Posted by
BLOGASSAULT on Thursday, April 17, 2008 10:31:00 AM
The Boston Globe reported Tuesday that the most critical thing the Pope wanted to discuss with President Bush is the environment.
Archbishop Celestino Migliore, the Vatican's permanent observer to the United Nations, said in response to a Globe inquiry that in his UN speech on Friday, Benedict "won't necessarily touch upon specific crises in the world: unfortunately, they are too many to be dealt with in a few minutes. However he will insist on the moral imperative that all, without exception, have a grave responsibility to protect the environment."
During their meeting, the Holy Father and the President discussed a number of topics of common interest to the Holy See and the United States of America, including moral and religious considerations to which both parties are committed: the respect of the dignity of the human person; the defense and promotion of life, matrimony and the family; the education of future generations; human rights and religious freedom; sustainable development and the struggle against poverty and pandemics, especially in Africa. In regard to the latter, the Holy Father welcomed the United States' substantial financial contributions in this area. The two reaffirmed their total rejection of terrorism as well as the manipulation of religion to justify immoral and violent acts against innocents. They further touched on the need to confront terrorism with appropriate means that respect the human person and his or her rights.
For not having a lot of time to discuss things, they sure went over quite a few issues. Guess what wasn't discussed.