Cardinal Pietro Parolin responds to questions on U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio's visit to the Vatican, dialogue with U.S. President Donald Trump, and on German Bishops.
Salvatore Cernuzio – Vatican City
“Do you rely more on Rubio or on Trump?” “Me? I do not rely on anyone. I rely only on Our Lord Jesus Christ.”
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, Secretary of State, made that reply with a smile to journalists who posed the question outside the Patristic Institute Augustinianum in Rome on Wednesday evening.
They were asking again about the attacks on Pope Leo by the President of the United States, Donald Trump. “To attack him in this way or to reproach what he does seems a bit strange to me," Parolin said.
President Trump’s remarks come just days before the Vatican audience of U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, scheduled for tomorrow, and come after Leo XIV himself already responded last night in Castel Gandolfo.
“The Pope is the Pope”
While Cardinal Parolin is at the Augustinianum to present the book, published by the Vatican Publishing House, “Robert Francis Prevost. Free Under Grace,” he first paused to answer journalists’ questions, particularly regarding Trump’s statement that the Pope would accept that Iran could possess nuclear weapons, thus putting “in danger” thousands of Catholics.
Cardinal Parolin responds with the same words used by Leo outside Villa Barberini: “One must speak in truth.”
The Vatican Secretary of State first clarified the Holy See's position which was misrepresented, stating the U.S. President's assertion about the Holy See's stance on nuclear arms was not correct.
“Certainly," he reflected, "it is not a correct statement, in the sense that the Holy See has always worked, continues to work precisely on nuclear disarmament… it has spoken and has promoted this agreement that touches on the legitimacy of the possession of nuclear weapons.”
Therefore, he reiterated the Holy See has a “very clear” position on the matter.
The Cardinal did not enter into the merits of the repeated attacks by the President, which began on 13 April, the day of Pope Leo’s departure for Africa.
“I would not like to enter into judgments, into personal evaluations on this matter," Cardinal Parolin said, noting, "I believe that the Pope does what he must do: the Pope is the Pope.”
The meeting with Rubio
As for the Pope’s audience with Marco Rubio, who will then also meet with the Secretary of State, the Cardinal explains that first of all “we will listen to him, the initiative came from them.”
Then, he noted, “we will speak about everything that has happened in these days. We could not fail to touch on these topics.”
More generally, as always in meetings with political figures, “themes of international politics and above all conflicts” will be addressed, issues such as Latin America and probably also the question of Cuba. In short, the Cardinal explained, “all those that are the most pressing issues.”
Cardinal Parolin suggested there will be no further proposals from the Holy See on resolving the conflict in Iran, beyond those that “have always been there,” namely that "of dialogue."
“These conflicts," he continued, "cannot be resolved by force, but must be addressed and resolved through negotiation. Let it be a negotiation of good will, sincere, so that all parties can express their point of view and find points of convergence.”
The United States remain an interlocutor
The United States, Cardinal Parolin acknowledged, nevertheless remain an interlocutor.
He said, “How can one do without the United States? One cannot do without the United States. Despite some difficulties occurring, they certainly remain an interlocutor for the Holy See. Also, because they have a role in almost all the situations we are experiencing today.”
The Cardinal went on to show openness to possible “developments” in relations with the U.S. administration.
The Secretary of State emphasized that "it is premature now” to say whether there will be a phone call between the Pope and Trump.
“The Holy Father," he said, "is open to all options, he has never held back in the face of anyone. Therefore, if there were an offer or a request for a direct dialogue with President Trump, I imagine that he would have no difficulty in accepting it.”
Dialogue with the German bishops
The Vatican Secretary of State also responded to a question regarding German Bishops.
“It is premature,” the Cardinal also noted on this point, to foresee an intervention by the Holy See regarding the German Bishops on the question of blessings for same-sex couples.
At this moment, he said, there is “dialogue”: “Let us see what happens.”
The decision, Cardinal Parolin reiterated, belongs to the Pope.
“But in any case," he said, we have already for some time begun a dialogue, on this point expressing each our own points of view.”
Finally, the Secretary of State observed it could be possible “to find a composition” that gathers the different opinions also on the theme of synodality, that is, “that any decision must be in agreement with Canon Law, with the Second Vatican Council, with the tradition of the Church.”
Cardinal Parolin concluded expressing that the hope is “never to have to reach sanctions, that problems may be resolved in a peaceful manner, as should be the case in the Church.”
