cardinal O’Connor in New York City.
Ogawd such low-hanging fruit. I guess I'll leave it for others.
Is the closet Muslim Obama going to strike some unholy alliance with Catholic Bishop Dolan? My bet is yes. I will not be surprised. There are LOTS of appeasers who cannot wait to side with Obozo fast enough.
“Obama is PURE EVIL. He voted to let Born alive babies DIE.”
Amen, So why if we can see this, and this is just one obvious point of evil, cannot the Church and Bishops? They have eyes but do not see? or is there something else at work? I believe the latter and that something else is an infestation and breaking of tradition and teaching of the church especially with the introduction of Vatican II. I am not an expert, but I can see the obvious and the deeper I look the more obvious it is there is a major problem that was predicted by Fatima that needs to be addressed now...
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