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Sen. Mike Lee, Dirk Kempthorne, Joel Osteen meet with Pope Francis ... http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765654548/Sen-Mike-Lee-Dirk-...
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Summary
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, was part of
a small group that met privately
with Pope Francis at the Vatican
today. The two conversed in
Spanish, which is the pontiff's
mother tongue, about the need for
faith in Jesus Christ and to build
families.
This story is part of the
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with American families.
There was a very
good spirit with
him. I enjoyed the
interaction. He's a
very humble man.
Sen. Mike Lee
View 4 photos
Sen. Mike Lee, R-Utah, left, shakes
hands with Pope Francis during a
meeting with the pontiff on
Thursday, June 5, 2014, at the
Vatican. Lee was part of a
delegation of political and religious
leaders from the United States. In
the middle is U.S. Senator Dirk
Kempthorne, R-Idaho.
Sharon Lee
WASHINGTON A small group of political and
religious leaders from the United States, including Sen.
Mike Lee of Utah, met privately with Pope Francis at the
Vatican today.
Part of a multiday, unofficial visit to Italy to promote
ecumenical prayer and interfaith understanding, Lee
was joined in the private audience by former U.S.
Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne; Lakewood Church
pastor and televangelist Joel Osteen; Tim Timmons, a
pastor and author based in Newport Beach, California;
and Gayle D. Beebe, president of Westmont College, an
evangelical school in Santa Barbara, California.
Lee said The International Foundation, a private
nonprofit, arranged the trip.
The Utah Republican conversed with the Pope in
Spanish, which is the pontiff's mother tongue, about the
need for faith in Jesus Christ and to build families. Lee,
who served a two-year mission for The Church of Jesus
Christ of Latter-day Saints in the Rio Grande Valley of
Texas, speaks fluent Spanish.
"I was told it would not only be the proper protocol, but
also appreciated if I were to address him in Spanish,"
Lee said in a telephone interview from Rome. "The
invitation to meet came from Pope Francis' desire to
invite more people to come unto Jesus Christ," he
added.
Lee said Francis asked his guests to pray that more
people would serve and protect the family.
Ecumenical outreach
According to a Westmont College statement, the pontiff
"invited the Protestant leaders to discuss the question:
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Sen. Mike Lee, Dirk Kempthorne, Joel Osteen
meet with Pope Francis at Vatican
Print Font [+] [-] 6 Comments By Mark A. Kellner, Deseret News National Edition
Published: Thursday, June 5 2014 12:00 a.m. MDT
Updated: 18 hours ago

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NATIONAL
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Sen. Mike Lee, Dirk Kempthorne, Joel Osteen meet with Pope Francis ... http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765654548/Sen-Mike-Lee-Dirk-...
2 of 3 06/06/2014 18:38
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DeseretNews
NATIONAL
EDITION
Sen. Mike Lee, Dirk Kempthorne, Joel Osteen meet with Pope Francis ... http://www.deseretnews.com/article/765654548/Sen-Mike-Lee-Dirk-...
3 of 3 06/06/2014 18:38