France's First Lady Offers Unkind Words Regarding the Pope

Carla Bruni criticized the Pope's message of contraception in Africa and told the Church it should evolve.

WASHINGTON (Catholic Online) - Carla Bruni-Sarkozy, the first lady of France, had harsh words to say regarding Pope Benedict XVI, particular with respect to his comments on contraception in Africa.

The Italian-born wife of French President Nicolas Sarkozy, whom she married in February, 2008, made her comments in Femme Actuelle, a women's magazine.

"I find that the controversy coming from the Pope's message - albeit distorted by the media - is very damaging," Bruni said.

"In Africa it's often Church people who look after sick people. It's astonishing to see the difference between the theory and the reality."

Bruni was not only unhappy with the Pontiff's words and position regarding contraception, but also had direction she wanted to give to the Church about the topic.

"I think the Church should evolve on this issue," she stated. "It presents the condom as a contraceptive which, incidentally, it forbids, although it is the only existing protection."

Bruni and her husband have both declared they are Catholics.

Such comments from the wife of a French President have been received with some shock in the country. It has not been customary for someone in her position to comment on religious issues, particularly with the country being predominantly Catholic. In directly attacking the Pope and saying that the Church should evolve, she may have put her husband in an awkward position.

The interview had some commentators concerned about her perspective that the Church made her feel "secular."

"With the Church serving as the Christ's presence on Earth," one commented, "the teachings put forth may make a member feel secular when that person is at odds with the Faith which was delivered to the Saints. This may actually be the Holy Spirit's conviction at work."

The reason for her candor in the article may come, in part, due to the strong reaction among French Catholics with regard to the message on contraception by the Holy Father. Bruni-Sarkozy may feel she is sending a message to sympathetic ears.

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Randy Sly is the Associate Editor of Catholic Online. He is a former Archbishop of the Charismatic Episcopal church who laid aside that ministry to enter into the full communion of the Catholic Church.

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