Pope to Pelosi: Protect Life at All Stages

Benedict XVI has used the occasion of the meeting requested by Pelosi to remind her, and all politicians, of their primary responsibility -- to defend the lives of their citizens.

WASHINGTON (Inside Catholic) - Benedict XVI met only 15 minutes with Speaker Nancy Pelosi today in the Vatican. Photographers and reporters were not allowed in the room. The Vatican then released a text of the Pope's remarks to Pelosi, which were pointed on the subject of protecting unborn life.

Here is what the AP is reporting:

"VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Benedict XVI on Wednesday told U.S. Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi, a Catholic who supports abortion rights, that Catholic politicians have a duty to protect life "at all stages of its development," the Vatican said.
Pelosi is the first top Democrat to meet with Benedict since the election of Barack Obama, who won a majority of the Catholic vote despite differences with the Vatican on abortion.

The Vatican released remarks by the pope to Pelosi, saying Benedict spoke of the church's teaching "on the dignity of human life from conception to natural death." That is an expression often used by the pope when expressing opposition to abortion.

Benedict said all Catholics--especially legislators, jurists and political leaders--should work to create "a just system of laws capable of protecting human life at all stages of its development."

Pelosi could not immediately be reached after the 15-minute meeting, which was closed to reporters and photographers. The two met in a small room of a Vatican auditorium after the pope's weekly public audience.

A number of the bishops in the United States have questioned Pelosi's stance on abortion, particularly her theological defense of her support for abortion rights.

Benedict has cautiously welcomed the new Democratic administration, although several American cardinals have sharply criticized its support of abortion rights in a break from former President George W. Bush.

Pelosi had meetings with Italian leaders the past few days, including Premier Silvio Berlusconi."

Benedict XVI has used the occasion of the meeting requested by Pelosi to remind her, and all politicians, of their primary responsibility -- to defend the lives of their citizens.

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Deal W. Hudson is the director of InsideCatholic.com and the author of Onward, Christian Soldiers: The Growing Political Power of Catholics and Evangelicals in the United States (Simon and Schuster).

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