Here’s part two of my interview with Archbishop Pietro Sambi, the Vatican’s ambassador to the United States.

Q: How involved are you in preparing events for the papal visit?

A: Of course I am involved in preparation, at different levels. But the Vatican and the Archdiocese of Washington and the Archdiocese of New York (are the primary planners.) The occasion of the visit is to celebrate 200 years of the dioceses of New York, Philadelphia, Boston and Bardstown (Louisville) (all of which are now archdioceses), and the establishment of Baltimore as an archdiocese.

The pope, of course, comes also in fulfillment of the mission that the Lord has given to Peter, and this is (Sambi reads from the Gospel of Luke): “I have prayed for you Simon, that your faith may not fail, and when you have recovered, you in your turn might strengthen your brother.”

One of the tasks Jesus has given to Peter and to his successor is to confirm in faith his brothersâÂ?¦ We go back to the roots of the Catholic Church in the United States; spiritually, all the dioceses of the Catholic Church in the United States are participating in this preparation.

Q: I had read that your were quite involved particularly in Benedict’s visit to ground zero in New York?

A: He will go to pay a visit to ground zero because of the impact ground zero has on the psychology of the American citizens but also of the entire world.

Q: I imagine that many people have contacted you about getting an opportunity to visit personally with Pope Benedict, can you give me some idea of how many requests you’ve received?

A: I express my gratitude to all of the people who expressed a desire to meet personally the pope. They should understand, that this is physically not possible. But it will be special grace to participate through the Mass, through the Eucharist, to greet him in the streets of Washington or New York. And to be in communion of prayer with him and receive his blessing.

Q: So, how many people have asked you to meet with him?

A: I didn’t not count but there are a lot.

Q: I wanted also to ask about how you see your role in the church and in the United States. What’s your primary mission?

A: My first duty is to represent the Holy Father to the Catholic Church in the United States and to be an instrument of communion between the Holy Father and the church in the United States’I insist a lot on these two words: communion and unity, because they are fundamental. I have another aspect of my mission, which is to represent the Holy See to the political authorities, but even then not as a pure politician but always as a priest, as a bishop, in a pastoral sense.

Q: How often do you meet with members of the state department, or other U.S. government officials? And what kinds of things do you advocate for in those meetings?

A: Its extremely important to see each other, to exchange information, to exchange opinion in order to create understanding and to build cooperation. To fight poverty is a priority of the Holy See and is interest also of the United States. To calm a situation of war, to look for peace is a priority for the Holy See and is an interest for every head of state, government and people. To join energies for the respect of human rights, for freedom, for the respect of life, for the defense of the defenseless, is a sector in which we can find a possibility of collaboration.

I remember a phrase of Tagore, who won the Nobel prize for literature: “If there is a brother or sister without dignity, your dignity is not full.”

Q: Can you compare your duties as ambassador to the United States, versus your other posts, such as Israel?

A: I came to Washington from the Holy Land, and I’ve said that here in Washington, I am changing my glasses. In the Holy Land, everything is small and every small thing can become a big problem. In the United States, everything is huge, the country, the people, the possibility, the opportunity and the responsibility.

Q: I heard that you have stood outside the embassy here on Massachusetts Avenue and greeted marchers in the 9/11 Unity Walk for the last two years, something that your predecessor did not do. Why is that important to you?

A: One aspect of my job, it should not be forgotten, is ecumenical dialogue and inter-religious understanding. Don’t forget that I come after eight years in the Middle East, from Jerusalem, a holy city for the Christians, the Jews and the Muslims.

Because it is inter-religious march and it express what has been one of the great ideals of Pope John Paul II: Religions are and must be, instruments of peace-of peace between the individual conscience and God, peace between individuals, and peace between peoples. In the future, if religions will not set themselves as a valid instruments of peace they will be abandoned by the youth.

Part III to come.