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A Vatican official's case against Kmiec

Comments: 9

Prof. Douglas Kmiec

Vatican City, Nov 25, 2008 / 03:22 pm (CNA).- An official from the Vatican's Secretary of State department has reacted to the recent suggestion that Pepperdine professor Douglas Kmiec should become the U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican by saying, "it will never happen."

On November 23, America Magazine published a blog entry from Michael Sean Winters describing Professor Douglas Kmiec, the former Republican pro-lifer who became Obama’s top Catholic apologist during the presidential campaign, as "the perfect candidate" to become U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See.

In his piece, Winters argues that Kmiec is the perfect candidate because "He is a lifelong pro-life legal scholar who served as head of the Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Departments of both Ronald Reagan and George H.W. Bush. He was Dean of the Catholic University Law School and now teaches law at Pepperdine. His published works evidence a find (sic) legal mind and thorough familiarity with the natural law tradition that has been the dominant lens for Catholic social thought. Kmiec would be well known to prominent American churchmen in the Eternal City and a jewel in the crown of the intellectual milieu that surrounds the Holy See."

Winters also argues that "Kmiec’s pro-life credentials, despite some carping from the far right political fringe, are impeccable. Indeed, given that the American bishops have chosen opposition to FOCA as their greeting to the new president, Kmiec gives the bishops some satisfaction since he testified against the measure at its inception in the 1980s."

CNA presented Winters' arguments to an official of the Secretary of State, who offered his reaction on a strict condition of anonymity. His answer at Kmiec’s chances of becoming an Ambassador: "It will never happen."

The official noted that prominent American Catholics at the Vatican -such as Cardinal James Francis Stafford or Archbishop Raymond Burke- look at Kmiec as a "traitor," and "their opinion will certainly count heavily."

But most importantly, the official said, is that the Holy See will not risk alienating vital U.S. Catholic organizations like the Knights of Columbus or the American branch of the Knights of the Holy Sepulcher, "whose role in the life of the universal Church is decisive, and who have already expressed publicly their disappointment with Kmiec's role in the recent elections."

The official also explained that the Vatican is "obviously interested in having a good relationship with the greatest power in the world," but such relationships usually flow "through different parallel channels and not only the Embassy."

"Despite the importance of a good relationship with the U.S.," the official explained to CNA, "the Secretary of State privileges the relationship with nations with which it has concordats," that is to say, international agreements that provide some recognition and support to the public presence of the Catholic Church, such as state support for religious education.

"If the office [the Vatican's Secretary of State] withholds the 'placet' –the official acceptance—from the appointees from Argentina and France, it could easily do the same [to Kmiec]" because "[we] would not risk alienating many U.S. Catholic organizations."

The Secretary of State official was referring to the recent Vatican decisions to deny the ‘placet’ to a French Ambassador to the Vatican because he was openly homosexual and to an Argentinean because he was divorced and remarried.

"Of course Mr. Kmiec is in neither of those situations, but for the Secretary of State it is far more important to maintain a good relationship with, say, Mr. Anderson (the Supreme Knight of the Knights of Columbus,) who is an active member of several Vatican dicasteries, than to please Mr. Kmiec and his friends in the new administration."

"Those who the article refers so disrespectfully as 'extremists on the right,' or 'the far right political fringe,' are the serious, loyal Catholics [the Vatican] precisely takes into account, because they are the ones who are there when the Church needs them," the official also explained.

Finally, regarding Winters’ claim that "Kmiec could do for the Democratic administration what (Mary Ann) Glendon has done for its predecessor," the official told CNA: "to be charitable, I will just say that I seriously doubt it."

