When the Pope meets the President: how it came about

Last updated on: May 22, 2017 at 12:52 pm by Deacon Greg Kandra

When the Pope meets the President: how it came about 2017-05-22T12:52:38-04:00 Deacon Greg Kandra

LOGO Patheos Explore the world's faith through different perspectives on religion and spirituality! Patheos has the views of the prevalent religions and spiritualities of the world.

Wednesday will mark the historic meeting between Donald Trump and Pope Francis. La Stampa’s Vatican Insider (in a somewhat fractured translation) explains the story behind it:

Who maneuvered since the beginning to foster contact, in agreement with the nuncio in the US, Christoph Pierre, and the Vatican Secretariat, was Cardinal Donald Wuerl, Archbishop of Washington. The path to the first unofficial approach with the new administration has gone through the evangelical world and precisely in the context of the National Prayer Breakfast, of which Vice President Mike Pence is an active member. This is why the chairman of the Renewing Spiritual Movement, the Italian Salvatore Martinez, who knows that world really well, has traveled several times to the USA to help breaking literally the ice. The two key figures, among Trump’s advisers, are the Evangelical Priests Jay Strack and Paula White.

On March 13, the decisive meeting, with the nuncio and Cardinal Wuerl, at the Washington Nunciature took place. Meeting attended also by some of Trump’s advisers. The Holy See lets know that the Pope is ready to endorse the audience. However, the White House tenant, engaged on various national and international fronts, does not seem interested. Until April 19 when his spokesman Sean Spicer announces: “We will contact the Vatican” to organize an audience. Shortly after, the Deputy Secretary of State Angelo Becciu, states that Francis is “always available to welcome heads of State who apply for audiences.” At the time, the United States had not yet appointed the ambassador to the Holy See, (Callista Gingrich was appointed only last Saturday). Even on this, however, precise signals come from the Vatican: it is not a problem.

Nevertheless, for another ten days, the phone does not ring. It is now April 29, when the Pope returning from Egypt reiterates: “I will receive every head of state who asks for an audience,” adding that until then there had been no requests.

Read on for additional details, including the news that the White House is reportedly preparing a video for President Trump on the Pope.

Uncategorized

Previous Post

May 22, 2017

Philippines bans rosaries, icons on car dashboards

Next Post

May 22, 2017 Ordination update: 26 new deacons for Peoria

Browse Our Archives

Select a Category "Mad Men" 9/11 advent All Things New Amazing video amazing videos amazon america Anglicans Anti-Catholicism art ascension thursday ash wednesday Atheists baltimore Bible Bishops Blogging bonnie engstrom Books bridgeport Brooklyn Chaplains children christian art christmas Church Churches CNEWA Converts criticism Deacons Death Penalty easter eastern christian Eastern Christians Ecumenism Education education Eucharist Europe euthanasia Evangelization Exorcism Family Feasts Gay rights Good Friday Great links Great Moments in Journalism Hanging with the saints heather renshaw Hispanic Catholics Hispanics History homelies Homilies Humor Hymn of the Week Immigration indianapolis Inspiration Interfaith news ireland Jesus Jews Journalism Judaism lent Liturgy logos Marriage Mary Media Medical news Mental health Middle East Monks Movies Music Muslims My world and welcome to it New Evangelization new york News Nuns Parenting Parish life peoria Persecution politics Politics Pope pope francis pope john paul Prayer Preaching Priests Pro-life Quote of the day radio rebecca frech ripp Ripped from the headlines rippred from the headlines Sacraments saints Scripture sex abuse Sex abuse crisis SEX ABUSE CRISIS TAGGED WITH: SEX ABUSE CRISIS The people in the pews the visitation project theatre This & that Thomas Merton Trappists TV Uncategorized uncategorized Vatican VATICAN vocation Vocations Voices & Views Women Worth a thousand words Writing Year of Faith year of mercy young people

Select a Month December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010

TAKE THE

Religious Wisdom Quiz

I am the count that found over 600,000 men able to go to war. What am I?

Select your answer to see how you score.

The first census of Israel A military count God's numbering The wilderness count

Books by This Author Books by Deacon Greg Kandra

See All Titles »