(2 of 2)
The fact that the Pope's power lies in his role as a religious leader strengthens the Protestant complaint that constitutional separation of church and state would be violated by the recognition of the Holy See. Roman Catholicism would have a special status accorded no other religion. Another concern, raised by the Jesuit magazine America this week, is that a Vatican pro-nuncio to Washington and a U.S. Ambassador to the Vatican both might try to influence the political activities of the U.S. church. Says America: "There are some reasons for thinking that the move would be far more helpful to the State Department than to the Catholic Church in the United States."