The head Ambassador from the Vatican to the US Pietro Sambi has passed away. This is worth more than a passing reference because this really was a great and humble man. I had the honor of shaking his hand at the Vatican Embassy during a "Unity Walk" one year and saw him at a number of other Masses that he concelebrated here in DC.
Prior to being the head US Vatican diplomat he was stationed in Israel as the Nuncio there and assisted Pope John Paul II in his life long mission to restore Jewish-Catholic relations by arranging JPIIs visit to Vad Yashem and places of holocaust significance.
Pietro Sambi will be famously remembered for making the declarative definitive statement that it should no longer be considered proper to convert Jews- (they are the original people of the covenant, Jesus is/was Jewish and God keeps all his promises.)
At the US a guy stationed outside the Vatican embassy reminded him of the sexual abuse scandal daily with a hand made sign declaring his brokenness to all driving by on Massachusetts Avenue. When Pope Benedict visited the US Pietro Sambi made a point to schedule meetings in Boston and DC with abuse victims and policy changes resulted.
Pietro Sambi was a soft spoken man
with an elegant italian accent. When he shook your hand he smiled with a "I know who you are" deep look in the eye.
Peace be upon his Soul.
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