During Pope Benedict's meeting with President Obama today, gifts were exchanged and a copy of the Vatican document "Dignitas Personae" (On The Dignity of the Person) was given to the President:
Not only did Benedict press his pro-life case with his words to the president, but he even found a way to make the point with his gift, offering the president a copy of a recent Vatican document on bioethics. (NCR)
This Vatican document details the Church's stance on abortion, stem-cell research and other life issues. The Pope used this opportunity to hopefully encourage President Obama to follow through with his claim to want to "reduce the number of abortions." However, it appears that Obama was not immediately changed by the visit as Deputy National Security Adviser Denis McDonough detailed how:
When asked if the meeting is likely to change Obama's opinions on issues like abortion, McDonough responded: "The president, as he said in Notre Dame, has thought long and hard about these issues and he has his views on it. ... At the end of the day, it may just be that there's issues that they can't come to agreement on, but I think he believes that you can... disagree without being disagreeable." (ABC)
In summary, Let us pray that Obama's stance on abortion will be affected by this visit with the Holy Father so that many millions of lives can be saved.
