LifeSite News, Calvin Freiburger: Pope Francis is refusing to meet with U.S. secretary of state Mike Pompeo during the latter’s visit to Rome this week, apparently over Pompeo’s criticism of the Vatican for renewing a controversial agreement with communist China.
Pompeo will be meeting with Vatican secretary of state Cardinal Pietro Parolin and foreign minister Archbishop Paul Gallagher, The Independent reports, but the Pope will not meet with him, citing the optics of a meeting so close to the U.S. presidential election.
However, speculation abounds that the real reason for the snub is Pompeo’s public criticism of the Vatican’s relationship with the authoritarian, anti-Christian Chinese government. Report is here.
