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Obama tells pope he wants to reduce abortions in U.S.
Reuters ^
| July 10, 2009
| Philip Pullella and Jeff Mason
Posted on 07/10/2009 11:26:28 AM PDT by NYer
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - President Barack Obama promised Pope Benedict on Friday that he would do everything possible to reduce the number of abortions in the United States, the Vatican said.
Obama and Benedict held private talks for about 40 minutes in the pope's frescoed study in the Vatican's apostolic palace and the Vatican said bioethics and life issues were a central part of the discussion.
In a surprise move, the pontiff gave Obama a booklet explaining Vatican opposition to practices such as abortion and embryonic stem cell research, which Obama supports.
"Obama told the pope of his commitment to reduce the number of abortions and of his attention and respect for the positions of the Catholic Church," Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told reporters after he was briefed by the pope.
Obama supports abortion rights and says his policy is to change economic and social conditions so as to put more women in situations where they do not feel they have to have an abortion.
The pope gave Obama, who last March lifted restrictions of federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research, a copy of a recent Vatican document on bio-ethics in which the Holy See explains its opposition to such practices.
"Dignitas Personae" (dignity of a person) condemns artificial fertilization and other techniques used by many couples and also says human cloning, "designer babies" and embryonic stem-cell research are immoral.
The document defends life from conception to natural death and a Vatican statement issued after the meeting said the topics discussed included "the defense and promotion of life and the right to abide by one's conscience."
The pope's private secretary told reporters after the meeting: "This reading can help the president better understand the Church's position on these issues."
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
TOPICS: Culture/Society; Government; Philosophy; Politics/Elections
KEYWORDS: abortion; bhoabortion; bhovatican; bhovisit; catholic; obama; pope; popebenedict
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1
posted on
07/10/2009 11:26:28 AM PDT
by
NYer
To: Salvation; narses; SMEDLEYBUTLER; redhead; Notwithstanding; nickcarraway; Romulus; ...
Catholic Ping Please freepmail me if you want on/off this list
2
posted on
07/10/2009 11:26:55 AM PDT
by
NYer
("One Who Prays Is Not Afraid; One Who Prays Is Never Alone"- Benedict XVI)
To: NYer
He probably has no idea about Obama-infanticide.
3
posted on
07/10/2009 11:27:19 AM PDT
by
exist
To: NYer
4
posted on
07/10/2009 11:27:25 AM PDT
by
FlingWingFlyer
(Hey America! How's that "hope and change" thing working out?)
To: cpforlife.org; wagglebee
5
posted on
07/10/2009 11:27:42 AM PDT
by
NYer
("One Who Prays Is Not Afraid; One Who Prays Is Never Alone"- Benedict XVI)
To: NYer
Not nice to lie to the Pope.
6
posted on
07/10/2009 11:28:30 AM PDT
by
Bahbah
(Only dead fish go with the flow)
To: NYer
"Obama told the pope of his commitment to reduce the number of abortions and of his attention and respect for the positions of the Catholic Church," Vatican spokesman Father Federico Lombardi told reporters after he was briefed by the pope. I'm a Protestant, but I'm thinking it has to be some sort of sin to lie to the Pontiff's face, right?
7
posted on
07/10/2009 11:28:53 AM PDT
by
Colonel_Flagg
(You're either in or in the way.)
To: NYer
Obama supports abortion rights and says his policy is to change economic and social conditions so as to put more women in situations where they do not feel they have to have an abortion.How delightfully nuanced, Mr. Present-ent !!.. Now , could you pass the horse manure, I need to fertilize the plants..
To: NYer
Well, who knows? Let’s hope for the best. Stranger things have happened.
9
posted on
07/10/2009 11:30:03 AM PDT
by
trisham
(Zen is not easy. It takes effort to attain nothingness. And then what do you have? Bupkis.)
To: NYer
Mandatory sterilization? It’s to save the planet...
10
posted on
07/10/2009 11:30:08 AM PDT
by
listenhillary
(90% of our problems could be resolved with a government 10% of the size it is now.)
To: NYer
Sooooo....that’s why there’s a proposal in the “health care bill” which Mulkowsky insisted remain.....to pay for abortions.....thru Planned Parenthood, of course.....
To: NYer
Just like he wants to reduce crime and corruption..
12
posted on
07/10/2009 11:30:57 AM PDT
by
Kid Shelleen
(Barack the Messiah: Never in the field of US politics have so many waited so long for so little.)
To: Colonel_Flagg
it has to be some sort of sin to lie to the Pontiff's face, right? "I'd like a one-way ticket on the H*llexpress please"...
13
posted on
07/10/2009 11:30:59 AM PDT
by
NativeSon
(Fight for America - if you don't, who will?)
To: NYer
Abortion is a religious plank of the Democrat Church.
14
posted on
07/10/2009 11:31:04 AM PDT
by
umgud
(Look to gov't to solve your everday problems and they'll control your everday life.)
To: NYer
And when he talks to the moonbats he'll say exactly the opposite.
Lying to the Pope...
What a POS...
15
posted on
07/10/2009 11:31:04 AM PDT
by
libs_kma
(F.U.B.O.)
To: Nonstatist
Yeah, once we get total “social justice”, the number of abortions will be reduced.
Until then, we’re going to force the taxpayer to pay for everyone that asks for one. And there will be no connection between it being free and the increased number of them. (/sarc)
16
posted on
07/10/2009 11:31:09 AM PDT
by
MrB
(Go Galt now, save Bowman for later)
To: NYer
Obama's vote on Partial Birth Abortion, his vote in IL on live birth abortions, his providing fedeaal funds for abortion, and his avid support of FOCA (Freedom of Choice Act), all combine together to tell you that Obama is an abject liar.
But the Pope knows that already about the man and its why he gave him the gift he did today.
OBAMA & DISHONOR AT NOTRE DAME
17
posted on
07/10/2009 11:31:18 AM PDT
by
Jeff Head
(Freedom is not free...never has been, never will be. (www.dragonsfuryseries.com))
To: All
Well, the fact that the Pope gave Obama a copy of “Dignitas Personae” ...it’s pretty clear BXVI didn’t exactly buy it.
18
posted on
07/10/2009 11:31:24 AM PDT
by
SMCC1
To: Colonel_Flagg
Why not lie to the Pope? He lies to us all the time.
19
posted on
07/10/2009 11:31:35 AM PDT
by
colorado tanker
("Lastly, I'd like to apologize for America's disproportionate response to Pearl Harbor . . . ")
To: NYer
But he’ll happily give our money to other countries so they can get them on demand?
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