Vatican backs up Pentagon on tone of Colby meeting

The Vatican backed up the Pentagon in pushing back against news reports claiming a meeting earlier this year between the Holy See’s then-envoy to the U.S. and a top Pentagon official turned heated, resulting in threats made against the Catholic Church. 

The Pentagon’s policy office chief, Elbridge Colby, huddled with Cardinal Christophe Pierre, the Vatican’s former diplomat to the U.S., at the Pentagon on Jan. 22. The Free Press reported on Monday that during the meeting, Colby warned that the U.S. military has the “power to do whatever it wants — and that the church had better take its side,” a characterization that has been denied by the Defense Department.

Now, the Vatican is taking the Pentagon’s side, saying Friday that the meeting was part of “Pontifical Representative’s regular duties and provided an opportunity for an exchange of views on matters of mutual interest.” 

“The account offered by certain media outlets regarding this meeting does not correspond to the truth in any way,” said Matteo Bruni, the director of the Holy See Press Office. 

The Free Press also reported, citing unnamed sources, that a U.S. official raised the threat of the Avignon Papacy, referring to a nearly 70-year period from 1309-76 when........

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