FALSE POPE FROM THE VATICAN
REVELATION 13:11-13
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth;(FALSE VATICAN POPE) and he had two horns like a lamb,(JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD) and he spake as a dragon.(HES SATANICALLY INSPIRED,HES A CHRISTIAN DEFECTOR FROM THE FAITH)
12 And he (FALSE RELIGIOUS LEADER) exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him,(WORLD DICTATOR) and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.(THE WORLD DICTATOR CREATES A FALSE RESURRECTION AND IS CROWNED LEADER OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER).
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
REVELATION 17:1-5,9,15-18
1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,(VATICAN IN POLITICS) and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman (FALSE CHURCH) was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,(VATICAN COLOURS)(ANOTHER REASON WE KNOW THE FALSE POPE COMES FROM THE VATICAN) and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.(THE VATICAN IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS OR MOUNTAINS)
15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.(VATICAN-CATHOLICS ALL AROUND THE WORLD OVER 1 BILLION)
16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast,(WORLD DICTATOR) these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
OBAMA SURE PUT ON A GOOD SHOW AT THE VATICAN AND IN ITALY TODAY. SUDDENLY OBAMA SAYS TWICE IN ONE SENTENCE HES A CHRISTIAN.AND HE CLAIMES HE SUPPORTS PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS AROUND THE WORLD. MEANWHILE BACK AT THE WHITEHOUSE HE PROMOTES HOMOSEXUALITY-ABORTION AND EVERY OTHER SIN THE BIBLE SAYS WE SHOULD BE AGAINST.YES BY OBAMAS FRUITS WE CAN SEE IT PUTS ON A GREAT HYPOCRITICAL SHOW.AND LIES TO MAKE THE LIE FIT THE SITUATION AND WHAT COUNTRY HES IN.
03/27/2014 - VATICAN INSIDER-Pope and President Obama discuss international and national issues-During Obama’s private conversation with Francis, and later discussion with Vatican officials, “views were exchanged” on international issues, including conflict situations, cooperation between Church and State, and issues of particular relevance to the US Church-Gerard O’Connell
Rome-“Welcome!” Pope Francis said as he warmly shook hands and greeted President Barack Obama in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on the morning of March 27, for their first meeting ever, during which – then and in a subsequent meeting with senior Vatican officials, “views were exchanged” on international questions, including those relating to conflict and peace, collaboration between Church and State, and issues of particular interest to the Church in the USA.“Thank you! It is wonderful to be here. It’s a great honor. I’m a great admirer. Thank you so much for receiving me!" Obama responded, clearly pleased to meet the Argentine Pope with whom he feels he has so much in common with on many social issues, including a shared commitment to fight poverty and inequality.Obama arrived in the Vatican under heavy escort and was saluted on arrival by a platoon of Swiss Guards, and welcomed by the Prefect of the Papal Household, Archbishop Georg Ganswein, who escorted him to the Pope.The first Latin American Pope came out to welcome the first black President of the USA, and then accompanied him into the library where popes traditionally talk with heads of State. Once inside, the two men sat down facing each other across the table, smiling and exchanging some words, as photographers and TV cameramen recorded the historic moment. For the next 52 minutes, the two leaders, amongst the most influential in the world, talked together in private, assisted by two interpreters. Their private time had been scheduled to last around 30 minutes but it far exceeded that, suggesting that their conversation was both deep and wide-ranging. By comparison, when Francis met Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in the Vatican, last November, their private encounter, also with the help of interpreters, lasted 35 minutes.The Vatican, in a statement issued that afternoon, recalled that President Obama had two separate conversations: first, with Pope Francis and afterwards with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with States. “During the cordial meetings”, it said, “views were exchanged on some current international themes and it was hoped that, in areas of conflict, there would be respect for humanitarian and international law and a negotiated solution between the parties involved.” This would seem to suggest that Syria was discussed, but also perhaps the Ukraine and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but the Vatican did not say so explicitly. Surprisingly in the statement there was no explicit reference to poverty, given both the President’s and the Pope’s interest in combatting global poverty, but perhaps that is included under the broad topic of “international themes”.The Vatican statement went on to say that, “in the context of bilateral relations and cooperation between Church and State, there was a discussion on questions of particular relevance for the Church in that country” – meaning the USA. It said those issues included, “the exercise of the rights to religious freedom, life and conscientious objection, as well as the issue of immigration reform.”The final sentence of the Vatican statement made clear that both sides stated “the common commitment to the eradication of trafficking of human persons in the world”.As is normal with such Vatican statements, it is not immediately clear whether all or only some of the above mentioned topics were actually discussed between the President and the Pope, or whether some were only addressed between the President and the senior Vatican officials. Greater clarity on this may come later when Obama gives a press conference this afternoon. In any case, it is clear that a wide range of issues featured in the conversations the President had in the Vatican.At the end of their long private session, a visibly happy and relaxed President presented