Gabon Wonders After…· December 28, 2009

        Zenit reported on December 10, 2009 that Benedict XVI had given an audience to the president of Gabon, Ali Bongo Ondimba.

        A Vatican communiqué released after the meeting that the leader of the west central African country confirmed that the discussions were “cordial.” The two met privately for 20 minutes without interpreters, and spoke in French.

        The Vatican Communiqué said that “Pleasure was… expressed at the good relations that exist between the Holy See and Gabon, by virtue of the Framework-Agreement stipulated in 1997 and its developments.”

        “Attention also dwelt on the contribution Catholics make to the development of the country, and to the integral progress of the Gabonese people, particularly in the field of education.”

        The Gabonese president also met as usual with Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, and Archbishop Dominique Mamberti, secretary for relations with states.

        Important points concerning the papal audience include the fact that Gabon has an agreement with the Vatican for its interaction within the nation. This gives the church an agreement which the nation of Gabon probably has with no other church. This gives the Catholic Church rights and privileges that no other church has legally.

        Secondly, it should also be noted that the Gabonese president met with the Vatican secretary of state and the secretary for relations with states. No doubt this is where the real action happens. The papal audience is the time of warm open friendship, while the working session with the other leaders is where problems and difficulties are sorted out and where complaints are aired.

        For the president of any nation to have this kind of relationship with the Roman Catholic Church gives the church opportunity to work behind the scenes in any government or nation to its own advantage. Private meetings like this, provide opportunity to negotiate and also to place the leaders of the nations involved with aware of their concerns and put subtle, if not outright pressure to conform to church policy. Of course it varies from country to country as to what is accomplished, but the pressure is always on and eventually has the effect that the Vatican wants to achieve.

        Zenit News Article