Vatican City – In the 24 years since the U.S. and the Holy See established full diplomatic ties, relations have never been closer or warmer than during the administration of President George W. Bush.
The two sides broke over the U.S.-led invasion of Iraq in 2003, but Bush’s personal esteem for Popes John Paul II and Benedict XVI, and his agreement with Catholic teaching on such controversial issues as abortion, embryonic stem cell research and same-sex marriage, have fostered a special rapport. Bush has met a total of six times with the leader of the Catholic Church, more often than any other American president.
That relationship is bound to change in January with the inauguration of President-elect Barack Obama, whose support for abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research has drawn denunciations from a number of church leaders. Yet informed observers agree that both the Vatican and the White House have strong incentives and opportunities to avoid conflict and build on the recent history of collaboration.
Relations got off to a cordial start the day after the Nov. 4 election, when Benedict sent a telegram to Obama, noting the “historic” nature of his victory and assuring him of his prayers that God would “sustain you and the beloved American people in your efforts … to build a world of peace, solidarity and justice.”
Obama, in turn, called the pope a week later to thank him for the telegram, although both sides declined to describe their conversation.
From the American hierarchy, however, congratulations have been mixed with criticism. Cardinal Francis George of Chicago, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, said the church should “rejoice” in the election of the country’s first African-American president, but insisted that it would confront Obama over abortion and stem cell research.
Even stronger were the words of Cardinal James Francis Stafford, former archbishop of Denver, who said that Obama’s statements on abortion reflect “an agenda and vision that are aggressive, disruptive and apocalyptic.” (Stafford, who as head of a Vatican court is one of the highest-ranking Americans at the Holy See, noted that he spoke only on his own behalf.)
The contrast in tone between American bishops and the Vatican reflects a deliberate “division of labor,” said Massimo Franco, author of a forthcoming history of U.S.-Vatican relations, “Parallel Empires.”
In that way, Franco said, the Holy See can remain “above the fray” while local Catholic leaders apply public pressure to the incoming president.
Of most urgent concern to the church is clearly the Freedom of Choice Act, a proposed bill that would overturn a host of restrictions on abortion. Critics say FOCA would eliminate so-called conscience exemptions for publicly funded health-care facilities, thus forcing Catholic hospitals to provide abortions or shut their doors.
In an oft-cited speech to Planned Parenthood in 2007, Obama vowed to sign FOCA as “the first thing I’d do as president.” Yet Obama’s Catholic supporters cite his promises to find “common ground” with abortion opponents as reason to expect moderation.
“FOCA is not in the Democratic platform, and in the third debate he said that he favored restrictions on late-term abortions, which is contrary to FOCA,” said Nicholas P. Cafardi, a member of Obama’s National Catholic Advisory Board and an opponent of legalized abortion.
Another potential irritant in U.S.-Vatican relations emerged on Nov. 24, when a federal appeals court ruled that a lawsuit over alleged sex abuse by Catholic priests could proceed against the Holy See, despite its status as a sovereign state.
In spite of such problems, the Vatican will seek to work closely with the new administration in a number of areas, Franco said. Foremost on its agenda is the fate of Christian minorities in the Middle East — particularly in Iraq, where their status has grown increasingly precarious during the Bush administration.
Christians in Muslim lands are of strategic interest to the U.S. as social and cultural intermediaries and “buffers,” reducing geopolitical tensions in the region, Franco said.
The new president’s priorities for relations for the Vatican are not yet clear, but Cafardi is sure that he will value the relationship.
As a community organizer in Chicago in the 1980s, Obama worked closely with Catholic parishes, Cafardi said, and thus “he knows how important the Catholic church is to the achievement of social justice.”
An American president who supports abortion rights working productively with an anti-abortion Catholic leadership in areas of common interest is something Raymond L. Flynn knows from experience. As President Clinton’s envoy to the Vatican from 1993 to 1997, he coordinated joint U.S.-Vatican humanitarian efforts in India, Rwanda, Burundi and the Balkans.
“The Vatican can be an enormous help to U.S. foreign policy because of the respect it has throughout the world,” Flynn said. “It’s not interested in oil, land, military or economic strength. It wants stability and peace.”
By Francis X. Rocca
Religion News Service
Copyright 2008 Religion News Service. All rights reserved. No part of this transmission may be distributed or reproduced without written permission.
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posted December 2, 2008 at 8:30 pm
“It’s not interested in oil, land, military or economic strength. It wants stability and peace.”
And power and money, lots of power.
“an agenda and vision that are aggressive, disruptive and apocalyptic.”
This guy seems to think the RCC’s agenda is the only agenda around. Obama’s agenda (hopefully) woul,d be to help women and families, including Catholic women and families who are represented incredibly poorly by power grabbers like Stafford.
posted December 3, 2008 at 12:02 am
A Koan for you – who looks worse, Scarecro-W or B16 for getting along so well? Scarecro-W sells out cheap and easy, B16 is now associated with a man who is arguably the worst president in US history. This is sort of like getting an A in a course on failure.