the 14 members of his delegation to the Jesuit pope, including Secretary of State, John Kerry, a Catholic, who told the Pope “I am a great admirer of everything you are doing, as a Catholic, for the Church”, Susan Rice, National Security Advisor, and the US Ambassador to the Holy See, Kenneth Hackett, former CEO of Catholic Relief Services in the USA.Then the two leaders from the Americas exchanged gifts and smiles as they examined each other’s presents. Francis looked with some wonderment as Obama presented him with a large blue wooden and leather box containing various fruit and vegetable seeds from the White House garden to be planted in the gardens of the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo which Francis has opened to the public. "If you have a chance to come to the White House, we can show you our garden!” the President said with a smile. “Of course!” the Pope replied. Francis is expected to visit the USA in September 2015 to address the United Nations in New York and attend the World Meeting of the Family in Philadelphia. A visit to the White House now looks to be on the cards too.Among the gifts the Jesuit Pope gave the President was a red-covered copy of his Apostolic Exhortation, “The Joy of the Gospel” (Evangelii Gaudium), which is the programmatic document of his pontificate. Obama remarked that he would probably read it in the Oval Office when he gets frustrated, saying he felt sure it would give him strength and calm. “I hope so,” Francis replied. They both laughed.Then the two leaders stood together under the 15th century painting of the Resurrection by Perugino, flanked by the President’s delegation, for a group photo, before bidding farewell. Obama is the ninth American president to visit a pope in the Vatican over past one hundred years, and at the end of his hour long session with the Pope, the President firmly shook and held the Pope’s hand and exchanged some confidences with him in private before departing. He then went to talk with the Secretary of State, Cardinal Parolin, and, the Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Mamberti, before leaving the Vatican under heavy escort for his engagements in Italy.
03/27/2014 - VATICAN INSIDER-Obama:Common commitment with Holy See possible but “it doesn’t mean we agree on every issue”-Obama's face to face meeting with Francis-Obama is struck and moved by Francis’ testimony. The President taking the possibility of a collaboration with the Holy See seriosuly--andrea tornielli
rome-Barack Obama was visibly moved by his meeting with Francis. Before bidding the Pope farewell, the US President maintained his firm handshake with the Pope longer than protocol dictates. Struck by Francis’ message and testimony, Obama evidently wanted this meeting and is taking seriously the possibility of a common effort by the US and the Holy See in the fight against poverty and human trafficking, as well as in negotiating a solution to the conflict.“During the cordial meetings, views were exchanged on some current international themes and it was hoped that, in areas of conflict, there would be respect for humanitarian and international law and a negotiated solution between the parties involved,” the Vatican’s official statement reads.But thorny issues which have caused friction between the US Church and President Obama in the light of Obama’s healthcare reform were ignored. Issues such as abortion, contraception and conscientious objection.” In the context of bilateral relations and cooperation between Church and State, there was a discussion on questions of particular relevance for the Church in that country, such as the exercise of the rights to religious freedom, life and conscientious objection, as well as the issue of immigration reform,” the Vatican statement reads.But Obama and the Pope did not just talk about what unites them but also about matters the two disagree on. The US President said he shared the Pope’s commitment to eradicate poverty but this is no “holy alliance”.In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, published today, Obama said the following about Francis. Obama said he was deeply grateful to His Holiness for receiving him. Francis “has been an inspiration to people around the world, including me,” the President said referring to the Pope’s efforts in the field of social justice and his message of love and compassion, aimed especially at the poor and vulnerable. President Obama commented on the fact that Francis does not just proclaim the Gospel, he lives it and said everyone, including himself have been struck by the Pope’s humility and his acts of mercy. Francis’ testimony and the simple fact that he goes out and seeks contact with the poor and those living in difficult conditions reminds us all of the responsibility we have as individuals to live righteous and virtuous lives, the President said. He added that we are all aware of the pope’s great moral authority and when the Pope speaks his words are of enormous significance. The President said this was why he mentioned Francis in his speech on income inequality.By continuously putting pressure on us, the Pope warns us of the dangers of getting accustomed to inequality. If we get used to these kinds of inequalities we begin to accept them as the norm, the President added during the interview. And we must not make this mistake.“One of the qualities that I admire most about the Holy Father is his courage in speaking out on some of the great economic and social issues of our time,” Obama said, according to The Washington Post. “It doesn’t mean we agree on every issue, but his voice is one that I think the world needs to hear. He challenges us. He implores us to remember the people, especially the poor, who are affected by the economic decisions we make. He invites us to stop and reflect on the dignity of man.” And as we have been able to witness first hand, his words count. He is able to focus the planet’s attention on an urgent issue in one single phrase. The Pope is able to get the people of the world to pause and reflect, the President said.
