VATICAN CITY (AP) _ President Barack Obama meets with Pope Benedict at the Vatican today.
The president will be accompanied by first lady Michelle Obama and their daughters.
Deputy National Security Adviser Denis McDonough says the visit has special meaning in a week when Obama has met with other world leaders. McDonough cites the church’s global influence and the president’s appreciation for Catholic social teachings on human dignity and alleviating poverty.
Pope Benedict called for economic reforms to benefit the world’s poor in an encyclical that was released on the eve of this week’s G-8 summit.
Obama and the pope also may discuss their common desire for Mideast peace and improved relations with the Muslim world.