Posted on 06/12/2004 11:21:18 PM PDT by gilliam
By DAVID D. KIRKPATRICK
On his recent trip to Rome, President Bush asked a top Vatican official to push American bishops to speak out more about political issues, including same-sex marriage, according to a report in the National Catholic Reporter, an independent newspaper.
In a column posted Friday evening on the paper's Web site, John L. Allen Jr., its correspondent in Rome and the dean of Vatican journalists, wrote that Mr. Bush had made the request in a June 4 meeting with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, the Vatican secretary of state. Citing an unnamed Vatican official, Mr. Allen wrote: "Bush said, 'Not all the American bishops are with me' on the cultural issues. The implication was that he hoped the Vatican would nudge them toward more explicit activism."
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
What does "private meeting" mean? Wow, isn't it wonderful that the top levels of the Catholic Church "leak" info to the press (as long as it does not incriminate them)?
No more discussions with the hierachy of the Catholic Church Mr. President. Just let them criticize America - we are not to ask them to help with their own leaders - no siree. Just keep your mouth shut - you sure can't trust them.
fascinating, thought you might want to ping it.
Did he ask about stem cell?
ClancyJ,Just let them criticize America,who criticize America.
John Allen is a gossip (I think I have mentioned that here before)
Too bad the Pope wont get on board with the War, he's burnt out, freeing Europe was enough.
Sorry, I was referring to the recent article I saw where the Pope chastised America's moral values (or something to that effect).
Ok for us to be chastised but don't ask for help from the Catholic Church to help in Americas values (was what I was trying to say). I'm very disappointed in these leaders leaking this to the press. Thought discussions with religious leaders was confidential. If not, there will be no more of them IMHO. No president needs church leaders telling all that he requested their help in changing the American culture. They could not wait to get it to the press for use to damage him politically. All taken out of context and twisted. Does this sound like a Christian action?
Is it appropriate for the Vatican then to leak it to the press so that it can be twisted into Bush asking them to help him politically?
Bush did not ask them anything for political purposes - that is a fact for any that know Bush. That would be idiotic to do in the first place.
If the Vatican is going to leak the contents of confidential meetings with world leaders, they do not need to get involved with confidential meetings with world leaders.
Leave it to the NY Times to get it wrong. IIRC, it was Pope John Paul II who told Bush that not all the American bishops are with me. What a blatant example of "Bush bashing".
Of course it's not appropriate for the Vatican to leak anything to the press. See post #12. There was an earlier article posted here saying the exact opposite happened.
So, it sounds like the reporter made an assumption from an implication, and the Times is reporting this assumption from an implication as fact. Not that there's any bias against Bush at the Times or anything. Where does it say that "Bush Asked for Vatican's Help on Political Issues"?
Now the spinning begins....
Mr Bush shouldn't have wasted his time with people who can't be trusted.
Furthermore the Catholics Hierarchs can't keep their own house in order, they can't even keep Homosexuals out of the Priesthood, or protect their smallest Faithful( children) from the predations of criminal perverts.
Who would listen to them, they have abrogated their positions as Moral Leaders.
I am a practicing Roman Catholic and I love My Catholic Faith.
The request for assistance with the Bishops, according to Allen can after the statement of support from the Pope, see the origional article:
http://www.nationalcatholicreporter.org/word/
ClancyJ,You believe the press?More than once I was misquoted and at times an eye witness to twisted stories when they were reported.Once a priest friend of mine made international news because of a lie and I had to defend him on the air,the lie was started by pro-aborts .
I don't believe any of this. the WH must know that in the US, the catholic church has zero moral authority because of the priest abuse scandals. why ask them to speak out on anything.
References piece by your man at NCR, John Allen.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.