Secretary Rice and Catholic bishops…a cold relationship?
First there were the rumors that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was snubbed by the Vatican on account of her swift dismissal of the Vatican envoy sent by Pope John Paul II in 2003 to dissuade the Bush administration from waging an immoral war in Iraq. Now the Vice-President of the Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference, Archbishop Roberto Lückert of Coro, is accusing Rice of lying to the public over her relations with the Venezuelan bishops. According to the archbishop, Rice lied about having had meetings with the Venezuelan bishops who supported her criticisms of Venezuela President Hugo Chávez.
El Universal reports:
Monsignor Roberto Lückert, Archbishop of Coro, Falcón state, and vice-president of the Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference (CEV), Thursday claimed that the US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice lied when she said that there were meetings with Venezuelan bishops supporting her criticisms against President Hugo Chávez’ Government, Efe reported.
“This lady was way out of line when she said such things that are not true. This is a lie. I am the vice-president of the Venezuelan Bishops’ Conference and I have never felt that we have been invited or asked for a hearing with the board of directors of the CEV to say what this lady claims,” Monsignor Lückert said.
The prelate told local radio station Unión Radio that the CEV board of directors met recently, and “it has not talked about the fact that the US Ambassador to Venezuela (William Brownfield) or any other US official is concerned about us. I think this lady was very clumsy” to speak otherwise, Monsignor Lückert added.
On Wednesday, Rice claimed that the Venezuelan Catholic Church was “under fire” from President Chávez and that US officials have met with Venezuelan Catholic authorities.
Rice also said democracy is under attack in Venezuela. In this connection, Lückert stressed that Chávez is trying to impose in Venezuela a political system similar to that in place in Cuba, particularly in education.
“The concept of education being implemented is that of Cuba, which involves an outrage against the provisions set forth in the Constitution as to what education should be in a democratic country, namely a free and plural education,” Lückert claimed.
Lückert has engaged in verbal clashes with Chávez. The prelate has even said he fears reprisals because of his criticisms against “the savage state-centered rule they are trying to impose in this country.”
Lest Archbishop Lückert be perceived as defending the Chávez regime, it has been reported that the archbishop has launched much public criticism of Venezuela’s president in recent months, to which the latter has responded with: “Archbishop Lückert is going to be waiting for me in hell, he is not going to heaven. He is going to hell, I am sure that he will not go to heaven, I don’t think he will go.”
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This should be interesting to watch. Even though the good Bishop use of the words “this Lady” is annoying
I only wish the US bishops could speak so plainly, and restore the courage they had in the 1980s.
Even though the good Bishop use of the words “this Lady” is annoying
Why? Should he have said “her highness” or something?
I only wish the US bishops could speak so plainly, and restore the courage they had in the 1980s.
Amen to that.
You mean, like when they let all those abusive priests run around in the 80s?
“Why? Should he have said “her highness” or something?”
No Secretary Rice would be sufficent. I expect US officals to use the proper titles with Catholic officals too. Also this sounds very much like other remarks as to Rice that has a patrionizing and sexist tone. Just saying.
Just as a side note, the phrase “this lady” doesn’t have the same connotation that “esta señora” does in Spanish. And what Michael quoted was a translation.
I still believe the point is irrelevant though.
The dateline on the article: Caracas, Thursday February 08 , 2007
Rice’s misstatements came long before this failed attempt to meet with the pope.
Almost 8 months ago — that would probably explain why GoogleNews didn’t have any mention of the incident.
On Sep. 9 Pope Benedict said in a sermon in Vienna: ” Let us ask the Lord to grant to people in our own day the courage to leave everything behind and so to be available to everyone.”……apparently Rice is not part of everyone.
Incidentally, Vatican: Pope’s refusal to meet Rice should not be seen as snub Catholic News Service:
“The only reason she wasn’t received was that she came during a period when the pope doesn’t receive anyone. It was a purely technical question of protocol,” an informed Vatican source told Catholic News Service Sept. 20.
The source said it was “absolutely not” the Vatican’s intention to rebuff Rice or signal disagreement with U.S. policy on the Middle East.
Rice was about to travel to the Middle East for diplomatic talks in early August when the request for a papal meeting was made. The pope was vacationing at his summer residence in Castel Gandolfo, outside Rome.
Even as it declined the request, the source said, the Vatican made it clear that top officials of the Vatican’s Secretariat of State would be happy to meet with Rice at any time.
“So clearly there was no intent to send a negative signal,” the source said.
Rice instead ended up speaking by telephone with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, Vatican secretary of state, while he was visiting the United States in August.
Cardinal Bertone later praised Rice’s mediating attempts, saying, “I recognize the untiring efforts of the secretary of state in reconciliation among the governments of the Middle East.”
The source said it was “absolutely not” the Vatican’s intention to rebuff Rice or signal disagreement with U.S. policy on the Middle East.
And despite this episode with Rice, we all know that the Vatican does disagree with numerous important aspects of U.S. policy, not only in the Middle East, but in many parts of the world.