Will President Michel plead on behalf of the Vatican?
It will be remembered that soon after the last Presidential Election President Michel made it a point to fly to Rome in order to be received and photographed with His Holiness Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican. This was of course a good political ploy to make the people of Seychelles believe that His Holiness was supportive of his politics. Not a poor political initiative considering that some 80% of the Seychellois have been baptized Roman Catholics. Sadly, the relationship between the Vatican and the People’s Republic of China is not a warm one at all. At the moment the Vatican still has a diplomatic relationship with Taiwan and has stated that she cannot entertain a diplomatic relationship with the People’s Republic of China so long as the supremacy of the Pope as Head of the Catholic Church is not accepted.
As a slap in the face of this present stand, Beijing recently proceeded to elevate some Catholic clergy men to the position of Bishops without the agreement of the Pope who is insisting that the privilege of appointing Bishops should be that of the Church and not the State. At this time, it is wondered whether President Michel has any opinion on this matter and whether he is so much committed to the pursuit of materialistic progress that he has no time for the spiritual.
