Posted on 05/20/2009 3:37:33 AM PDT by markomalley
The White House disclosed over the weekend that President Barack Obama is to make a weeklong foreign tour in July that will include Russia, Italy and Ghana. However, noticeably missing from the list is the Vatican.
It’s been widely thought that Obama would visit Pope Benedict XVI when the president attends the G8 summit in the Italian town of L’Aquila July 8-10. But there was no mention of the Holy Father or the Holy See in the statement, despite the fact that, according to sources in Rome, the president will be staying at the residence of the U.S. ambassador to Italy in Rome.
The White House says the reason is because the precise details of his tour have yet to be worked out. “We won’t go into the details of who he’s meeting and the places he’ll be visiting until nearer the time,” said a spokesman, adding that the president’s “primary purpose” for coming to Italy is the G8 summit. “I imagine as we get substantially closer to the date, we’ll have more details.”
The Vatican is hopeful of a presidential visit. Father Ciro Benedettini, deputy director of the Vatican Press Office, told me the Holy See is “waiting” to hear from the administration but noted the U.S. embassy to the Holy See is still without an ambassador.
Father Benedettini said it’s usual for a visiting head of state to visit the Holy Father when passing through Rome, but he added that so far “nothing concrete” had been planned. According to Rome sources, just over a week ago the Vatican had still not received “first contact” from the administration to start visit preparations.
In all likelihood, Obama will have an audience with the Pope. But the fact that the Vatican was not on the itinerary released over the weekend, that steps have hardly been taken to arrange a meeting, and that a Vatican ambassador has yet to be appointed is perhaps revealing of how low down on the list of priorities the Holy See is at the White House.
nobama has tossed the Catholic Church under the bus after it gave him a venue for his narcissistic arrogance this past weekend.
Besides, mooselimbs have zero (pun!) use for Catholics.
The proof that “Catholics are becoming more and more whining shamefull cowards” is that they voted for OHMY..MA and that the Pope is no more publicly condamning,or at least criticizing, the powerfull leaders when they deserve it!
Sometimes i regret the Middle-Age and Baroque brilliant and proud catholicism and widely christianism
0bama probably wants the Pope to agree to kiss his ring before meeting him.
I hear some people say that in regards to Ø. But I can imagine the same people whining and condemning the Church (& especially the Holy Father) if such temporal power did exist and was used (when it didn't agree 100% with their preconceived attitudes).
The Holy Father is in a no-win situation in cases like this.
Most likely the Pope hasn’t invited him.
Hussein doesn’t have a church for a reason. Lightening bolts would certainly come down if he went anywhere near Vatican City.
0bama probably wants the Pope to agree to kiss his ring before meeting him.
People who equate Notre Dame with the Catholic Church are ignorant.
Yep!
Mecca - on.
It makes sense for Obama to meet with those on his side in the struggle between Good and Evil, before he reaches out to those who oppose what he stands for. Since the Vatican is on God’s side, Obama will approach the Pope last, only after he consolidates his gains among his natural allies, and then only very carefully.
I was hoping for Lightning bolts at Notre Dame, but no lightning, nor any other sign, other than a baby crying.
A lone babe crying among the abortionists. I am surprised one of the so called catholics there didnt smother it.
For someone who has trouble in the presence of I-H-S, this is a story worth watching. It is not the Pope that this man might fear, but all the old school priests running around the Vatican with the Blessed Sacrament on their person. Just a hunch...
Obama does have plans to go to the Vatican: leading a Muslim army of conquest.
Barack Obama is to make a weeklong foreign tour in July that will include Russia, Italy and Ghana. However, noticeably missing from the list is the Vatican.Well yeah, duh.
I am hoping that the opposite is true, that the FOCA/’previable fetus’ killing endorser has NOT been issued an invitation by the Pope on the grounds of his arrogant display at the previously but no longer Catholic institution called “Notre Dame”!
” Hey, Popey, how about your people call my people. Get together soon, no? Sounds super”.
Unless and until Obama comes up with the name of a prolife Catholic.
Is that possible?
I think the theory about trivializing the importance of the Holy See (while centralizing the importance of the liberal, pro-abort wing of AMCHURCH®) is more feasible.
IMHO, FWIW, YMMV
You have to be a mohammedan to visit mecca.
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