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Thursday 18 February 2016

Pope intercedes in U.S. Presidential election - a shameful and disgraceful utterance!

Phil Pullella, Reuters: Today, you spoke very eloquently about the problems of immigration. On the other side of the border, there is a very tough electoral battle. One of the candidates for the White House, Republican Donald Trump, in an interview recently said that you are a political man and he even said that you are a pawn, an instrument of the Mexican government for migration politics. Trump said that if he’s elected, he wants to build 2,500 kilometers of wall along the border. He wants to deport 11 million illegal immigrants, separating families, etcetera. I would like to ask you, what do you think of these accusations against you and if a North American Catholic can vote for a person like this? 
Pope Francis: Thank God he said I was a politician because Aristotle defined the human person as 'animal politicus.' At least I am a human person. As to whether I am a pawn, well, maybe, I don't know. I'll leave that up to your judgment and that of the people. And then, a person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. This is not in the Gospel. As far as what you said about whether I would advise to vote or not to vote, I am not going to get involved in that. I say only that this man is not Christian if he has said things like that. We must see if he said things in that way and in this I give the benefit of the doubt.

Jorge Bergoglio has disgraced himself, he has disgraced the Papacy. By his comments today, he has interfered directly in the election of the President of the United States of America.

Donald Trump
It has become common place to dread every flight back from a papal visit wondering what would come from the mouth of the Bishop of Rome. We were again disappointed that our concerns would come to fruition.
Nations have the right and the responsibility to secure their borders. Nations have a right to defend themselves. A wall on America's southern border is decades overdue. His reference to Donald Trump as not being "Christian" cannot be supported. Any defense that he was speaking in some general term and not specific simply cannot be believed. It is simply not possible to accept that he did not know of Mr. Trump's proposal or that the question would have referred to that proposal. 

The reporter set him up. The Pope fell for it and not "if" is good enough. The Pope must have known that the reporter was speaking specifically about Mr.Trump, it could have been no other way. 
Bill Donahue, on Fox commenting on the exact quote read to him said that the Pope, "qualified" his remark. The whole quote makes it even more obvious that the Pope would have no doubt as to the political implications of his statement as it referred to the "wall" and whether "Catholics could vote" for someone who would build a wall.

Donald Trump is a Presbyterian Christian Protestant. We must assume he has been baptised. Thus, he is a Christian. He may be in a schismatic and heretical denomination; he may be a vulgar sinner, none of that means that he is not a Christian, just that he is a flawed human being as we all are.
Baptised Catholic Raul Castro and Pope Bergoglio

It is not anti-Christian to hold the defense of a nation as paramount, in fact, it is a Christian duty!

All or most of the candidates for the Republican nomination want to build a wall. It is clear that the questioner was referring to Donald Trump and is most known for the position.

Where is Jorge Bergoglio's condemnation of our radical abortion, euthanasia supporting, Catholic Prime Minister who worshipped in a Mosque?
Where is Jorge Bergoglio's condemnation of those such as Raul and Fidel Castro for the murders, tortures and imprisonments of thousands of Cubans?

"Christian" Hussein Obama with Pope Bergolio
Where is the condemnation by Jorge Bergoglio for Barack Hussein Obama who has advocated radical policies murdering children in the womb?

Where is the condemnation of Hussein Obama as not being a Christian for failing to come to the immediate aid of those in Mosul and elsewhere in Iraq and Syria being slaughtered for all to see?

Yet, he was asked a not dissimilar manner of question about the situation in Italy, yet; he clearly understood the need to steer clear of Italian politics, why not the same understanding for American politics? 


Carlo Marroni, Il Sole 24 (Italy): Holy Father, my question is about the family, a subject which you addressed often during this trip. The Italian parliament is discussing a law on civil unions, a subject that is provoking strong political clashes but also a strong debate in society and among Catholics. In particular, I would like to know your thoughts on the subject of adoption by civil unions and therefore on the rights of children and of sons and daughters in general. 
Pope Francis: First of all, I don’t know how things stand in the thinking of the Italian parliament. The Pope doesn’t get mixed up in Italian politics. At the first meeting I had with the (Italian) bishops in May 2013, one of the three things I said was: with the Italian government you’re on your own. Because the pope is for everybody and he can’t insert himself in the specific internal politics of a country. This is not the role of the pope, right? And what I think is what the Church thinks and has said so often – because this is not the first country to have this experience, there are so many – I think what the Church has always said about this.


The full text of the plane ride interview can be read at Catholic World Report. The Pope says some good things and worthwhile things in his own odd way and much of it is rambling. He praises Cardinal Ratzinger's work to root out the pervert priests, he condemns bishops who cover them up. He call abortion "evil" and then he steps on the landmine of agreeing with some sort of contraception for a virus to prevent a disease that is not scientifically determined to be caused by it.

These interviews must stop!

As for the primary news item from this post, it will launch him to victory on Saturday. This Catholic apologises to Mr. Trump and wonders, who is Francis to judge? 

17 comments:

Anonymous said...

I just read the entire airplane interview. Very sad that these reckless insults of the pope to Trump (his potential political equal as Head of State) detract from some beautiful things the pope said!

Such as about Benedict (fierce fighter of child abuse), excellent clarity on abortion (a human, not only a religious, wrong), and also of adultery (which question should have had the reporter thrown out the window).

Bergoglio is a double-edged sword that cuts excessively sharp in any direction, and the directions are unpredictable.

TheGoat said...

Really, who is he to judge?

Kathleen1031 said...