03/26/2014 - VATICAN INSIDER
Expectations run high as President Obama meets Pope Francis in the Vatican-President Obama and Pope Francis are likely to focus on issues that unite rather than those that divide, including an end to the war in Syria, a peace accord between Israelis and Palestinians, world poverty and immigration-Gerard O’Connell
Rome-Expectations were running high on the eve of President Barack Obama’s first meeting with Pope Francis in the Vatican. Sources said they were hopeful the two leaders would focus on the issues that unite rather than on those that divide, issues relating to peace, poverty, immigration and the importance of good cooperation between the Church and the Administration in the USA.Obama is the ninth American President to make an official visit to the Vatican over the past one hundred years. He comes at the end of his European visit where the Ukraine and Russia’s annexation of the Crimea topped an agenda with the leaders of the industrialized countries known as the G8, but now the G 7 after they voted to oust Russia. He also participated in important discussions on containing nuclear proliferation.When the Pope and President sit across the table in the private library of the pontiff, there will be many important topics for discussion in the time available, but people on both sides are hoping that the conversation can be facilitated if there is good chemistry, as expected, between the first black President of the USA and the first Latin American Pope. Sources told Vatican Insider that the meeting offers an important opportunity to open and build a constructive relationship between the Pope and the US President, as well as offering a chance to help repair and renew relations between the Catholic Church in the USA and the Obama administration. Today, Catholics count for 25% of the US population. The US President is likely to begin by briefly sharing with Pope Francis his reading of the present delicate political moment in European history as a result of the crisis in the Ukraine, and the discussions he had in these days with other world leaders on this, as well as on the nuclear question. One of the areas where Obama hopes to find much common ground with Francis is on the question of global poverty and inequality. Since his election, Pope Francis has given considerable attention to the plight of the world’s poor and has repeatedly called for a radical reform of the world’s economy, so as to make it a person-centered one. In this context too, Pope Francis will want to raise the issue of immigration with the US President, an issue that is a high priority for the Catholic Church in the USA and other countries in the region.In the course of their private conversation, sources expect the two leaders to discuss the dramatic situation in Syria and the urgent need to negotiate an end to the war there. The Pope and President are also likely to discuss the importance of reaching a peace accord between Israelis and Palestinians, and the uphill effort by the US to broker such an accord in the Holy Land where Pope Francis is due to visit in May.
Other issues that could feature in their conversation are the question of religious freedom in the world, and the great value of good cooperation between the Church and the Administration on this and other matters. While US commentators have given a somewhat mixed reading of what might be expected from the Pope-President meeting, Obama has sought to prepare the ground well by praising Francis on several occasions over recent months for his commitment to the poor and his authentic witness to the social Gospel. As a young man, he was deeply engaged in social work projects with the Catholic Church in Chicago, and he clearly feels he has much in common with this Jesuit pope.Pope Francis is immensely popular in the Unites States today, whereas the same cannot be said of the President. Moreover, on the eve of Obama’s visit, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Boehner, invited the Pope to address a joint session of the two houses of the US Congress – the Senate and the House of Representatives. It remains to be seen whether Obama will invite him to visit the White House in 2015, when the Pope is expected to visit the USA.Since 2008, the White House and the American bishops have been at loggerheads on a number of issues, and clashed over the Administration’s positions on abortion and the contraception-linked clauses in the Obamacare legislation. And while the majority of Catholics voted for him in both the 2008 and 2012 elections, the US Bishops seemed to have preferred his Republican predecessor to Obama. In spite of all this, Obama chose a Catholic to be his vice-President and has a number of Catholics on his administration including Secretary of State, John Kerry, and Chief of Staff, Dennis McDonough. Significantly too he appointed another Catholic, Kenneth Hackett, former CEO of Catholic Relief Services, as the United States ambassador to the Holy See. All three will be part of the President’s delegation when he meets the Pope.
