Pope, Spanish prime minister discuss tensions, papal trips

(June 11, 2010) Pope Benedict XVI received Spanish prime minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero in the Vatican on Thursday, and the two discussed "the current economic-financial crisis and the role of ethics," as well the situations in Central America and the Middle East. Despite his government's serious differences with the Catholic Church over abortion and other issues, Zapatero pledged his government's full support for the Pope’s visits to Spain in November and again in 2011. A Vatican statement said that questions of concern for the Church in Spain included "the eventual presentation of a new law on religious freedom, the sacredness of human life from the moment of conception and the importance of education." Zapatero's government has drafted a religious freedom law that would strengthen the secular character of the state, including by removing religious symbols from government-run buildings. Apparently, however, no action on the law is expected until after Pope Benedict visits the country in November. The pope is scheduled to visit Santiago de Compostela and Barcelona Nov. 6-7 and return to Spain in August 2011 for the celebration of World Youth Day. After meeting the Pope privately for 30 minutes, Zapatero and his foreign minister Miguel Ángel Moratinos met Vatican Secretary of State Vatican Secretary of State, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone and Vatican Secretary for Relations with states, Archbishop Dominique Mamberti.