Obama Meets with Pope

Reuters: Obama at Vatican for first meeting with pope, by Jeff Mason:

VATICAN CITY (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama arrived at the Vatican on Friday for his first meeting with Pope Benedict and what the White House says will be frank discussions on issues they agree and disagree on....

Unlike his predecessor George Bush, Obama and the pope do not see eye-to-eye on abortion rights and embryonic stem cell research....

Less than two months after his inauguration, Obama lifted restrictions of federal funding for human embryonic stem cell research, which the Vatican opposes because it destroys embryos.

U.S. Catholic bishops criticized Obama for lifting the ban and later many of the bishops denounced Notre Dame University, a leading American Catholic institution, for giving Obama an honorary degree.