Obama makes diplomatic choice for Vatican post
Questions of identity are front and center in this Sunday’s gospel as Jesus first asks his disciples, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” and then, even closer to home, “but who do you say that I am?” Months of speculation on whom President Obama would pick as the new U.S. ambassador to the Vatican ended last Friday . . .
Questions of identity are front and center in this Sunday’s gospel as Jesus first asks his disciples, “Who do the crowds say that I am?” and then, even closer to home, “but who do you say that I am?” Months of speculation on whom President Obama would pick as the new U.S. ambassador to the Vatican ended last Friday with the nomination of Ken Hackett, former head of Catholic Relief Services.
It’s a savvy move, commentators agree, picking as America’s representative to a pope who has made helping the poor a priority for his pontificate a Catholic whose career in the church has been dedicated to alleviating suffering.
Hackett served on the Board of Directors of George W. Bush’s Millennium Challenge Corporation for five years, and he has ties across administrations. He is reported to be close to Denis McDonough, Obama’s chief of staff, whose brother is a Catholic priest. He represents a choice acceptable to people across the political and religious spectrum.
“Filling the slot tends to be a special headache for Democratic presidents because they have to find somebody who can pass muster both with their party and with the Vatican,” said John Allen, Vatican reporter for the National Catholic Reporter. “The custom that it has to be a Catholic complicates things further, because it’s not just a candidate’s policy positions that might cause problems, but his or her internal standing in the church.”
Homily hint: Our answer to the ongoing question posed by Jesus, “Who do you say I am?” may change throughout our lives. Invite people to reflect on the answer they would have given at the following ages: 10, 20, 30, and so on. What have we learned about Jesus as we have come to know ourselves better?
It’s a savvy move, commentators agree, picking as America’s representative to a pope who has made helping the poor a priority for his pontificate a Catholic whose career in the church has been dedicated to alleviating suffering.
Hackett served on the Board of Directors of George W. Bush’s Millennium Challenge Corporation for five years, and he has ties across administrations. He is reported to be close to Denis McDonough, Obama’s chief of staff, whose brother is a Catholic priest. He represents a choice acceptable to people across the political and religious spectrum.
“Filling the slot tends to be a special headache for Democratic presidents because they have to find somebody who can pass muster both with their party and with the Vatican,” said John Allen, Vatican reporter for the National Catholic Reporter. “The custom that it has to be a Catholic complicates things further, because it’s not just a candidate’s policy positions that might cause problems, but his or her internal standing in the church.”
Homily hint: Our answer to the ongoing question posed by Jesus, “Who do you say I am?” may change throughout our lives. Invite people to reflect on the answer they would have given at the following ages: 10, 20, 30, and so on. What have we learned about Jesus as we have come to know ourselves better?
Source: An article by David Gibson for Religion News Service