03/25/2014 - VATICAN INSIDER
Chaput hopes Pope-Obama meeting will be fruitful and clear-Charles Joseph Chaput-The Archbishop of Philadelphia sets the record straight on a few points: “I never said Bergoglio didn’t talk about abortion enough, I’m on his side.” And as far as the divorced and same-sex couples are concerned, “we are here to listen but it’s the press that’s been focusing on the problems, there are other issues too”-Iacopo Scaramuzzi
vatican city-He is the Archbishop of Philadelphia, a Capuchin monk of American Indian origin and has always been an enthusiastic supporter of the US Episcopate’s pro-life battles (according to the US press, in July he stated that the that members of the right wing of the Catholic church "generally have not been really happy about [Francis’] election"). Today, Mgr. Charles Joseph Chaput expressed his full support to Pope Francis and said he hoped Thursday’s meeting between Francis and the US president Barack Obama, who is rather unpopular among the US episcopate’s more conservative circles, will be “fruitful, clear and honest”. At the end of a press conference for the presentation of the 8th World Meeting for Families which will take place in Philadelphia in September 2015, mgr. Chaput responded to some questions put to him by journalists, stressing that although it is important that the Church listens when it comes to the divorced and same-sex couples, it is also important not to be too influenced by what the issues raised by the press.
You said that whilst it is important to listen when it comes to issues like divorce and same-sex couples, we should not dwell excessively on these problems. What do you mean? “It is important to exchange views with people and take real life into consideration, our daily experience tells us that these issues exist. But if we focus on the problems alone, or we treat them as the starting point, we won’t go very far. I think it is important to consolidate what has worked in the past in terms of family life and put it into practice instead of just talking about it. It is the press to a certain extent that focuses on the problems, not the people I deal with. I know that you journalists discuss these issues and I don’t mean to downplay the reality or importance of said issues. I just don’t want to spend all my time giving answers to a limited number of questions, when there are many other bigger questions that need addressing.”
You referred to the paedophilia problem in the Philadelphia Church. Do you hope the issue will be addressed at the 2015 meeting? “I don’t just hope it will be dealt with, I am certain it will be. We need workshops on how families deal with these kinds of things. As a Church we need to ensure this does not happen again. The issue will certainly be reflected upon. People are aware that the Church has a big training programme, both for individuals and communities, to help identify sex abuse cases and react. We want people to listen to this again and again.”
How will the diocese of Philadelphia pay for the international meeting of families? “We are covering the entire cost of the event. Milan (which is where the last family meeting took place in 2012, Ed.) cost something like 10-12 million Euros, 13-14 million dollars. They had a lot of support from Italy in areas such as security, whereas we will have to pay for these kinds of things out of our own pocket. It’s going to be expensive but we are all aware of the positive effect this meeting will have on families. There is a great deal of interest in the event, not just on the part of the Catholic community and Philadelphia, but on the part of the whole country and this will help us find funding. So far, we have collected 5 million dollars but we hope to get much more. I would also like to add that we hope this fundraising will give us more than what we need so that we can give the rest to the Pope as a gift for the poor. People understand the importance of this: he is coming to our country, a country that is well off and he receives a gift for the poor. We are also looking for funds to make it possible for poor people from North and South America to take part.
What do you expect from this Thursday’s meeting between the Pope and Obama? Some Catholic circles are critical of this president. “I don’t think I’m in a position to discuss what the Pope and the President will talk about. I just hope it will be a fruitful meeting for the Holy See, the president and our country. Our country has a significant role to play. I am certain that the Pope will focus his attention on peace, the Middle East, Ukraine and doing all that is possible to achieve peace. I don’t know whether family-related issues will be touched on. I just hope it will be a fruitful, honest and clear meeting.”
US media claim you said Pope Francis doesn’t speak out forcefully enough against abortion…“I never once said such a thing. I think the Pope is very successful in his approach and that God is guiding him for the good of today’s Church. I love the Pope and I support him. All that he is doing is working thanks to God.”
REVELATION 13:11-13
11 And I beheld another beast coming up out of the earth;(FALSE VATICAN POPE) and he had two horns like a lamb,(JESUS IS THE LAMB OF GOD) and he spake as a dragon.(HES SATANICALLY INSPIRED,HES A CHRISTIAN DEFECTOR FROM THE FAITH)
12 And he (FALSE RELIGIOUS LEADER) exerciseth all the power of the first beast before him,(WORLD DICTATOR) and causeth the earth and them which dwell therein to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed.(THE WORLD DICTATOR CREATES A FALSE RESURRECTION AND IS CROWNED LEADER OF THE NEW WORLD ORDER).
