President Obama just wrapped up his visit with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. We’ll have to wait for word later from administration officials on what exactly the two talked about in their private sit-down. And no doubt the Vatican will have its own take. But reporters at the White House press file at the G-8 site in L’Aquila were able to see some of the visit on feed provided by official Vatican TV. Obama first met one-on-one with the pope, where the two exchanged the usual greetings as the president was escorted into Benedict's private apartment. The two leaders then went into the Papal Library, where Obama sat on one side of a very fancy wooden desk and Benedict sat on the other. As dozens of photographers captured the moment for eternity, Obama made small talk. “You must be used to having your picture taken,” the president said. The pope, with a faint smile, nodded. “I’m still getting used to it,” Obama told him. The pope gave him a careful look. “You must be getting tired,” Benedict finally said, referring to Obama’s lengthy foreign sojourn his week. Obama’s response was inaudible.
A few minutes later, Vatican TV suddenly cut to a feed that showed Obama and Benedict standing in a corner of the library, and First Lady Michelle Obama, dressed in a black dress and black lace head veil, had joined them. All three were smiling. There was no sign of the Obama daughters on Vatican TV’s footage, though reporters had been told they would be there. Your Gaggler did get to watch Obama introduce the pope to members of his inner circle, who looked collectively thrilled. Among those on hand: National Security Adviser Jim Jones, Deputy Chief of Staff Mona Sutphen, Senior Adviser David Axelrod, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs and NSA adviser Denis McDonough. Upon meeting, Gibbs and McDonough kissed the pope’s hand—though other advisers, including Axelrod, who is Jewish, did not. Obama, Michelle and the aides posed for a group picture with the pontiff. For the record, McDonough, who confessed to reporters earlier this week that he was pretty excited about this event, looked the happiest we’ve ever seen him.
Afterwards, Benedict handed out official papal swag: boxes of blessed Catholic rosaries for the women and medals for the men. He presented the president with a painting of St. Peter's Square and an autographed copy of Caritas in Veritate, his recently-published take on the church's social teachings. (Do you think he meant that as a hint?) Obama, meanwhile, presented the pope with his gift: a stole that had been placed on the remains of St. John Neumann, the first naturalized U.S. citizen to named a saint. The group bid their good-byes, and it was done. The whole thing lasted a little less than an hour. The president is now on his way to Ghana, the final stop on his trip.
By Holly Bailey – The Gaggle
Pope Stresses Dignity of Life in Obama Meeting
Pope Benedict XVI firmly underscored the importance of upholding the dignity of all human life when he met President Barack Obama on Friday
It was reported that President Obama carried with him and delivered a note from Senator Ted Kennedy to the Pope. Since then, Senator Kennedy's neice has caused quite a controversy.
Kathleen Kennedy Attacks the Pope
Kathleen Kennedy Townsend, the former lieutenant governor of Maryland, has sparked controversy — and outrage — by writing that President Barack Obama reflects the views of American Catholics better than the Pope.
In a column for Newsweek magazine's Web site, Kennedy Townsend — eldest of Robert Kennedy's 11 children — asserted: "Obama's pragmatic approach to divisive policy . . . and his social-justice agenda reflect the views of American Catholic laity much more closely than those vocal bishops and pro-life activists."
She noted that while Obama and Pope Benedict XVI "disagree about reproductive freedoms and homosexuality," American Catholics "know Obama's on their side. In fact, Obama's agenda is closer to their views than even the Pope's."
Among the voices decrying Townsend's column is Judie Brown, president and co-founder of the American Life League, a pro-life organization.
Writing for CNSNews, she calls Townsend's views "misguided" and states: "'Reproductive freedoms,' for those unfamiliar with the culture of death's propaganda, is a code phrase for abortion on demand, sex instruction in schools, birth control for kids, and all manner of bizarre propositions that help the purveyors of smut to define the human person as an animal incapable of self-control . . .
"One can easily tell that her thought process has little to do with Catholic identity and, in fact, is contrary to all that is Catholic. There is no other explanation for her inane claim that President Obama is somehow more in tune with American Catholics than the Pope."
Townsend goes on to say that the Church hierarchy "ignores women's equality and gays' cry for justice because to heed them would require that it admit error and acknowledge that the self-satisfied edifice constructed around sex and gender has been grievously wrong."
She also cites the Pope's recent encyclical "Charity in Truth," claiming it gives "moral credence to Obama's message."
But Brown counters, "In fact, the encyclical's message is something else entirely . . .
"Without respect for the human person, it is impossible to bring about a just society, and in a just society, there is no room for heinous crimes such as abortion. This is the underlying theme of the entire encyclical, which Kennedy Townsend apparently overlooked entirely."
Posted: Knowledge Creates Power - Last update: 07.20.09 at 10:50PM
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