I think some of the RCC heirarchy may have some back peddling to do. Statements made in the heat of an election may appear – awkward.
posted December 3, 2008 at 1:38 am
‘B16 is now associated with a man who is arguably the worst president in US history.’
Come on, Jestrfyl. After all, the man won’t even be sworn into office until around Jan 19th which is a month and a half away. Give the poor man a chance
posted December 3, 2008 at 1:59 pm
Eight years of chances, was already had.
I didn’t pay attention to how the Vatican got along with John Kennedys days in office. Does anyone know?
posted December 3, 2008 at 4:20 pm
The RCC here and in Benny’s house will just have to wait and see what Obama will do and ….deal with it! Obama being pro-choice is great news…and I’m hoping the FOCA gets signed with some restrictions …late term abortions should be only under extreme circumstances. The bishops and cardinals here in the states certainly think they have power…outside the RCC folks…to tell the US government what to do…Hello…separation of church and state guys.
posted December 3, 2008 at 4:24 pm
Hardy har har, Tom.
Too bad you seem to be a “W” fan. So much for judgment…
posted December 3, 2008 at 7:41 pm
Most people in the US have a good idea who’s the worst president in US history and his name is Bush. I have a lot of hope for Obama. At least he’s starting off naming competent people to his cabinet, not experts on horse shows to run Homeland Security.
posted December 3, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Obama is already a breath of fresh air….and “W” is by far one of the worst occupants of the Oval Office…if not the worst.
posted December 3, 2008 at 10:54 pm
Hmmm, I am wondering if b16 is starting to fret about irrelevance. The local priests and nuns do most of the heavy – Good – work. The folks back in Hq-Rome have to justify their cushy existence, so I guess a fuss like this might do the trick.
posted December 3, 2008 at 11:30 pm
‘Hardy har har, Tom.
Too bad you seem to be a “W” fan. So much for judgment…’
Is that you, Barbara Streisand? Shut up and sing! I thought you had a sense of humor what with the comedy routine you implemented at your concerts
posted December 4, 2008 at 10:47 am
Tom, Tom, Tommy boy,
Scarecro-W and his minions managed in his campaigns to diminish anyone who won medals in service to their country. His very image and life style is a parody of the very people whose support he once had. He and Tinman-C have found ways to disgrace our nation, devalue our economy, and diminish our predence and authrity internationally. Scarecro-W represents the very worst that our political system offers and makes anyone who was part of his administration look like a selfish buffoon. At no time, from the first election when his fathr had to step in and manage the results, to the members of his cabinet who were all his father’s cronies, to the second election when he was able to fracture the country thoroughly, to the war in Iraq designed to reclaim some credibility for his father (and is still a shambles), to his inability to even pretend to be worthy of the education his father paid for, Little Georgie Scarecro-W has been a horrid misrepresentation of his family, his party, and our nation. His departure will be greeted with silence, except for the long line of people willing to hold the door as he carries the last box out of the Oval Office, out of the White House, and out of Washington. He will NOT be missed.
posted December 4, 2008 at 12:58 pm
Just FYI, Jestrfyl, I’m not a huge fan of George W. He hired incompetence in his staff, drug us into an unjust war (with the support from most Democrats at the time I might add) and didn’t have the best economic policy going. That being said I’m proud of the stand he took on embryonic stem cells, abortion, and the conscience clause he’s implementing, which, by the way, would only penalize hospitals forcing doctors to perform abortions by cutting off federal funding. I pray Pres. Elect Obama has a change of heart, though this doesn’t appear to be happening. I don’t think the vast majority of the public are aware of just how much worse it can get; yet I hope I’m wrong.
posted December 4, 2008 at 1:53 pm
Tom,
Clearly you and I stand on opposite sides of the abortion, stem cell, conscience clause discussion. I think that preventing medical researchers for working with and developing stem cell therapies is a poor idea. Abortion is a choice that should be made by the woman and not legislation or political mandate, and the conscience clause is about as useful as a loyalty oath and as actual as Santa Clause. We need to learn to trust each other as we also look out for each other. There will be no sense of personal responsibility until there is also mutual trust. The W-minions have no concept of that at all, so I do not expect they would even begin to promote it. I believe Obama has a clear sense of personal repsonsibility and mutual trust. But that is my opinion. Time will tell more.
posted December 5, 2008 at 12:06 pm
I look for the Conscience Clause to be thrown out. It is a last attempt for GW to give back to the “far right” and their attempt to take over the policies of America that should cover all people, not just the “extreme” religious groups that had a hay day for eight yrs.
posted January 8, 2009 at 2:39 am
The content of that article so good.I believe Obama has a clear sense of personal repsonsibility and mutual trust.Thanks..r
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