The Vatican’s recent snub of Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is only the latest salvo in the battle between Pope Benedict XVI and President George W. Bush. This tug of war has profound implications for both U.S. foreign policy and the critical Catholic vote in 2008’s presidential race.
Overlapping Agendas
Things haven’t always been tense between Bush and Benedict. They share similar views regarding abortion, gay marriage, and other hot-button conservative issues. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger (as Benedict was known before becoming Pope in April 2005) even helped Bush secure the White House for a second term.
Specifically, after Bush visited the Vatican in June 2004, complaining that “Not all the American bishops are with me,” Ratzinger sent a letter to US bishops, ordering them to refuse Communion to “a Catholic politician … consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws” - a thinly-veiled reference to John Kerry. Ratzinger added that any person even voting for this Catholic politician “would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil and so unworthy to present himself for Holy Communion.” Probably no surprise, then, that Bush increased his margin among Catholics by 6% from 2000 to 2004.
In an interesting twist, Ratzinger also partnered with George W. Bush’s brother Neil in a foundation “to promote ecumenical understanding and publish original religious texts” in 1999. Oddly enough, business credit reports listed the foundation as a “management trust for purposes other than education, religion, charity or research,” leaving the true nature of the Neil Bush/Cardinal Ratzinger venture unclear.
In 2005, Ratzinger was named as a defendant in a U.S. lawsuit suit accusing him of conspiring to cover up the sexual abuse of minors. At the center of the controversy was a May 2001 confidential letter he had sent Catholic bishops across the world ordering them to keep evidence of the sexual abuse of minors by clergy secret until 10 years after the child had reached adult status.
Soon after becoming Pope, however, Ratzinger was dismissed from the case. A US federal judge decided the lawsuit would be “incompatible with the United States’ foreign policy interests.”
Disagreements Multiply
On many contentious issues since then, Pope Benedict XVI has disagreed with the Bush administration’s policies, but only politely and indirectly. For example, Benedict has spoken in favor of the International Atomic Energy Agency, which is often at loggerheads with Bush administration foreign policy.
Similarly, Benedict’s Vatican has taken a firm stance against global warming, even acquiring a carbon offset forest to make the Vatican the “first entirely carbon neutral sovereign state.” He has called for greater international co-operation to fight ozone depletion, yet not overtly criticized White House foot-dragging in that area.
The gloves came off, however, regarding the war in Iraq. In a May 2003 interview, Ratzinger said, “ There was not sufficient reasons to unleash a war in Iraq. To say nothing of the fact that, given the new weapons that make possible destructions that go beyond the combatant groups, today we should be asking ourselves if it is still licit to admit the very existence of a ‘just war.’”
The U.S. invasion of Iraq was similarly contentious for former Pope John Paul II, who sent a special envoy to the White House in March 2003 in an effort to prevent an attack. The papal envoy’s pleas fell on deaf ears.
Vatican criticisms of the Bush administration’s military intervention in Iraq have continued unabated. French Cardinal Jean-Louis Tauran, head of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, told an Italian magazine in August 2007, “The facts speak for themselves. Alienating the international community (with the U.S. push for war) was a mistake.” Tauran, who has referred to the invasion and occupation as a “crime against peace,” also said that Christians in Iraq “paradoxically, were more protected under the dictatorship” of Saddam Hussein.
Rice Rebuffed
As such, it is perhaps unsurprising that Benedict failed to honor Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice’s urgent request for a private meeting last month. The Italian periodical Corriere della Sera reported that Rice was hoping to capitalize on the Pope’s moral authority by having a papal audience focused on the Middle East. Instead, Rice was told that Benedict was on holiday and had to settle for a telephone conversation with a lower Vatican official.
The ongoing tensions between Bush and Benedict over Iraq put America’s over 75 million Roman Catholics in a tricky position for 2008. By supporting candidates hawkish on the Bush administration’s Iraq policies, are they defying the Pope and the Catholic Church?
For its part, the powerful United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) has taken a firm stance against the US presence in Iraq. A July 2007 letter to House Republican Leader John Boehner (R-OH), USCCB noted, “The current situation in Iraq is unacceptable and unsustainable, as is the policy and political stalemate among decision makers in Washington … our nation must have the moral courage to change course in Iraq.”
Dissent is swelling up from the grassroots as well. In August 2007, an alliance of religious groups calling itself Catholics for an End to War collected 10,000 signatures for an online petition “urging leaders to commit to a responsible withdrawal of U.S. troops.” Sister Simone Campbell of the national Catholic social justice lobby NETWORK said, “Church leaders and individual Catholics have opposed U.S. policy in Iraq since before the war began,” adding that the petition “lets thousands of Catholics unite to speak out even more strongly for an end to the violence and occupation.”
In other words, being dovish on Iraq might help the next Democratic presidential contender win Roman Catholic votes. Whether the current front-runners qualify for that distinction, however, is another matter.
This article first appeared in Foreign Policy in Focus as part of a series on religion and politics. Heather Wokusch is the author of The Progressives’ Handbook series. For a video of this article or to contact Heather, visit www.HeatherWokusch.com.
