Bush expected to meet formally with pope in early June, says Vatican

Published: 2007-04-16

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- U.S. President George W. Bush is expected to have his first formal audience with Pope Benedict XVI in early June, the Vatican spokesman said. Jesuit Father Federico Lombardi said April 14 that Bush is expected to visit the Vatican June 9 or 10 after participating in the summit of leaders of the Group of Eight industrialized countries in Germany. Bush made his last visit to the Vatican for the April 8, 2005, funeral of Pope John Paul II. Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, the future Pope Benedict, celebrated the funeral Mass. The president had met Pope John Paul three times. The president's brother, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, led the U.S. delegation to Pope Benedict's inaugural Mass. Also April 14, Father Lombardi told reporters that former Iranian President Mohammad Khatami would visit Pope Benedict at the Vatican May 4.

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