Cardinal Bertone spoke to media about the Knights of Columbus and issues involving the Catholic Church in the U.S.
NASHVILLE, Tenn., Aug. 12 LAWFUEL – The Legal Newswire — Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone held a news conference with reporters covering the 125th anniversary convention of the Knights of Columbus in
Nashville, Tennessee on August 8. He discussed a wide variety of issues,
including his views of the Knights of Columbus and the health of the
Catholic Church in the United States, which he was visiting for the first
time as Secretary of State. The news conference transcript, as well as the text of his homily at the opening Mass on August 7, and the text of his speech at a special dinner in his honor on Wednesday evening, August 8 are all available at http://www.kofc.org .
Speaking at the news conference, Cardinal Bertone told reporters: “I
have to speak about the vitality and the lively spirit of the people here, especially the Knights of Columbus, present not only in the United States but in other countries as well. I recognize in them a strong identification with the Catholic Church.”
Among the issues addressed by Cardinal Bertone for the media were:
1. The Catholic Church in the United States
2. The discussions between himself and Secretary of State Rice on the
Mid-East and the possibility of the Pope’s visit to the United States
next year.
3. The situation in Iraq
4. The Catholic Church and China
5. Father Michael McGivney, founder of the Knights of Columbus
6. Catholic Youth
7. The role of the media in spreading the Gospel message
8. Catholic politicians who support abortion
9. Clerical Sex Abuse
10. Cardinal Bertone’s report to Pope Benedict XVI concerning his visit to
the United States
A complete transcript of the Cardinal’s news conference remarks is
available at http://www.kofc.org/bertone
As the highest ranking Vatican official after the pope, Cardinal
Bertone has responsibility for overseeing many of the Vatican’s internal
and external affairs. He has served in that position since being appointed by Pope Benedict XVI in 2006. Prior to his role as Secretary of State, Cardinal Bertone served as Secretary for the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith, where he worked closely with then Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger.
In 2003, he was installed as Archbishop of Genoa and was made a cardinal
the same year.
Cardinal Bertone was in the United States to attend the 125th annual
Supreme Convention of the Knights of Columbus. He served as principal
celebrant and homilist for the convention’s opening Mass on Tuesday, Aug.
7, and brought a special message from Pope Benedict XVI read during the
opening session of the convention Tuesday afternoon.
The Cardinal was also presented with the Knights of Columbus’s highest honor, the Gaudium et Spes (Joy and Hope) award at a dinner August 7.
On August 8, Cardinal Bertone addressed the cardinals and bishops
attending the convention, as well as the Knights of Columbus board of
directors.
Founded in New Haven, Conn. in 1882, the Knights of Columbus is the
world’s largest lay Catholic organization, with 1.7 million members in the United States, Canada, the Philippines, Mexico, Central America, and
Poland.