The beatification of Franz Jägerstätter, an Austrian farmer beheaded in August 1943 for his refusal to serve in Hitler’s army on grounds of conscience, will take place in Linz on the 26th of this month. This cannot but further emphasise the differences that have arisen between the Vatican and the White House over the question of Bush’s and Blair’s quasi war.
This is a tempest in a teapot.
The Pope’s gloves are not off with regard to the US war against Iraq.
If the RC Church was more about the teachings of Jesus than worship of power in this world, the Archbishop in charge of the US military chaplains would advise them to counsel the troops to refuse to serve the forces of Satan in Iraq. Instead, Ratzinger moved the previous military archbishop (Edwin O’brien) to be Archbishop of Baltimore.
A lot of RCs left that church over stuff like this over the years.
Good point gde.
Furthermore, if Catholics could be considered guilty of “formal cooperation in evil” by voting for Kerry because of his stance on abortion then why weren’t Catholics who voted for Bush guilty of cooperation in the evil of war?
I was very moved by the monks in Myanmar taking to the streets and naively wondered when we would see the like here in America. I quickly remembered that the religious in this country are largely in bed with the warmongers or comfortably silent in their precious tax-exempt status.
Since Pope Urban II the Catholic Church has been very accepting of war, if not actively promoting it. Whether its the Crusades, death squads in Central America or repressive military juntas in Chile and Argentina, or even the extermination of the Jewish people in concentration camps, the Church only looks out for its own politico-theological hegemony, not for the good of humanity. Snubbing Condoleeza Rice does not herald a change in this long-standing hypocrisy.
Prove me wrong Benedict, you bejeweled Vicar of Christ!
Many Catholics are still going to vote on the “4 issues” they think the Vatican has set forth as the only issues that are important: abortion, gay marriage, euthanasia, and embryonic stem cell research. My church had someone announce this during Mass and I was pissed off! Not only is that incorrect, but also illegal; nonprofits are not allowed to endorse a political party, which is essentially what parishes are doing with the “4 issues”. We need to start a grassroots monitoring program of these occurrences across the nation to make sure parishes are not doing this. The USCCB releases a publication every four years called “Faithful Citizenship” that guides Catholics on Election Day. The 2004 guide asked voters to consider things like:
a. How will we address the tragic fact that more than 30,000 children die every day as a result of hunger, international debt, and lack of development around the world?
b. How will we address the growing number of people without affordable and accessible health care? How can health care better protect human life and respect human dignity?
c. How will our society combat continuing prejudice, overcome hostility toward immigrants and refugees, and heal the wounds of racism, religious bigotry, and discrimination?
d. How will our nation pursue the values of justice and peace in a world where injustice is common, desperate poverty widespread, and peace too often overwhelmed by violence?
For the 2004 elections, these were the questions Catholic voters ought to have asked themselves. In 2008, the notion that Catholic voters need to weigh the costs and benefits of all candidates also pertains and ought not be a “4 issues” race, which always supports one party over others.
Ideologically, Kucinich is the most qualified and in-line with the Catholic Church. If only he had to courage to declare his independence, I would vote for him. For someone who endorsed John Kerry in 2004, I don’t think I can trust him to be our next president.
If the little people are being told what to do and how to vote, etc. by a “dry drunk”and a isolated church head, GOD HELP THE WORLD, there’s not much future left.
While there are many devout and socially active Catholics who are out front in the anti-war movement, I was deeply disappointed in Pope John Paul II when he failed to attempt to stop our madman president from attacking Iraq. Had he wanted to stop the war, he should have flown to Iraq in early March, 2003, and planted himself in the middle of Bagdad and dared Bush to bomb him He was old and frail at the time, and it would have been a bold move by a religious icon to actually put his life on the line to save others from Bush’s bombs. The current Pope is also in a position to announce to the world that this war is immoral and admonish the faithful to do all in their power to stop it. Instead, he refuses to meet with Condi by hiding behind a transparent excuse. It’s time for him to be honest, direct and harsh in his condemnation of this atrocity.
so the devout christian bush defies two popes and conducts the proxy war for the zionists.
well at least we now know a) the depth of his personal relationship with jesus christ our lord and saviour, as he calls him and b) his desire at all costs to please his zion masters.
the zionists have now pitted, rather successfully i might add, 1 billion christians against 1 billion muslims.
locked, to quote slim pickens in dr strangelove, “toe to toe with the rooskies” (now turned into buzzword “terrorists”.)
whatever the term used, just think - the boogeyman. and be terrified. afraid. on alert. it could be anyone. martial law.
and there, midst it all, the tiniest state in the world, the only country that will benefit from this dust up of a war - israel.
sweet deal. they don’t even have to fight.
let the poor black boys and the poor latino boys do that.
bush will go to christian hell his pockets bulging with shekels.
Let’s face it. The Catholic Church is basically a multinational corporation. It possesses a powerhouse of a bank and it invests in many successful, if amoral, private firms.
It is a holding company whose top decision-makers have diversified (and continues to diversify) its range of investments.
