Posted on 07/10/2009 4:24:34 PM PDT by presidio9
Pope Benedict XVI gave President Barack Obama a Vatican document on bioethics, he was trying to be clear with him about church teaching and open a path to further dialogue, the Vatican spokesman said.
Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, the spokesman, told reporters after the meeting between the pope and the president that, in giving Obama the document July 10, "the intention was not to be divisive or political, but for clarity and objectivity; to say that, for us, this is extremely important."
Pope Benedict gave Obama the document "Dignitas Personae" ("The Dignity of a Person"), which was published in December by the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.
In discussing issues such as abortion, artificial fertilization and stem-cell research, the document started with two fundamental church teachings: that the human being is to be respected and treated as a person from the moment of conception and that responsible human procreation occurs in an act of love between a man and a woman in marriage.
"There was no intention to be polemical," Father Lombardi said. "I do not agree with the idea that the pope was trying to point out their differences."
"It is important to talk about these things and to find a path to dialogue," he said.
The spokesman said Pope Benedict told him after the meeting that he felt Obama listened carefully, and the pope said that "the president explicitly expressed his commitment to reducing the number of abortions" and demonstrated his attentiveness to the church's concerns on a variety of moral issues.
In a briefing aboard Air Force One for reporters accompanying Obama to Accra, Ghana, Denis McDonough, deputy national security adviser for strategic communications, said the president and the pope had an extensive conversation about bioethics and abortion.
McDonough said the president emphasized his interest in finding common ground on reducing abortion and that Obama said he was looking forward to reading "Dignitas Personae."
Father Lombardi said the Vatican is very well aware of and supports the U.S. bishops in their efforts to try to convince the Obama administration to respect human life.
But, he said, the Vatican did not consult with the bishops in preparing for the visit, which the pope had been looking forward to for months.
"The election of Obama had an impact of global importance" and his policies have been known and followed "by everyone, including the pope and the (Vatican) secretary of state," Father Lombardi said.
"I think here we are talking about a level of attention and knowledge that I would say is very broad," he said.
Has Obama ever had an “honest” dialogue with anybody?
Honesty is not in the Rules for Radicals handbook.
The Pope really promotes the good side of people and overlooks the bad in people doesn't he?
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 when he tells the Pope he wants to "reduce" abortions.
But the Pope knows this and its why he is seeking "honest" dialog, and also why he gave Obama the gift he did today.
Honest? His Excellency doesn’t want much huh.
Ah, good luck with that.
Unfortunately, Mr. Obama and the Pope diverge right there as he won't say when life begins, but openly supports its destruction in the womb. He has also enforsed recreational sex. Our President has no common ground with Catholicism on life issues. In fact, he openly opposes the Church.
He has a wonderful Role Model for that.
He tried but he lied when he answered.
Fat chance. Carter wanted 'honest dialogue' with the Soviets too. So what?
It is acceptable and encouraged for muslims to lie to the infedel. ozero is a muslim and will lie to the Pope just as he lies to us. Captian obvious moment here.
Are you comparing Pope Benedict XVI to Jimmy Carter?
Bear in mind that the Vatican has outlived the Roman Empire, Charlamagne, the Holy Roman Empire, Imparial Spain, the British Empire, Napolean, Mussolini, Hitler, and the Soviet Union (to name a few). The Pope can't force Obama to do anything, but he can do everything in his power to save the man's soul. At the moment, Barak Obama is on his way to Hell for the rest of eternity when he dies.
Hah, honest is not in O’s vocabulary
The turkey has had nothing but grief on this trip. No swooning crowds and no swooning world leaders. Everyone has his measure.
Well...now....seems the Pope DOES believe in miracles.
This openly accepting of Obama into the Vatican causes confusion in the already confused flock of the Church.
The best way to have dealt with him would have been to close the door in his face.
I think it would be safe to say that Obama has no common ground with the Bible.
he won't say when life begins,
It's above his pay grade.
The Pope works for free, and yet he still manages to come to the logical conclusion on when life begins.
On day one we have a living functioning organism with it's own sex and DNA, unique in the history of all mankind.
I don't see what the debate is.
"Honest"? ... That'll be a trick!
If the Pope figures a way to get something honest of of Bozo then I hope he lets the rest of us in on it.
LLS
I agree 1000%!
LLS
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