Wetin dey happen? The Vatican and Pentagon don come out strong to deny one report wey dey yarn say meeting between US cardinal and Trump administration official for January turn to serious quarrel. The report from The Free Press talk say Cardinal Christophe Pierre wey be Vatican representative for US, dem summon am by White House after Pope Leo XIV talk something about war. But both sides say na lie.
Pentagon talk for social media late Thursday say Elbridge Colby, wey be undersecretary of defence for policy, and Cardinal Pierre get “respectful and reasonable discussion” for January 22. Dem call the report “grossly false and distorted.” Dem even add say dem get high regard for Holy See and welcome more dialogue. Na strong denial.
Vatican spokesperson Matteo Bruni talk for Italian statement say him don yarn with Pierre about the meeting. Him describe am as “exchange of views on matters of mutual interest.” Bruni hammer say: “The narrative offered by some media outlets regarding this meeting does not correspond at all to the truth.” So both sides dey align, say nothing bad happen.
US ambassador to Vatican, Brian Burch, even talk say him don yarn with Pierre on Thursday. Pierre tell am say media characterizations of the meeting na “fabrications” wey dem “just invented.” Pierre describe the Washington meeting as “frank and cordial.” Ambassador Burch share this for X.
Background matter: The Free Press report talk say dem summon Pierre over comments by Pope Leo XIV from January 9 address. For that speech, Pope Leo talk say “zeal for war dey spread” and principle wey prohibit nations from using force to violate others’ borders don “completely undermined.” The address come five days after US military operation wey lead to seizure of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro.
Cardinal Pierre, originally from France, resign last month after ten years as Vatican representative to US. Him no comment on the meeting with White House officials, but ambassador Burch don talk say him confirm say na fabrications.
Meanwhile, Pope Leo XIV don criticize current war for Iran. For Palm Sunday message, him talk say God “no dey listen to prayers of those wey dey wage war, but reject them.” This come after Trump talk say God approve of the war because “God dey good and God want make dem take care of people.” Pope Leo later talk say Trump threat say “entire civilization go die” if Iran no agree to ceasefire na “truly unacceptable.” But him praise ceasefire wey happen later.
Pope Leo XIV, born Robert Prevost for Chicago for 1955, but since late 1980s, him don dey stay for Rome or Peru for various church roles. Trump welcome Leo election after Pope Francis death for April 2025 as “great honour” for US, but no record say both men don yarn. Leo no schedule to visit US for first half of this year, and any trip before early November fit dey seen through political lens because of midterm elections.
Leo go leave on Monday for African trip wey go include 25 speeches over 10 days for Algeria, Cameroon, Angola and Equatorial Guinea. Since become Pope, Leo don previously visit Turkey, Lebanon and Monaco.
White Catholic support for Trump don drop small. Pew Research Center survey for January show say 46% of respondents wey identify as white Catholics talk say dem support “all or most” of Trump plans or policies, down five percentage points from last year. About one-fifth of Hispanic Catholics answer yes to same question.
Late last year, Leo support rare special message by US Conference of Catholic Bishops wey lament “climate of fear and anxiety around questions of profiling and immigration enforcement” as Trump administration ramp up deportation efforts. Leo talk say: “If people dey United States illegally, get ways to treat that. Get courts, get system of justice.”
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