Pope refuses to meet Rice: report

[NNN0LHI]

http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5gWgvlVUto1qX73JYEsdQP4MO8zWA

Pope refuses to meet Rice: report

1 day ago

ROME (AFP) — Pope Benedict XVI refused to meet US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice in August, saying he was on holiday, an Italian newspaper reported Wednesday.

Rice "made it known to the Vatican that she absolutely had to meet the pope" to boost her diplomatic "credit" ahead of a trip to the Middle East, the Corriere della Sera daily reported without citing its sources.

She was hoping to meet the pontiff at his summer residence of Castel Gandolfo at the beginning of August, it said.

"'The pope is on holiday' was the official response," the paper said.

[dipsydoodle]

1. Just a polite way of saying

please just go away you dreadful woman.

[Richard Steele]

2. Well, finally this Pope does something I can applaud.

That response is diplomatic-speak for "Go fuck yourself". :applause:

[alphafemale]

3. She "demanded" to see the Pope? How diplomatic of her.

:banghead:

[patrice]

4. Is the Catholic Church waking up to how it is being used? nt

[themaguffin]

6. The Vatican was very clear in its opposition to W's war

[patrice]

8. I know that. But it had no affect on the kinds of things that were happening in

parishes in 2000 and 2004. Pseudo-Right-to-Lifers were running the show, not the pope. I know this from feedback I heard on phonebanks in both elections.

The Catholic Church was used and now you should hear the vicious gossip I hear about it from its phony Right to Life former allies.

[CTyankee]

5. This is how BAD it has gotten with our world reputation!

I think the Pope knows how angry the Italian people would be if he met with her. In all of my life I have NEVER heard of a Pope not seeing a high official of the United States. Or at least publicly saying it.

And to give vacay as an excuse is just more humiliating...

[chelsea0011]

7. Sorry, I'm to busy lounging in my hammock to see you. LOL