13 And he doeth great wonders, so that he maketh fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men,
REVELATION 17:1-5,9,15-18
1 And there came one of the seven angels which had the seven vials, and talked with me, saying unto me, Come hither; I will shew unto thee the judgment of the great whore that sitteth upon many waters:
2 With whom the kings of the earth have committed fornication,(VATICAN IN POLITICS) and the inhabitants of the earth have been made drunk with the wine of her fornication.
3 So he carried me away in the spirit into the wilderness: and I saw a woman sit upon a scarlet coloured beast, full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns.
4 And the woman (FALSE CHURCH) was arrayed in purple and scarlet colour,(VATICAN COLOURS)(ANOTHER REASON WE KNOW THE FALSE POPE COMES FROM THE VATICAN) and decked with gold and precious stones and pearls, having a golden cup in her hand full of abominations and filthiness of her fornication:
5 And upon her forehead was a name written, MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH.
9 And here is the mind which hath wisdom. The seven heads are seven mountains, on which the woman sitteth.(THE VATICAN IS BUILT ON 7 HILLS OR MOUNTAINS)
15 And he saith unto me, The waters which thou sawest, where the whore sitteth, are peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues.(VATICAN-CATHOLICS ALL AROUND THE WORLD OVER 1 BILLION)
16 And the ten horns which thou sawest upon the beast,(WORLD DICTATOR) these shall hate the whore, and shall make her desolate and naked, and shall eat her flesh, and burn her with fire.
17 For God hath put in their hearts to fulfil his will, and to agree, and give their kingdom unto the beast, until the words of God shall be fulfilled.
18 And the woman which thou sawest is that great city, which reigneth over the kings of the earth.
OBAMA SURE PUT ON A GOOD SHOW AT THE VATICAN AND IN ITALY TODAY. SUDDENLY OBAMA SAYS TWICE IN ONE SENTENCE HES A CHRISTIAN.AND HE CLAIMES HE SUPPORTS PERSECUTED CHRISTIANS AROUND THE WORLD. MEANWHILE BACK AT THE WHITEHOUSE HE PROMOTES HOMOSEXUALITY-ABORTION AND EVERY OTHER SIN THE BIBLE SAYS WE SHOULD BE AGAINST.YES BY OBAMAS FRUITS WE CAN SEE IT PUTS ON A GREAT HYPOCRITICAL SHOW.AND LIES TO MAKE THE LIE FIT THE SITUATION AND WHAT COUNTRY HES IN.
03/27/2014 - VATICAN INSIDER-Pope and President Obama discuss international and national issues-During Obama’s private conversation with Francis, and later discussion with Vatican officials, “views were exchanged” on international issues, including conflict situations, cooperation between Church and State, and issues of particular relevance to the US Church-Gerard O’Connell
Rome-“Welcome!” Pope Francis said as he warmly shook hands and greeted President Barack Obama in the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace on the morning of March 27, for their first meeting ever, during which – then and in a subsequent meeting with senior Vatican officials, “views were exchanged” on international questions, including those relating to conflict and peace, collaboration between Church and State, and issues of particular interest to the Church in the USA.“Thank you! It is wonderful to be here. It’s a great honor. I’m a great admirer. Thank you so much for receiving me!" Obama responded, clearly pleased to meet the Argentine Pope with whom he feels he has so much in common with on many social issues, including a shared commitment to fight poverty and inequality.Obama arrived in the Vatican under heavy escort and was saluted on arrival by a platoon of Swiss Guards, and welcomed by the Prefect of the Papal Household, Archbishop Georg Ganswein, who escorted him to the Pope.The first Latin American Pope came out to welcome the first black President of the USA, and then accompanied him into the library where popes traditionally talk with heads of State. Once inside, the two men sat down facing each other across the table, smiling and exchanging some words, as photographers and TV cameramen recorded the historic moment. For the next 52 minutes, the two leaders, amongst the most influential in the world, talked together in private, assisted by two interpreters. Their private time had been scheduled to last around 30 minutes but it far exceeded that, suggesting that their conversation was both deep and wide-ranging. By comparison, when Francis met Russia’s President Vladimir Putin in the Vatican, last November, their private encounter, also with the help of interpreters, lasted 35 minutes.The Vatican, in a statement issued that afternoon, recalled that President Obama had two separate conversations: first, with Pope Francis and afterwards with Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, Secretary for Relations with States. “During the cordial meetings”, it said, “views were exchanged on some current international themes and it was hoped that, in areas of conflict, there would be respect for humanitarian and international law and a negotiated solution between the parties involved.” This would seem to suggest that Syria was discussed, but also perhaps the Ukraine and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but the Vatican did not say so explicitly. Surprisingly in the statement there was no explicit reference to poverty, given both the President’s and the Pope’s interest in combatting global poverty, but perhaps that is included under the broad topic of “international themes”.The Vatican statement went on to say that, “in the context of bilateral relations and cooperation between Church and State, there was a discussion on questions of particular relevance for the Church in that country” – meaning the USA. It said those issues included, “the exercise of the rights to religious freedom, life and conscientious objection, as well as the issue of immigration reform.”The final sentence of the Vatican statement made clear that both sides stated “the common commitment to the eradication of trafficking of human persons in the world”.As is normal with such Vatican statements, it is not immediately clear whether all or only some of the above mentioned topics were actually discussed between the President and the Pope, or whether some were only addressed between the President and the senior Vatican officials. Greater clarity on this may come later when Obama