by Matthew Hay Brown
Given the red carpet that official Washington is rolling out today for Pope Benedict XVI, it’s bracing to remember that it was less than 25 years ago that the United States established diplomatic relations with the Holy See.
In an op-ed piece in yesterday’s Los Angeles Times, the Italian journalist Massimo Franco leads a tour through two centuries of mutual distrust between the Washington and the Vatican: “Among Americans, Catholicism was perceived as a religion fine for Irish, Italian, French and Polish immigrants, but not for real Yankees. Or worse, it was seen as a religion of the poor. The Vatican also failed to grasp how widely the pope was viewed as a conspiratorial figure, menacing American freedom and independence.”
That wariness, finally overcome in the alliance forged by President Ronald Reagan and Pope John Paul II against communism, now appears to be forgotten. Benedict may be a leading critic of the war in Iraq; he is also the first pope to make a state visit to the United States. (Pope John Paul II made an unofficial visit to the White House in 1979.)
President Bush – with whom the pope agrees on abortion and embryonic stem cell research, but disagrees on the death penalty – is taking the unusual step of meeting his plane at Andrews Air Force Base this afternoon, before hosting him at the White House tomorrow.
The congressional leadership also is welcoming the pontiff.
“Like millions of Americans, I look forward to hearing his message of hope and justice for all and his call to work together on the challenges that we face as citizens of the world,” said House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who grew up at the Church of St. Leo the Great in Baltimore’s Little Italy.
House Republican Leader John Boehner, another lifelong Catholic, called Benedict “an unflinching champion for life and freedom; a catalyst for peace and justice; and a selfless guardian of the Church and its holy sacraments and teachings.”
“The Holy Father’s visit marks an important moment not just in his papacy, but for our nation as well,” he said. “As he enters his fourth year shepherding the Church, Pope Benedict XVI continues to have an immeasurable impact not just on those who share our Catholic faith, but on all those committed to a life of service to God and to one another.”
• 
• 
• 
• 
Comments
WADR, I hope the Pope does not tell Catholics, again, to think of the unborn while casting their votes. That makes one-issue voters out of many, and it benefits the Pugs. Why spend public tax dollars protecting the Pope if he is going to be partisan or biased?
It most likely made Muslims happy when the Pope cited how many Catholics there were in relation to Muslims--and NOT how many CHRISTIANS in relation to Muslims. Thanks Pope. I think that did some damage.
The Catholic church in America counts on the many illegals as they are helping to fill the Catholic pews as attendance here has been declining. I think the Pope needs to stay quiet on that as well.
Again, the Vatican should pay all of the Pope's secret service bill since it has been a very big con job where the Pope is both head of the Catholic church as well as head of state of Vatican City. Too sticky a wicket for too long.
Lastly, when he arrives here, it would be nice if he kept on topic about his church while inspiring--not excluding--and discussing cleaning the Church's own doorstep of the past.
Posted by: Vivian | April 15, 2008 4:56 PM