An Argentine cardinal is traveling to the Vatican for consultations about a Church-state crisis in that country. Cardinal Jorge Begoglio of Buenos Aires will speak with Vatican officials about the decision by Argentina's President Cristina Kirchner to cancel the traditional Te Deum service that has taken place on May 25, the national day of independence, each year since 1810.
In place of the Catholic service, Kirchner has called for a "multi-faith" religious observance, clearly designed to show her government's displeasure with the Catholic Church after a series of disagreements over moral issues.
The government was also reportedly determined to avoid giving Cardinal Bergoglio an opportunity to deliver another sermon criticizing its policies.
Tensions between the Argentine government and the Catholic Church flared in February, when the government named Alberto Iribarne, a Catholic who is divorced and remarried outside the Church-- as ambassador to the Holy See.
The Vatican refused to accept his diplomatic credentials.
On his trip to Rome to discuss the latest showdown, Cardinal Bergoglio will be accompanied by two vice-presidents of the nation's episcopal conference: Archbishops Luis Villalba of Tucumún and Agustín Radrizzani of Mercedes-Luján.
The apostolic nuncio in Buenos Aires, Archbishop Adriano Bernardini, is also traveling with the Jesuit cardinal. President Kirchner is scheduled to visit the Vatican in early June. +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
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