Vatican: Obama seeks "common ground" on abortion

[adowcday]

Obama stance on abortion is clear and it seems as thou nothing will change it. There is no common ground on abortion, its black and white, culture of death or culture of life. I mean, I am still hopeful that Obama can have conversion, the Holy Spirit has that power.

Like many on CA forums, you assume that if the Pope can’t talk to Obama about abortion, he has absolutely nothing else to talk about, no other area where Catholics and Pres. Obama can have fruitful dialogue. No basis to discuss international peace, economic justice, immigration, etc., etc. Dumb, dumb, dumb.

 

[Abbadon]

I don’t think either of them will give in. Pope Benedict XVI because he is right in his beliefs and teachings, bo because he is arrogant.

And also because it can’t be the other way around…

Middleman:

Obama’s idea of common ground on abortion is to prevent pregnancies by abolishing abstinence programs and making every type of birth control widely available to as many people possible.

Well if your not pregnant it stands to reason that you cannot have an abortion.

 

[MDK]

And also because it can’t be the other way around…

Yes, the possibility exists, but reality is that it is as elts1956 said. B0 is very arrogant, doing the work of Satan.

Benedict XVI is doing God’s work, in opposing the evils that 0bama promotes.

Well if your not pregnant it stands to reason that you cannot have an abortion.

The thinker would see that abstinence among unmarried people is 100% effective preventing births outside of marriage. On the other hand, it’s been shown that artificial birth control is morally wrong to begin with, promotes sense of promiscuity (sex with no consequence - which is a fallacy). That is more than enough reason, but if we continue, it’s not even 100% effective, like abstiinence is.

 

[mapleoak]

Obama’s idea of common ground on abortion is to prevent pregnancies by abolishing abstinence programs and making every type of birth control widely available to as many people possible.

Well if your not pregnant it stands to reason that you cannot have an abortion.

Except that contraception promotes promiscuity, which results in procreation outside of wedlock, which in turn promotes abortion because the baby is deemed a threat to ones selfish interests which are borne of the loveless idealism of self love and self interest belonging to the contraceptive mentality.

 

[JReducation]

My hypothesis is that the issue of abortion will come up. The Holy Father will restate the moral position. The President will politely say that they agree to disagree.

However, there are points on which both men agree and are important to the Church and the President. If time permits it, they may discuss those as well.

We have to remember that these meetings are very brief. There is not a great deal of time to enter to the why and wherefore of every point. These coversations are almost bullets. Each person makes his points and the time is up.

The real dialogue takes place at the diplomatic levels with the appropriate diplomats speaking to each other and delivering the messages to their respective superiors.

We may be expecting more out of this meeting than is possible.

This does not rule out the action of the Holy Spirit and the gift of grace. Even if the President goes away thinking about this issue a little differently, it is progress. If he walks away converted, it’s a miracle.

Let’s just wait and see. In the meantime, let’s pray for the gift of grace for both men that they may truly communicate.

I have no fear that the Holy Father is going to negotiate on this issue. My prayer for him is that the Holy Spirit give him the right words that will reach the President and for the President that the Holy Spirit will open his heart and mind to hear them and reflect on them.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[JReducation]

Does the Vatican newspaper have a nihil obstat and imprimatur? Or is this article just a reflection of the popular European approval of our current president (as apposed to actual Vatican approval)?

There is the Press Office of the Holy See. They publish a daily buletin on what goes on within the Holy See, what the Pope says, etc. They are the official voicebox of the Holy See.

These buletins are sent daily to the Observatore Romano, which is the unofficial Vatican Newspaper and are published for the world to see.

The reason the paper is considered “unofficial” is because it also reports on other things that are happening around the world and the local community, not just on matters that are internal to the Holy See.

These other reports are not monitored by the Press Office. The Press Office only monitors what they publish regarding the Holy See and the Holy Father.

There is a weekly edition in English that can be read online. There is a daily edition in Italian. It is like every other newspaper. It has news on everything from the plane that went down over the Atlantic to the Holy Father’s statement at his weekly audience. The latter is moderated by the Vatican Press Office. Therefore, it is reliable. The statement that they made about what they like in the Obama administration is reliable. That comes from the Press Office. They are not allowed to edit what comes from the Holy Sees Press Office. The Press Office must report only what the Cardinals and the Pope say or do and what is filtered through the Press Secretary and assistants.

The Vatican Press Office is not only authorized to speak for the Holy See, but they are also required not to make comments or try to interpret the facts. They are only allowed to state them. I always explain it this way.

The Pope sneezed five times this morning. They don’t tell you that he may have a cold or allergies, unless they are authorized to do so by the Holy See.

This was a cause of frustration when John Paul II was in his last days, because the Press Office reported facts, but would not report insight. “The doctor stayed up all night with the Pope.” Everyone was left wondering, . . . And?

They are only allowed to report in the bulletin what the Press Secretary allows. That is what is sent to the Observatore Romano.

Everything is very controlled. Some of our friars work at the Holy See and it is very interesting to hear them speak about the controls and the organization that they have. It’s no wonder that the Vatican is the oldest sovereign nation in the world.

We should have that kind of order in this country or maybe not.

Fraternally,

Br. JR, OSF

 

[GodLovesTheSpek]

Put some faith in the faith. Obama’s mind can be changed in less than a moment by the Holy Spirit. How many strayed Catholics have been called to return to the faith? This is not merely a changing of the mind. There are supernatual forces at work.