Pope Chastises Bush over
Death Penalty,
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Richard Owen / The Times of London 24jul01
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The pontiff met Mr Bush at his summer residence at Castelgandolfo, in the Alban hills south of Rome. He bluntly delivered the kind of message on the crisis of values in Western society which the more moderate anti-globalisation protesters would have liked to convey to Mr Bush had they been able to penetrate the “red zone” around the G8 summit venue.
Mr Bush, with his wife, Laura, and his daughter, Barbara, sat straight-backed with his hands in his lap, a little like a schoolboy in the presence of a stern master. He and his family, who are Methodists, all wore black, in accordance with Vatican protocol, with the women covering their hair in lace mantillas.
The Pope told Mr Bush that America had a moral responsibility to reject actions that devalued and violated human life. He said that leaders must not succumb to the current “tragic coarsening of consciences” and “acquiesce in evils such as euthanasia, infanticide and — most recently — proposals for the creation for research purposes of human embryos, which were destined for destruction in the process”. Mr Bush is under pressure to allow federal funding for embryonic stem cell research. He has, however, moved to bar American funding of international family planning groups that advocate abortion.
Britain has approved stem cell research on the ground that it could help to cure disease, including Parkinson’s, from which the Pope suffers. The Vatican says that research on embryos is morally unacceptable and could be the thin end of the wedge leading to human cloning.
The Pope’s condemnation of the “evils” of stem cell research has raised the political stakes for Mr Bush. Allowing the funding to continue is likely to alienate America’s 44 million Roman Catholic voters. But if Mr Bush blocks funding or sharply restricts it, he will face criticism from political moderates, the scientific community and disease sufferers.
Mr Bush said that the stem cell issue was not a matter of politics. “I frankly do not care what the political polls say,” Mr Bush said. “I do care about the opinions of people, particularly someone as profound as the Holy Father.”
On the death penalty, the Pope said America should “reject practices that devalue and violate human life”. During Mr Bush’s six years as Governor of Texas he authorised 152 executions. Since his election as President there have been two federal executions after a gap of four decades.
Mr Bush praised the Pope as an opponent of tyranny: “You have urged men and women of goodwill to take to their knees before God and stand unafraid before tyrants.” Mr Bush avoided any mention of the G8 summit but the Pope referred to “the greatly accelerated process of globalisation which you and other leaders of the industrialised nations discussed in Genoa” and hoped “all those who hold human rights dear . . . will struggle for a world of justice and social solidarity”.
PUBLIC SPEECH
Excerpted from Reuters article by Philip Pullella 23jul01
http://news.excite.com/news/r/010723/12/news-pope-bush-dc
The Pope saved his thunder for his public speech.
In a talk woven around the theme of respect for life, the Pope made a clear reference to stem-cell research, a topic in the forefront of the conservative president's mind as he deliberates whether to permit federal funding for such work.
He spoke of "evils such as euthanasia, infanticide and, most recently, proposals for the creation for research purposes of human embryos, destined to destruction in the process."
The Catholic Church condemns stem-cell research using embryos because they are destroyed in the process but does not oppose other forms of stem-cell research where cells are taken from body tissues and life is not threatened.
The Pope's specific words on stem-cell research concerning embryos appear to leave maneuvering room for Bush as he ponders what kind of stem-cell research to approve for federal funding.
Bush later told a news conference he would keep the Pope's words in mind when thinking about his decision.
"I do care about the opinion of people, particularly someone as profound as the Holy Father," he said.
"I'll take that point of view into consideration as I make up my mind on a very difficult issue confronting the United States of America. It's the need to balance value and respect for life with the promise of science and the hope of saving life," he said.
Advocates believe research with embryonic stem cells, the early master cells formed soon after a human egg is fertilized, could lead to medical advances.
The aging Pontiff also spoke out, albeit indirectly, against the death penalty, which Bush supports.
"A free and virtuous society, which America aspires to be, must reject practices that devalue and violate human life at any stage from conception until natural death," he said.
During Bush's six years as Texas governor, the state carried out 152 executions, the highest rate in the United States. Under his presidency, U.S. federal authorities resumed executions after 38-years. Two men have been put to death.
POPE WARNS OF DOWNSIDE OF GLOBALISATION
Saying "a global world is essentially a world of solidarity," the Pope decried that many do not reap globalization's benefits.
"The Church cannot but express profound concern that our world continues to be divided, no longer by the former political and military blocks, but by a tragic fault line between those who can benefit from these opportunities and those who seem cut off from them," he said.
He also repeated calls for industrialized countries to share technology with poorer countries, to respect the environment, to cancel or significantly reduce developing country debt and to be open to immigrants.
In his speech, Bush avoided controversy, praising the Polish Pope for his role in defense of human rights and referring to his role in the fall of communism in Eastern Europe.
"You have urged men and women of goodwill to take to their knees before God and to stand, unafraid, before tyrants...this has added greatly to the momentum of freedom in our time," Bush said
After the private talks, Bush's wife Laura and daughter Barbara, both clad in black and wearing mantillas for the occasion, were called in and shown the view from the papal balcony, overlooking Lake Albano, an extinct volcano.
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