WikiLeaks nets the Vatican
The cable relates a meeting between an official of the US embassy and Dr Paolo Conversi, an official at the Vatican's Secretariat of State who tells the diplomat that the Holy See would use its good offices to encourage other nations to "discreetly ... associate themselves with" the Copenhagen Accord on climate change. The cable notes the significance of this offer of lobbying assistance by the Vatican given the Holy See's previous reluctance "to appear to compromise its independence and moral authority by associating itself with particular lobbying efforts."
Dr Paolo Conversi made an appearance in the ´óÏó´«Ã½'s recent Our Man in the Vatican series. He is shown in the background of a meeting between the British Ambassador, , and officials from the Secretariat of State. The British press will take a particular interest in any cables from the UK's embassy to the Holy See which might give us more information about the planning of the Pope's recent visit to the UK. We'll also be looking for any commentary dealing with the leak of what has , which proved deeply embarrassing for the UK government in the lead-up to the papal visit.
Picture: Ambassador Francis Campbell is received by Pope Benedict XVI.
Comment number 1.
At 10th Dec 2010, Dave wrote:Is there not a conflict with the status of the church as a religion and charity and its involvement in political lobbying. ?
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Comment number 2.
At 10th Dec 2010, Heliopolitan wrote:Dave, Dave, Dave...
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Comment number 3.
At 11th Dec 2010, Ryan_ wrote:/news/uk-11974543
Why am I equally not surprised & disheartened by the fact the leaks
"reveal that the Vatican was angered by requests for its officials to testify about the clerical abuse of children in the Irish Republic"
and that "requests by the country's Murphy commission in 2009 "offended many in the Vatican". The Holy See refused to allow its officials to testify."
I really can't think of many Religious leaders more fit for Hell than Pope Benedict. Undoubtably that's where he's heading if it exists
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Comment number 4.
At 11th Dec 2010, Ryan_ wrote:This is an important dimension to the Vatican wikileak story
/news/uk-11974543
Can't say im at all surprised anymore- although it's disheartening to know "that the Vatican was angered by requests for its officials to testify about the clerical abuse of children in the Irish Republic"
and that..
"requests by the country's Murphy commission in 2009 "offended many in the Vatican". The Holy See refused to allow its officials to testify."
It goes to show you can't fuse Godliness to human nature if it's determined to run contrary to what's right. For some- once our needs to be fed and sheltered from the elements are met , there's a parasitical urge for power & the preservation of it that enables evil to lurk under even the finest of robes and the most sacred of organisations
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