Pope Francis receives Bill Clinton and Alex Soros, son of George Soros

2023-07-06 15:04:00

July 6, 2023 / 8:04 a.m.

Pope Francis met with former US President Bill Clinton on Wednesday in a private audience at the papal residence of Casa Santa Marta. Clinton’s delegation included several American figures, including Alex Soros, son of George Soros and current president of the Open Society Foundations.

Clinton, who now focuses her efforts on philanthropy and public affairs, visited Albania on July 3-4 and received a medal of public appreciation from the country’s prime minister for her support of the nation and for the intervention of the Organization of the North Atlantic Treaty (NATO) in the Kosovo War, as reported by the news site Euractive.

Alex Soros accompanied Clinton both in Albania and in the Vatican. Soros is the new president of the Open Society Foundations, a philanthropic foundation started by his father.

Former President Bill Clinton was accompanied by a delegation that included his son-in-law Marc Mezvinsky; his Oxford roommate and former Assistant Secretary of State, Strobe Talbot; and Alex Soros, President of the Open Society Foundations. Credit: Vatican Dicastery for Communication.

The Pope gave Clinton a statue of a woman holding a dove. The Pontiff indicated that it represents “a work for peace.”

For her part, Clinton presented Pope Francis with “a small tray with the symbol of the United States,” according to a video posted on Twitter by Vatican News. Clinton’s office told CNA – EWTN News agency – that the gift was a porcelain tray personalized with the presidential seal. The former president also wrote a personal note to the Pontiff.

In a July 5 email, the Holy See Press Office described the meeting as a “private audience” with President Bill Clinton and his delegation. He provided photos but no other information.

Pope Francis met Wednesday with former US President Bill Clinton, along with a delegation, at the Pope’s residence at the Casa Santa Marta. pic.twitter.com/jMOSfP0RuN

— Vatican News (@VaticanNews) July 5, 2023

Clinton thanked Pope Francis for all he has done for the Church and the world, Clinton’s office told CNA.

After the meeting, Pope Francis greeted the delegation accompanying the former president of the United States. The group included Clinton’s son-in-law, Marc Mezvinsky, and his former Oxford roommate, Strobe Talbot, who served as assistant secretary of state in the Clinton administration. The current US ambassador to the Holy See, Joe Donnelly, was not present, Clinton’s office said.

CNA has sought comment from the Open Society Foundations, but has not received a response as of this writing.

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The Open Society Foundations and their allied groups have funded efforts to legalize abortion in Ireland, Poland, Mexico, and other traditionally Catholic countries. The Soros network has also funded campaigns to change the political priorities of American Catholics and passing strongly pro-abortion legislation, including a Michigan ballot initiative to declare the practice a constitutional right.

The Open Society Foundations donates more than $1.5 billion annually to various causes in the United States and around the world.

Alex Soros, 37, told the Wall Street Journal last month that he is “more political” than his father and that he plans to focus more on domestic issues in the United States. The right to vote and abortion are among the topics of interest to him.

Soros also heads a political action committee aligned with the Open Society Foundations called the Democracy PAC, which has about $125 million to spend on US domestic politics.

However, the Open Society Foundations announced on June 30 that it will lay off 40% of its roughly 800 employees worldwide as part of major changes to its operating model, according to CNN.

Translated and adapted by ACI Press. Originally posted on CNA.