gives a press conference this afternoon. In any case, it is clear that a wide range of issues featured in the conversations the President had in the Vatican.At the end of their long private session, a visibly happy and relaxed President presented the 14 members of his delegation to the Jesuit pope, including Secretary of State, John Kerry, a Catholic, who told the Pope “I am a great admirer of everything you are doing, as a Catholic, for the Church”, Susan Rice, National Security Advisor, and the US Ambassador to the Holy See, Kenneth Hackett, former CEO of Catholic Relief Services in the USA.Then the two leaders from the Americas exchanged gifts and smiles as they examined each other’s presents. Francis looked with some wonderment as Obama presented him with a large blue wooden and leather box containing various fruit and vegetable seeds from the White House garden to be planted in the gardens of the papal summer residence at Castel Gandolfo which Francis has opened to the public. "If you have a chance to come to the White House, we can show you our garden!” the President said with a smile. “Of course!” the Pope replied. Francis is expected to visit the USA in September 2015 to address the United Nations in New York and attend the World Meeting of the Family in Philadelphia. A visit to the White House now looks to be on the cards too.Among the gifts the Jesuit Pope gave the President was a red-covered copy of his Apostolic Exhortation, “The Joy of the Gospel” (Evangelii Gaudium), which is the programmatic document of his pontificate. Obama remarked that he would probably read it in the Oval Office when he gets frustrated, saying he felt sure it would give him strength and calm. “I hope so,” Francis replied. They both laughed.Then the two leaders stood together under the 15th century painting of the Resurrection by Perugino, flanked by the President’s delegation, for a group photo, before bidding farewell. Obama is the ninth American president to visit a pope in the Vatican over past one hundred years, and at the end of his hour long session with the Pope, the President firmly shook and held the Pope’s hand and exchanged some confidences with him in private before departing. He then went to talk with the Secretary of State, Cardinal Parolin, and, the Secretary for Relations with States, Archbishop Mamberti, before leaving the Vatican under heavy escort for his engagements in Italy.
03/27/2014 - VATICAN INSIDER-Obama:Common commitment with Holy See possible but “it doesn’t mean we agree on every issue”-Obama's face to face meeting with Francis-Obama is struck and moved by Francis’ testimony. The President taking the possibility of a collaboration with the Holy See seriosuly--andrea tornielli
rome-Barack Obama was visibly moved by his meeting with Francis. Before bidding the Pope farewell, the US President maintained his firm handshake with the Pope longer than protocol dictates. Struck by Francis’ message and testimony, Obama evidently wanted this meeting and is taking seriously the possibility of a common effort by the US and the Holy See in the fight against poverty and human trafficking, as well as in negotiating a solution to the conflict.“During the cordial meetings, views were exchanged on some current international themes and it was hoped that, in areas of conflict, there would be respect for humanitarian and international law and a negotiated solution between the parties involved,” the Vatican’s official statement reads.But thorny issues which have caused friction between the US Church and President Obama in the light of Obama’s healthcare reform were ignored. Issues such as abortion, contraception and conscientious objection.” In the context of bilateral relations and cooperation between Church and State, there was a discussion on questions of particular relevance for the Church in that country, such as the exercise of the rights to religious freedom, life and conscientious objection, as well as the issue of immigration reform,” the Vatican statement reads.But Obama and the Pope did not just talk about what unites them but also about matters the two disagree on. The US President said he shared the Pope’s commitment to eradicate poverty but this is no “holy alliance”.In an interview with Italian newspaper Corriere della Sera, published today, Obama said the following about Francis. Obama said he was deeply grateful to His Holiness for receiving him. Francis “has been an inspiration to people around the world, including me,” the President said referring to the Pope’s efforts in the field of social justice and his message of love and compassion, aimed especially at the poor and vulnerable. President Obama commented on the fact that Francis does not just proclaim the Gospel, he lives it and said everyone, including himself have been struck by the Pope’s humility and his acts of mercy. Francis’ testimony and the simple fact that he goes out and seeks contact with the poor and those living in difficult conditions reminds us all of the responsibility we have as individuals to live righteous and virtuous lives, the President said. He added that we are all aware of the pope’s great moral authority and when the Pope speaks his words are of enormous significance. The President said this was why he mentioned Francis in his speech on income inequality.By continuously putting pressure on us, the Pope warns us of the dangers of getting accustomed to inequality. If we get used to these kinds of inequalities we begin to accept them as the norm, the President added during the interview. And we must not make this mistake.“One of the qualities that I admire most about the Holy Father is his courage in speaking out on some of the great economic and social issues of our time,” Obama said, according to The Washington Post. “It doesn’t mean we agree on every issue, but his voice is one that I think the world needs to hear. He challenges us. He implores us to remember the people, especially the poor, who are affected by the economic decisions we make. He invites us to stop and reflect on the dignity of man.” And as we have been able to witness first hand, his words count. He is able to focus the planet’s attention on an urgent issue in one single phrase. The Pope is able to get the people of the world to pause and reflect, the President said.
