Obama meets Pope
July 11, 2009
On his way to Ghana after the G-8 summit in Italy, President Barack Obama stopped off in Rome and met with Pope Benedict XVI in Vatican City.
The two men did not shy away from controversial topics such as abortion and stem cell research in a conversation that was described as frank and constructive.
"The pontiff told me that President Obama affirmed his personal commitment to try to reduce the number of abortions in the United States," said Vatican spokesman Federico Lombardi to reporters.
Obama urged the pope to continue to remind all parties in the Middle East of their responsibilities to the peace process.
The talks lasted 40 minutes and touched on Obama's efforts to reach out to the Muslim world as well as immigration reforms and bioethics issues.
Obama also delivered a letter to the pope from Senator Ted Kennedy whose brother John F. Kennedy was the first Roman Catholic president of the United States. The two men discussed the Senator's illness and Obama asked the pontiff to pray for Kennedy.
First Lady Michelle Obama, daughters Sasha and Malia as well as Obama's mother-in-law Marian Robinson joined the two men for the traditional exchange of gifts.
As the presidential couple left, the pope wished them well.
"I will pray for you. I will pray for your work," said the pontiff.
av/AP/Reuters/AFP
Editor: Ranjitha Balasubramanyam