Bush to make election-year visit to pope in June; top issue is Iraq

Published: 2004-05-10

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Pope John Paul II will meet with President George W. Bush in early June, and the top item on the agenda will be Iraq, sources in Rome said. The meeting June 4 was arranged after days of quiet talks involving Vatican officials and U.S. diplomats. The White House and the Vatican were expected to officially announce the encounter in mid-May. U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican Jim Nicholson told Catholic News Service May 9 that Bush had altered his schedule in order to make sure he didn't miss the pope, who is scheduled to travel to Switzerland June 5-6. Instead of arriving in Rome late on June 4, the president will "fly all night" and arrive in the morning, Nicholson said. The president and his aides are expected in the Vatican in late morning, where they will also meet with Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state.

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