Comments: 9

Subscriber comments:

Published by: Gregory Peter
Allentown, Pennsylvania 12/08/2008 02:23 PM EST

Moreover, officials of the Holy See, whose opinions count for anything, are well aware of how mistaken it would be even to appear to threaten or issue ultimata based on the hypothetical diplomatic choices of a president, or even a president-elect, of the United States. After the American presidential elections the Supreme Pontiff sent his greetings to the President-elect through Madame Ambassador of the United States to the Holy See. Upon receiving greetings, the President-elect telephoned the Pope and thanked him. Had some illustrious unknown pipsqueak from the Secretariat of State committed lèse majesté of the President-elect by idle gossip, a subtle complaint would have been uttered during the aforementioned telephone conversation. That would have moved the Pope to hunt for the culprit and submit him the culprit to auto de fé (the German ability to locate the source of gossip is notorious).
Regarding the alleged reasons for the Vatican’s reported rejection of a French ambassador, the diplomatic career does not exceed in attracting men who are particularly renowned for displays of muscular morality. Since article 4 § 2 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations allows a eceiving State to deny revealing reasons for refusing agrément, and since the reasons are usually kept secret for “reasons of state”, one wonders which crystal ball was used to conclude that “open homosexuality” kept the French ambassador from obtaining the agrément of the Holy See.

Published by: Gregory Peter
Allentown, Pennsylvania 12/08/2008 02:19 PM EST

One is wise to be wary of moral punics (apologies to ancient Carthaginians) who speak “on condition of anonymity.” Unlike the real Punics who clashed openly with ancient Rome, these moral punics are devious and, therefore, trusted by neither friend nor foe. The Apostolic See is not in the habit of entrusting her intentions in diplomacy to administrative pencil pushers whose sole objective in life is to be quoted anonymously in print. The utterances of these intellectual anaemics can be attributed to an old Roman expression, “Those who know (i.e., the well-informed) do not speak. Those who speak usually do not know.”
For the record, the request of a head of state to a foreign counterpart to accord agrément (i.e., formal diplomatic accreditation) to an envoy follows a punctiliously complex process, established in international law: article 4 § 1 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. The bilateral procedure is embarked upon by professionals of both foreign ministries. It is not, therefore, subject to the whims and “pleasures” of gossipmongers who confide in the authors of Internet websites. Nor is the procedure influenced by cardinals who are so, uncharacteristically, indiscreet as to publicly distribute unflattering epithets, after the manner of underemployed hairdressers.

Published by: lorna
chicago,il,u.s.a. 12/05/2008 01:53 PM EST

I am dismayed that those who are supposed to "guide"us are the ones that lead us astray.

Published by: Steve
Great Falls, Virginia 12/03/2008 01:08 PM EST

Appointing Professor Kmiec as Ambassador to the Holy See would be a calculated poke in the eye to all traditional Catholics (that is, those whose faith did not allow them to vote for Obama).

Published by: Tom
Baton Rouge, LA, USA 11/27/2008 11:48 PM EST

We going to have to accept an Obama supporter as the Ambassador if we are going to accept anyone he is likely to appoint. The position of Ambassador to the Holy See is a pearl that will be given to a valued supporter. We have to accept some consequences for support of government social programs and international policies the Obama and his supporters endorse. Socialist governance and Christianity are in many ways incompatible in any case. It is not charity when the goods and income of one person are taken by the government for the use of another.

Published by: Kathy
Chicago 11/26/2008 10:00 PM EST

I agree, Dan. Everything I have witnessed over the past year, especially from these "Catholics" for Obama, has only strengthened my loyalty to the Church and the Pope. I pray to be part of that creative minority that Pope Benedict refers to.

Published by: Charlene
Hooksett N.H. 11/26/2008 05:42 PM EST

Thanks for the article I haven't had a good laugh all day.

Published by: Leo Petit, M.S.C.
Center Valley, PA , USA 11/25/2008 11:29 PM EST

Glendon's credentials and work done so far, plus personal Catholic integrity, are excellent, why change?

Published by: Dan
Santa Fe/NM/US 11/25/2008 08:13 PM EST

It is amazing what Catholics, well trained in the basics of our faith, have to put up with these days. I like that Mr. Anderson is so well respected. As a US citizen I sense that I will now realize more fully how my Church and the Vatican means so much more to me than my alligence to a Country that has made a drastic shift against my Church and against Life. We live in this world, not of this world. It's sinking in.

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