Kerry Seeks to Build Ties to New Pope With Vatican Visit

[xchrom]

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-14/kerry-seeks-to-build-ties-to-new-pope-with-vatican-visit.html


U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, right, speaks with Vatican Secretary of State

President Barack Obama is seeking to build ties with Pope Francis, the new spiritual leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics, for help on issues such as Mideast turmoil, climate change, and global poverty.

Secretary of State John Kerry yesterday met with his Vatican counterpart, Secretary of State Pietro Parolin, to discuss a range of issues in preparation for a visit by Obama. The last U.S. secretary of state’s visit was by Condoleezza Rice in April 2005, when she accompanied President George W. Bush to the funeral of Pope John Paul II.

Miguel Diaz, who was Obama’s ambassador to the Holy See during the tenure of Pope Benedict XVI, said he sees an opportunity for the U.S. to work cooperatively with a new pope who’s re-energizing Vatican diplomacy.

“The new papacy brings about new possibilities and opportunities that have been recognized by the president” and Kerry, said Diaz, now professor of faith and culture at the University of Dayton in Ohio.

[lumberjack_jeff]

1. The new pope made a good first step.

http://www.patheos.com/blogs/friendlyatheist/2013/12/18/pope-francis-demotes-cardinal-who-denied-john-kerry-communion/

[Bluenorthwest]

2. Sad.

Kerry shows his true colors, as he did in his pro DOMA run for President. Kerry 2004: "While I believe marriage is between a man and a woman, for 200 years this has been a state issue."

So he agrees with Francis about LGBT equality. At least he does when that serves him. The situational ethics of that crowd disgusts me.

[ananda]

3. Human rights are human rights .. for everybody.

I don't care HOW anyone comes to that conclusion, just that they do.

For me it's a matter of considering gays to be fully human with full
human rights, just like everyone else... including the right to life,
liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. If happiness means getting
married, so be it.

For Francis, it's a matter of humility, of not judging. I can go with
that.

For Kerry, it's a matter of states rights. He's not quite there on the
fully human aspect... but he's getting there. It will happen.