03/26/2014 - VATICAN INSIDER
Expectations run high as President Obama meets Pope Francis in the Vatican-President Obama and Pope Francis are likely to focus on issues that unite rather than those that divide, including an end to the war in Syria, a peace accord between Israelis and Palestinians, world poverty and immigration-Gerard O’Connell
Rome-Expectations were running high on the eve of President Barack Obama’s first meeting with Pope Francis in the Vatican. Sources said they were hopeful the two leaders would focus on the issues that unite rather than on those that divide, issues relating to peace, poverty, immigration and the importance of good cooperation between the Church and the Administration in the USA.Obama is the ninth American President to make an official visit to the Vatican over the past one hundred years. He comes at the end of his European visit where the Ukraine and Russia’s annexation of the Crimea topped an agenda with the leaders of the industrialized countries known as the G8, but now the G 7 after they voted to oust Russia. He also participated in important discussions on containing nuclear proliferation.When the Pope and President sit across the table in the private library of the pontiff, there will be many important topics for discussion in the time available, but people on both sides are hoping that the conversation can be facilitated if there is good chemistry, as expected, between the first black President of the USA and the first Latin American Pope. Sources told Vatican Insider that the meeting offers an important opportunity to open and build a constructive relationship between the Pope and the US President, as well as offering a chance to help repair and renew relations between the Catholic Church in the USA and the Obama administration. Today, Catholics count for 25% of the US population. The US President is likely to begin by briefly sharing with Pope Francis his reading of the present delicate political moment in European history as a result of the crisis in the Ukraine, and the discussions he had in these days with other world leaders on this, as well as on the nuclear question. One of the areas where Obama hopes to find much common ground with Francis is on the question of global poverty and inequality. Since his election, Pope Francis has given considerable attention to the plight of the world’s poor and has repeatedly called for a radical reform of the world’s economy, so as to make it a person-centered one. In this context too, Pope Francis will want to raise the issue of immigration with the US President, an issue that is a high priority for the Catholic Church in the USA and other countries in the region.In the course of their private conversation, sources expect the two leaders to discuss the dramatic situation in Syria and the urgent need to negotiate an end to the war there. The Pope and President are also likely to discuss the importance of reaching a peace accord between Israelis and Palestinians, and the uphill effort by the US to broker such an accord in the Holy Land where Pope Francis is due to visit in May.
Other issues that could feature in their conversation are the question of religious freedom in the world, and the great value of good cooperation between the Church and the Administration on this and other matters. While US commentators have given a somewhat mixed reading of what might be expected from the Pope-President meeting, Obama has sought to prepare the ground well by praising Francis on several occasions over recent months for his commitment to the poor and his authentic witness to the social Gospel. As a young man, he was deeply engaged in social work projects with the Catholic Church in Chicago, and he clearly feels he has much in common with this Jesuit pope.Pope Francis is immensely popular in the Unites States today, whereas the same cannot be said of the President. Moreover, on the eve of Obama’s visit, the Speaker of the House of Representatives, John Boehner, invited the Pope to address a joint session of the two houses of the US Congress – the Senate and the House of Representatives. It remains to be seen whether Obama will invite him to visit the White House in 2015, when the Pope is expected to visit the USA.Since 2008, the White House and the American bishops have been at loggerheads on a number of issues, and clashed over the Administration’s positions on abortion and the contraception-linked clauses in the Obamacare legislation. And while the majority of Catholics voted for him in both the 2008 and 2012 elections, the US Bishops seemed to have preferred his Republican predecessor to Obama. In spite of all this, Obama chose a Catholic to be his vice-President and has a number of Catholics on his administration including Secretary of State, John Kerry, and Chief of Staff, Dennis McDonough. Significantly too he appointed another Catholic, Kenneth Hackett, former CEO of Catholic Relief Services, as the United States ambassador to the Holy See. All three will be part of the President’s delegation when he meets the Pope.
