Not on the radar: No one at Vatican asks about Bush, Kerry

Published: 2004-09-03

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- With a tight race for the White House under way, U.S. bishops visiting the Vatican found it a bit strange than no one asked them for their opinions on who the next president will be. "It's just not on their radar," said Bishop John B. McCormack of Manchester, N.H., Sept. 2, the last day of the Republican National Convention in New York. "I'm really surprised no one is asking," said Ukrainian Bishop Basil H. Losten of Stamford, Conn. Bishop Robert E. Mulvee of Providence, R.I., said not only was he not asked about the election, but during his 10-day stay in Rome he did not bother to turn on CNN, even though it is available at the Vatican's St. Martha guesthouse, where the bishops stayed. While the presidential race did not come up with Vatican officials, the bishops from Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island and Connecticut did talk about it among themselves, Bishop Losten said. He declined, however, to share the conversations.

Copyright (c) 2004 Catholic News Service /U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. The CNS news report may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or otherwise distributed, including but not limited to such means as framing or any other digital copying or distribution method, in whole or in part without the prior written authority of Catholic News Service .