Its basic product line is faith-dealing; this product line also tends to back the positions of economic elite and their junior partners -political elite. Thus, it contributes to ideological indoctrination by placing the system’s “policeman” within member’s head and heart. This inner-policeman is backed by supernatural sanctions and a supernatural CEO.
The faith-dealing sector of its holdings controls global franchises, vast communication infrastructures, the overt and tacit support of leading players on the world stage and lots of dough.
Better yet, many of its employees are low-paid and without immediate family members to worry about. Unionization is never a problem.
Of course, like any major financial player, it sometimes competes with other state and economic organizations.
One major faith-dealing competitor are U.S.-based evangelicals. This economic and ideological competitor works in tandem with America’s imperial elite. It is a dollar-based organization unlike the Vatican’s Euro-based tendencies.
Watch out for more competition between the two in the America’s.
I think Bush should give the ultimate sacrifice in order to prove he is who he thinks he is - he should allow us to crucify him on a cross.
If he really is as holy as he thinks he is and if he really is the personification of the Lord Jesus Christ, then it shouldn’t be a problem (right?).
If he rose from the dead after that, I just might, I said MIGHT take him serious, just a little.
(I know, HEY NOW WTF are you saying?)
I can’t stand that self righteous bastard!!!
nice thought hey now but bush would piss his pants in a dark closet.
i say we haul him out of a dungeon and run him up a gallows - all caught on a cell phone and then hang him. we’ll see if he is as much a man as was saddam, who faced death with courage and grace.
doubt it.
Since George’s crusade against the Muslims is not going so well, he may turn his attention to the Catholics, rousing his Evangelicals for a repeat of the Thirty Years War.
“Specifically, after Bush visited the Vatican in June 2004, complaining that “Not all the American bishops are with me,” Ratzinger sent a letter to US bishops, ordering them to refuse Communion to “a Catholic politician … consistently campaigning and voting for permissive abortion and euthanasia laws” - a thinly-veiled reference to John Kerry. Ratzinger added that any person even voting for this Catholic politician “would be guilty of formal cooperation in evil and so unworthy to present himself for Holy Communion.” Probably no surprise, then, that Bush increased his margin among Catholics by 6% from 2000 to 2004.”
Violations of the Separation of Church and State are never just tempests in a teapot.
Lobo Gris
What makes anyone think Bush and his fellow warmongers would listen to the Pope? I doubt he would listen to Jesus Christ if ordered to stop the carnage.
I seriously question whether any Orthodox Roman Catholic can support any of the candidates, or the U.S. gov’t itself.
It amazes me that the RC coven of perverts continues to have credibility with the public.
Balakirev is right on when he posted: “Let’s face it. The Catholic Church is basically a multinational corporation. It possesses a powerhouse of a bank and it invests in many successful, if amoral, private firms.”
A good 1st step would be to a movement to remove the tax exemption from all religious organizations that attempt to impose their stupidity on the public through political actions.
Every Sunday the Priest used to get up and talk about the starving of the world. How we should give of our time and money to make these people’s life better. And of all things ‘respect life’! In the same breath tell us of the evils of birth control and abortion. It began to strike me as hypocritical when you promote starvation, privation and the misery that goes with it to supposedly preserve the sanctity of life! But, what did me up for good on the church was when Bush was running in 2004 and Knights of Columbus began to chant ‘4 more years’! When supposedly Christian people who are supposed to know the different between right and wrong are willing to ignore greed, corruption, murder, torture and etc just to see abortion become illegal. Christianity has lost it’s way. That is carrying the idea to far in my book! I have given up on religion period. Most Christian’s in this country do not have one gram of moral’s. They proved that when they showed up in droves to vote the warmonger George Bush back into office!
Let us note that in our Supreme Court, there is certainly one (Thomas) and probably two (Scalia) members of OPUS DEI, a secret Catholic organization of influential people (it was conceived and developed in Franco’s Spain) which actively promotes reactionary philosophical principles.
Tony Vodvarka
A society evolves when each individual takes responsibility for his/her actions. Individuals living under a strict and oppressive rule of law (e.g., the Catholic “church,” followers of GWB, etc.) do not evolve.
Juliann
Members of the Catholic Church “do not evolve?” Says you.
I agree with Juliann. And I have seen that Pope Benedict now sports all green attire at times. No doubt to match his very edgy new environmentalism platform. But I am wondering when the Pope will start selling off some of the artistic masterpieces or golden vessels, to help the world’s most impoverished.
It is hard to take a man seriously when he is wearing ermine stoles and large ornamental objects, and asking the average working person to give money. I think that by comparing the Pope to George W. shows that the author is trying pretty hard to make the Pope look a lot more savory than he is….
But I appreciate the article.
Anti-Catholic bigotry. Try looking at what Bush is spending our money on.
THE DEMOCRATIC FRONT RUNNERS, WHICH I GUESS IS ONLY HILLARY, DESERVE NO CATHOLIC OR PROTESTANT OR JEWISH OR MUSLIM OR BUDDHIST VOTES. SHE IS A WAR MONGER WHO VOTES TO SEND PEOPLE TO KILL AND BE KILLED. GIVE HER A SOLDIER’S OUTFIT AND SHIP HER OVER THERE. GOOD RIDDANCE, BITCH!