This article from the American Spectator, written prior to the visit between President Bush and Pope Benedict at the Vatican on Friday the 13th, is a wonderful analysis of their growing relationship.
A provocative excerpt:
“Although Bush is not especially articulate, sometimes he finds poignancy in his lack of verbosity. He gave an interview to EWTN's Raymond Arroyo just prior to the Pope's visit. Arroyo referred to Bush's quip that when he looked into Vladimir Putin's eyes, he saw his soul, and asked what the President saw when he looked into Pope Benedict's eyes.
“Bush responded, simply, "God."
“WHAT DOES SUCH A striking statement say about the Bush and the Church? Some, like Daniel Burke of the Washington Post, believe that Bush's disposition towards the Pope indicates that he is likely to follow in the footsteps of another good friend, Tony Blair, and seek confirmation in the Catholic Church once his term is finished. His brother Jeb, the former Governor of Florida and a convert to Catholicism, has also modeled that path for him.”
An article from Catholic World News—after the meeting was held— and the photo of President Bush with Pope Benedict at the Vatican, and the accompanying article, from Reuters, describing the atmosphere surrounding it, certainly does conjure some interesting thoughts regarding the possibility of a post-presidency conversion.
And the Catholic News Agency, responding to a story in the Telegraph, follows up on the conversion concept with some more telling details, including this great quote from Catholic and former Senator Rick Santorum whose has called President Bush a Catholic President: “I don't think there's any question about it. He's certainly much more Catholic than Kennedy."
