Vatican announces Pope 'available' for Obama visit

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Vatican City, Jun 24, 2009 / 11:00 am (CNA/Europa Press).- The director of the Vatican press office, Fr. Federico Lombardi, has confirmed that the Pope is available to meet with U.S. President Barack Obama on July 10 at the Vatican.

Pope Benedict XVI is “available” to meet with President Obama “on the afternoon of July 10,” Fr. Lombardi told Europa Press on Wednesday.

Obama will be in Italy July 8-10 for a meeting of the Group of Eight industrialized nations in the earthquake-ravaged town of L'Aquila, east of Rome.

The afternoon meeting between Obama and the Pope is out of the ordinary, since the Pontiff usually meets with heads of state at midday.

To be sure, the Catholic Church vigorously disagrees with President Obama on abortion, embryonic stem-cell research and same-sex “marriage,” but the announcement shows that Pope Benedict wishes to engage the new U.S. president.

Comments: 8

Subscriber comments:

Published by: RL
Philippines 07/10/2009 07:27 AM EST

"Development needs Christians with their arms raised towards God in prayer, Christians moved by the knowledge that truth-filled love, caritas in veritate, from which authentic development proceeds, is not produced by us, but given to us. For this reason, even in the most difficult and complex times, besides recognizing what is happening, we must above all else turn to God's love."...How consoling is this statement in the 79th paragraph of his encyclical letter "caritas in veritate" - LOVE IN TRUTH. Lets pray for the pope - the 265th Successor of the Apostle Peter!

Published by: Janey
Davis/CA 07/05/2009 10:26 PM EST

How funny that so much was made of his visit to ND and here he is being received by the Pope. So glad the Pope is more than a single issue guy.

Published by: Fra Giles Mary Christopher
Indiana/USA 06/27/2009 11:21 AM EST

I hope the Pope does as he did with Nancy Pelosi and refuses to allow Obama a "Photo Op" and likewsise allows him to leave in the same lowly disgrace as Comrad Pelosi!!! Obama got his high praises from the president of Notre Dame, so that should be sufficient enough for our "Baby Killer in Chief" during his four years in office...

Published by: Dan
Santa Fe/NM/US 06/25/2009 07:37 AM EST

The Holy Father is too wise and will not take statements that they agree on everything from the president as Cardinal George had to given his lesser stature in The Church. I don't like the looks of this but whatever happens in the future is truly in the hands of God--maybe that's what God wants us to know?

Published by: Robert Matzinger
Taylor/Michigan/USA 06/24/2009 08:27 PM EST

Hopefully when president Obama is in the presence of our Holy Father, as president he will realize his role as the protector of life and change his attitude towards abortion. Let us pray that this can take place.

Published by: Maria Trujillo
Plantation/FL/USA 06/24/2009 01:32 PM EST

The announcement shows no such thing. The unwillingness to snub the abortion paymaster should not be read as a desire to join in the death cabal. He did not invite him to make a speech in the Sistine Chapel.

Published by: Rinda
UK 06/24/2009 01:15 PM EST

I sincerely hope and pray that our Holy Father will not mince his words with President Obama.

Published by: maureen
CT 06/24/2009 12:36 PM EST

The Pope should take away the honorary degree the One was given by ND.

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