Obama and Pope Francis Meets Talks More about the Economy

The two leaders talk immigration, economic inequality and conflict around the world, sticking to topics where the two have common ground. President Obama declared he was "tremendously moved" by his first meeting with Pope Francis Thursday — and said he and the pontiff shared views on immigration, economic inequality and conflict around the world.
During their private talk in the Vatican's Papal Library, the President asked Francis to pray for him and make a visit to the United States.

The overriding theme of their conversation was a belief in the quality of empathy, Obama said. "It's the lack of empathy that makes it very easy for us to plunge into wars. It's the lack of empathy that allows us to ignore the homeless on the streets," the President said.
While Obama and the Pope found common ground in talking about peace and poverty, the President and the Catholic Church remained sharply divided on abortion and contraception.
Vatican officials in a statement emphasized the importance to the church of "rights to religious freedom, life and conscientious objection."
Church leaders object to a contraception mandate, currently under review by the Supreme Court, in Obama's Affordable Care Act.
"We actually didn't talk a whole lot about social schisms in my conversations with His Holiness," Obama said later.

The President said he and Pope Francis shared their concerns about inequality around the world.
"I think he is shining a spotlight on an area that's going to be of increasing concern, and that is reduced opportunities for more and more people, particularly young people — who, by the way, have more and more access to seeing what's out there and what's possible because they have access to the Internet or they have access to other media, and they see the inequality and they see themselves being locked out in ways that weren't true before."
Obama did touch upon religious freedom in a meeting with the Vatican's secretary of state, Cardinal Parolin, he said.
As Obama departed, he asked the Pope, "Please pray for me and my family."
His Vatican visit was the high point of his three-country trip to Europe, much of which was dominated by talk of Russia's power grab in Crimea.
During his final press conference Thursday in Rome with Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi, Obama said he would impose tougher sanctions on Russia if President Vladimir Putin's aggressions continued.
source nydailynews

For More Updates Add Up BBM:327B820D, FOLLOW ON TWITTER -----» @antwowfisher