Two of my favorite world leaders are meeting tomorrow: President Bush is going to the Vatican for an audience with Pope Benedict:
"U.S. President George W. Bush is coming to the Vatican for his first formal audience with Pope Benedict XVI, a meeting seen on both sides as immensely important. Vatican officials said the June 9 encounter would give the pope and the president a chance to sit down for a survey of dramatic situations around the world, including Iraq, where thousands of Christians have been forced to flee."
"The Bush administration believes the audience will highlight the shared values and common objectives of the Vatican and the United States. In an interview June 1 with Catholic News Service, the U.S. ambassador to the Vatican, Francis Rooney, said the meeting was 'a hugely important reflection' of the president's respect for the role of the pope and Vatican agencies around the world. 'It opens up opportunities for doing good in the world ... by leveraging our mutual values and interests in promoting human dignity and religious liberty and for broadening all freedoms,' Rooney said.
"One specific area of common concern is global terrorism, Rooney said.'Certainly, the rise of Islamic fundamentalism and the use of religion as an excuse for terror are areas the Holy Father has spoken clearly about,' he said."
"Vatican officials said one sure topic would be the fate of Iraqi Christians, who have faced increasing violence and discrimination since the U.S.-led invasion of the country in 2003 and the overthrow of former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein. Rooney said the Bush administration is also troubled that thousands of Christians have left Iraq."
There's more discussion in the article of faith-based private charity and fighting AIDS (where Bush's anti-AIDS program has met with great successes and is far greater than what any other country is doing).
The Pope may visit the United Nations next year. Cardinal Sean O'Malley of the Boston Archdiocese has already invited Pope Benedict to Boston. I'm praying pretty hard for that one! What a fantastic visit that would be.
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