03/25/2014 - VATICAN INSIDER
Chaput hopes Pope-Obama meeting will be fruitful and clear-Charles Joseph Chaput-The Archbishop of Philadelphia sets the record straight on a few points: “I never said Bergoglio didn’t talk about abortion enough, I’m on his side.” And as far as the divorced and same-sex couples are concerned, “we are here to listen but it’s the press that’s been focusing on the problems, there are other issues too”-Iacopo Scaramuzzi
vatican city-He is the Archbishop of Philadelphia, a Capuchin monk of American Indian origin and has always been an enthusiastic supporter of the US Episcopate’s pro-life battles (according to the US press, in July he stated that the that members of the right wing of the Catholic church "generally have not been really happy about [Francis’] election"). Today, Mgr. Charles Joseph Chaput expressed his full support to Pope Francis and said he hoped Thursday’s meeting between Francis and the US president Barack Obama, who is rather unpopular among the US episcopate’s more conservative circles, will be “fruitful, clear and honest”. At the end of a press conference for the presentation of the 8th World Meeting for Families which will take place in Philadelphia in September 2015, mgr. Chaput responded to some questions put to him by journalists, stressing that although it is important that the Church listens when it comes to the divorced and same-sex couples, it is also important not to be too influenced by what the issues raised by the press.
You said that whilst it is important to listen when it comes to issues like divorce and same-sex couples, we should not dwell excessively on these problems. What do you mean? “It is important to exchange views with people and take real life into consideration, our daily experience tells us that these issues exist. But if we focus on the problems alone, or we treat them as the starting point, we won’t go very far. I think it is important to consolidate what has worked in the past in terms of family life and put it into practice instead of just talking about it. It is the press to a certain extent that focuses on the problems, not the people I deal with. I know that you journalists discuss these issues and I don’t mean to downplay the reality or importance of said issues. I just don’t want to spend all my time giving answers to a limited number of questions, when there are many other bigger questions that need addressing.”
You referred to the paedophilia problem in the Philadelphia Church. Do you hope the issue will be addressed at the 2015 meeting? “I don’t just hope it will be dealt with, I am certain it will be. We need workshops on how families deal with these kinds of things. As a Church we need to ensure this does not happen again. The issue will certainly be reflected upon. People are aware that the Church has a big training programme, both for individuals and communities, to help identify sex abuse cases and react. We want people to listen to this again and again.”
How will the diocese of Philadelphia pay for the international meeting of families? “We are covering the entire cost of the event. Milan (which is where the last family meeting took place in 2012, Ed.) cost something like 10-12 million Euros, 13-14 million dollars. They had a lot of support from Italy in areas such as security, whereas we will have to pay for these kinds of things out of our own pocket. It’s going to be expensive but we are all aware of the positive effect this meeting will have on families. There is a great deal of interest in the event, not just on the part of the Catholic community and Philadelphia, but on the part of the whole country and this will help us find funding. So far, we have collected 5 million dollars but we hope to get much more. I would also like to add that we hope this fundraising will give us more than what we need so that we can give the rest to the Pope as a gift for the poor. People understand the importance of this: he is coming to our country, a country that is well off and he receives a gift for the poor. We are also looking for funds to make it possible for poor people from North and South America to take part.
What do you expect from this Thursday’s meeting between the Pope and Obama? Some Catholic circles are critical of this president. “I don’t think I’m in a position to discuss what the Pope and the President will talk about. I just hope it will be a fruitful meeting for the Holy See, the president and our country. Our country has a significant role to play. I am certain that the Pope will focus his attention on peace, the Middle East, Ukraine and doing all that is possible to achieve peace. I don’t know whether family-related issues will be touched on. I just hope it will be a fruitful, honest and clear meeting.”
US media claim you said Pope Francis doesn’t speak out forcefully enough against abortion…“I never once said such a thing. I think the Pope is very successful in his approach and that God is guiding him for the good of today’s Church. I love the Pope and I support him. All that he is doing is working thanks to God.”
