Obama to meet the pope while in Italy for G-8

(June 25, 2009) Pope Benedict XVI and President Barack Obama will meet on July 10, a much-anticipated Vatican audience with a president under attack by some American bishops for his support of abortion rights. Vatican spokesman and Director of Vatican Radio Father Federico Lombardi said Wednesday June 24^th the Vatican had informed the White House that Pope Benedict is available to meet the president that afternoon. White House spokesman Robert Gibbs confirmed the meeting and told reporters in Washington that Michelle Obama would accompany the president at the Vatican audience. The meeting will be at the end of Obama's stay in Italy for a G-8 summit meeting in the earthquake-stricken city of L'Aquila and just before he leaves for Ghana. Such meetings in the afternoon are unusual for the tradition-conscious Vatican _ most are held at midday. The Vatican clearly sought to accommodate Obama's busy schedule, a sign of Pope Benedict's interest in meeting the American president. The Vatican has been openly interested in Obama's views, despite his support for abortion rights and embryonic stem-cell research, although some American Catholic bishops have been hostile to his administration. Pope Benedict broke Vatican protocol the day after Obama was elected, sending a personal note of congratulations rather than waiting to send an official telegram on inauguration day. Pope Benedict had a warm relationship with Obama's predecessor, George W. Bush, an abortion opponent, although the Vatican was opposed to the Iraq war.