MOre On the Incredible Vatican Secretary of State

I find the Vatican Secretary of State ,Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, so so interesting. In the last Article I am highlighting from Whispers in the Loggia , be sure to check his site out, I wanted to point this one out Ratzinger's Revolutionary-in-Chief. I am quickly becoming a fan of this diplomat with no Vatican Diplomat training.

It is a good article and hits on again on the Cardinal's US trip this past summer where he wowed those in attendance. Sadly missed by the MSM.
As mentioned above, on his first US visit last year, Bertone served as papal legate to the 125th Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus.With an intended audience of the entire church in the United States, his keynote address to the Nashville gathering is arguably the most authoritative preview you'll find to April's papal visit, lest anyone hasn't yet read it.In a press conference during the trip, he also gave his blessing to the burgeoning community of the Nashville Dominicans, calling the "incredibly young" sisters "very beautiful and very intelligent," also hailing Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice's work for peace as being "accompanied by the angels."The "Vice-Pope" then lashed out at "the business created around" the sex abuse scandals, terming it "really unbearable" and praising the US church for "fac[ing] this trial with dignity and courage."

I have psoted parts of that very interesting Press Conference before. A few weeks before the Pope made a trip to South America. During tht trip if you recall the Pope supported Bishops on their position of denyiing communion to Mexican Pro-Choice politicians. Well of course some American Congress folks, all democrat, had to weigh in and started screaming Separation of Church and State. As expected they did not see the irony that they(the state) were telling the Church how to conduct its business with it own members.

The Cardinal took notice and in that Press Conference said:

In 2004 there was a great debate in the United States about those politicians who support abortion and whether they should be denied Communion. In the 2008 election we may also see Catholics running for office, including those who support abortion. Is this a debate beyond the United States and is this something where the Vatican may wish to issue guidelines to guide the bishops?
I don’t think that it is necessary to repeat new norms because the norms are well explained in the doctrine of the Church, and those norms which deal with the proper stance of individuals who want to receive Communion.I don’t understand how a person in public office or one engaged in political activity can be obliged to renounce his Catholic identity because the party, be it in the U.S. or in other countries, imposes an ethical choice on the basis of the party’s program.This, according to me, does not respect freedom of conscience. It even seems to me to be an oppression of conscience. Where is the freedom of conscience that is so proclaimed and defended in America?
I am speaking here about the question of abortion, about homosexual marriage, about embryonic research, all the points that were discussed so eloquently yesterday by the Supreme Knight, Mr. Anderson.

Good question!!!!