Catholic World News News Feature

Mexico's President Calderon visits Pope June 04, 2007

Mexico’s President Felipe de Jesus Calderon Hinojosa met with Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican on June 4, for a brief conversation that covered topics ranging from the prospects for the G-8 meeting in Germany to the future of diplomatic ties between Mexico and the Holy See.

Calderon renewed an invitation for Pope Benedict to visit Mexico. The Vatican did not indicate the Pope’s response to that invitation.

A brief statement issued by the Vatican press office after the meeting said that the talks had been “cordial,” as the Pope spoke with President Calderon about Mexican problems including emigration, poverty, drug traffic, and the status of native Indian tribes.

The Pope also noted with satisfaction the improvement in relations between Church and state in Mexico during the past decade, the Vatican said. Pope Benedict said that he looked forward to still more improvement in the future.

The Vatican statement issued after the meeting made no direct reference to the Church-state tensions that have arisen in the Mexico City province with the legalization of abortion there. The Mexican hierarchy has warned that Catholic politicians who supported the bid to legalize abortion are excluded from Communion.

President Calderon, who is meeting with various European leaders in the days before the G-8 meeting, spoke with Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, the Vatican Secretary of State, after his visit with the Holy Father.