Barack & Benedict
Not the Dream Team some Catholics envisoned, but the President-elect dialed the Pope personally to thank him for the congratulatory telegram. According to CNS:
The Vatican spokesman, Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi, confirmed to Catholic News Service Nov. 12 that the president-elect telephoned the pope Nov. 11 “to thank the pope for his telegram, his congratulations” on winning the U.S. presidential election.
Further details about the call were not known, Father Lombardi said.
Pope Benedict sent his congratulations Nov. 5, referring to the “historic occasion” of the election, marking the first time a black man has been elected president of the United States.
Father Lombardi said Nov. 5 the pope prayed that “the blessing of God would sustain him (Obama) and the American people so that with all people of good will they could build a world of peace, solidarity and justice.”
The press office for Obama’s presidential transition team said all conversations with world leaders are private and no details would be released on this conversation or any conversation with world leaders.
A positive sign on both sides, and perhaps a nudge to the bishops meeting in Washington, who are trying to strike the right tone in their challenge/welcome to the new Democratic administration.
Then again, maybe they should be worried that Obama is campaigning for higher office. After all, Archbishop Wilton Gregory of Atlanta suggested that Obama’s election is a foretaste of what could happen in a conclave one day…Pope Barack I anyone?
on November 12th, 2008 at 10:38 am
I wonder if the name “Barak” could be the Arabic cognate of the Hebrew “Baruch”. If so, I wonder if Benedict XVI is aware of this. Is there an Arabist in the house? It is an interesting thought that with a little Latinization Barak could become Benedict. (Spinoza was Baruch before he Latinized his name to Benedictus.)
on November 12th, 2008 at 10:38 am
Can the pope bestow an apostolic blessing over the phone?
ETA: Joseph, Obama is way ahead of you! Although he didn’t make the “Benedict” connection. Maybe if he were stumping for the Catholic vote? (I stopped watching that video once Chris Matthews showed up, so I apologize in advance for anything that might follow the first minute.)
on November 12th, 2008 at 11:11 am
I’m glad that a man raised without a father has a chance for personal contact with Pope Benedict XVI. Who knows? Could be an occasion of grace, healing, even conversion, for our new President-elect. We can at least hope so.
on November 12th, 2008 at 11:32 am
“Pope Barack I anyone?”
Hasn’t he already set his sights on a higher office? :-)
on November 12th, 2008 at 11:47 am
Mollie Wilson O’Reilly: Thanks for the confirmation. Is this an instance of nomen omen? If the Pope bestowed a blessing on Obama, he is, so to speak, now twice Bendictus.
on November 12th, 2008 at 12:37 pm
Obviously, Archbishop Wilton is speculating on the possibility of an African pope. If so, a Cardinal Arinze or Turkson’s election, I suspect, would receive a far less positive reception from Commonweal contributers than the election of Barak Obama to the presidency did. Besides, why would he take the demotion from messiah?
on November 12th, 2008 at 2:04 pm
Good one.
on November 12th, 2008 at 4:06 pm
” Could be an occasion of grace, healing, even conversion, for our new President-elect.”
The conversion comment raises an interesting point – anyone have any idea what church the President Elect will chose to attend in DC? I guess we don’t know much about his religious beliefs yet, but he seems to me a post-creed type – not necessarily wed to the Church of Christ he attended in Chicago for example. My guess is he would start attending Methodist services, maybe at Foundry United Methodist Church where President Clinton attended.
on November 12th, 2008 at 4:58 pm
He wasn’t a member of the Church of Christ, but, rather the UNITED Church of Christ.
There is a HUGE difference:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Churches_of_Christ
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Church_of_Christ
on November 12th, 2008 at 5:27 pm
Near the end of the original post by David Gibson above, he mentions “a nudge to the bishops meeting in Washington.” I thought they met in Baltimore. Is there a sequel so soon?
Thanks.
on November 12th, 2008 at 5:50 pm
Jimmy Mac: Interesting. Any buzz on if he is staying with the United Church of Christ or switching to something else? I believe President Clinton was (or is) a Southern Baptist but I know his church in DC was Methodist.
on November 13th, 2008 at 1:28 am
The protocol is that Pope congratulates President after Inauguration Day. Benedict’s eagerness to bless Barak is reassuring for those of us who were perturbed by his love-fest with Bush in Washington and Rome.
on November 13th, 2008 at 9:46 pm
The last time BO sought my advice on which church with which he should affiliate, when I suggested Catholicism, he hung up the phone.
on November 14th, 2008 at 9:48 am
“The last time BO sought my advice on which church with which he should affiliate, when I suggested Catholicism, he hung up the phone.”
No doubt because that call from the Holy Father was coming in!
on November 14th, 2008 at 3:10 pm
Jimmy Mac: Here are Amy Sullivan’s thoughts on the topic http://www.time.com/time/politics/article/0,8599,1859234,00.html?iid=tsmodule