Despite whatever spin anybody may want to put on this, and there is plenty of spin to go around, one need only really contend with the reality that he has no such harsh words for American democrats such as Obama, who had the most aggressively pro-abortion record in his petite four months as a senator. He voted to deny simple humanitarian care to a baby born alive after an abortion. So afraid was he such a child might live, he voted against it.
And for this man, the pope had nothing to say about his "Christianity".

Unknown said...

Nauseating verbosity, it is a penance to read that rambling script.

BillyHW said...

Lest you think the pope is being misinterpreted, go check out the twitter feed of his official English spokesperson.

raphaelheals said...

How was it so easy to comment on American politics and yet when thousands upon thousands were in the streets of Italy defending their faith against legalizing gay marriage, what did those faithful Catholics hear?...........Crickets.

Anonymous said...

A Shameful visit to Mexico. Going crazy in front of people for being selfish? Then
calling Trump not a Christian. What about the islamic Obama? Shameful and embarassing to all Catholics. Walls? What about the walls around the Vatican? No matter, the Holy Church has endured such people before.. but we never leave Our Faith.

Michael Dowd said...

This has set-up written all over it. My guess is that one of the Pope's confidants, a Hillary or Jeb Bush supporter, got together with Paul Pullela to ask the Pope this question. It sounds fake on it's face. But Trump knows how to use such underhanded tactics to his advantage.

Pope Francis said...

I just checked Father Tom Rosica's Twitter page. As of now just a few seconds ago, he promoted nine stories about Pope Francis' latest in-flight press conference. Five stories in question promote the notion that Pope Francis supports the use of contraceptives. Four stories promote the notion that Pope Francis declared that Donald Trump is not a question.

Why didn't Father Rosica mention that during the Pope's press conference, His Holiness issued a devastating condemnation of abortion? Why didn't Father Rosica promote the fact that Pope Francis praised to the hilt Cardinal Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI's tremendous work to confront the sex-abuse crisis within the Church?

Why didn't Father Rosica emphasize that during the Pope's press conference, Pope Francis declared that the integration of divorced and remarried Catholics into the Church "doesn’t mean receiving communion"?

Instead, via Father Rosica's Twitter account, one would believe that the only things discussed during the Pope's press conference were contraception and Donald Trump. One would also believe, via the headlines on Father Rosica's Twitter page that Pope Francis supports contraception and believes that Donald Trump is not a Christian.

It is bad enough that the secular news reporters distort the image of Pope Francis. But sadly, such is the case even certain members of the Church's press corps.

Examples from Father Rosica's Twitter page:

-- Using birth control to avoid Zika infection a ‘lesser evil’: Pope Francis

-- Is Pope Francis Opening the Door to Contraception Amid Zika Crisis?
NBC Nightly News

-- Pope Francis Suggests Donald Trump Is ‘Not Christian’

Pax.

Mark Thomas

Mark Thomas said...

In fairness to Pope Francis, His Holiness did not state that Donald Trump is not a Christian. Pope Francis did not say any such thing. The news media have distorted Pope Francis' statement in question. Donald Trump last night on CNN declared that the news media distorted Pope Francis' words.

Yesterday afternoon, countless news media outlets claimed that Pope Francis declared that Donald Trump wasn't a Christian. Donald Trump responded harshly to that which he believed Pope Francis has said in regard to Trump's status as a Christian.

However, last night on CNN, Donald Trump softened his tone in regard to Pope Francis. Donald Trump had done so as he declared that the news media had distorted initially Pope Francis' remarks in question.

Donald Trump last night on CNN blamed the news media for having distorted Pope Francis' remarks about him (Trump). Donald Trump declared that Pope Francis' remarks were "nicer" and "softer" than the news media had reported.

Once again, the news media lied about Pope Francis.

Nevertheless, the Pope's press conference is a disaster as the damage has been done. The news media have tricked millions of people into believing that Pope Francis denounced Donald Trump as a fake Christian. But far more damaging than that is the manner in which the secular news media have distorted Pope Francis' comments on contraception.

The pattern is the same in regard to Pope Francis and the news media. Pope Francis clearly says "X"...but the news media lie as they claim that Pope Francis said "Y".

Time and again the Papal press conferences have ended in disasters for Holy Mother Church and Pope Francis. That is why Pope Francis must give serious consideration to ending Papal press conferences. At the very least, he must consider finding a different way to convey his thoughts to the public.

Many news media outlets are filled with people who clearly despise Jesus Christ and His True Church. That is what Pope Francis deals with in regard to the news media. Therefore, as long as he continues his press conference, the news media will continue to distort the Pope's image and statements.

What a disaster!

Pax.

Mark Thomas

Mark said...

Correction: "Four stories promote the notion that Pope Francis declared that Donald Trump is not a question." I should have written that "...Pope Francis declared that Donald Trump is not a Christian."

The last time that I checked, Donald Trump is definitely not a question. I am certain that he isn't a question. But to millions of American voters, he is the...answer.

Pax.

Mark Thomas

Mark Thomas said...

Vox-permitting, if I may follow up on a previous comment...

As I noted, Donald Trump blamed the news media last night for having distorted Pope Francis' comments about Mr. Trump. News media ranks are filled with people who despise Jesus Christ and His True Church. The news media have many times misrepresented Pope Francis. That is understandable as the news media are keen to mislead Catholics and non-Catholics in regard to the Church and Pope.

But what accounts for the misrepresentation of Pope Francis via the Catholic news media? Why, for example, via Twitter, has Father Rosica, in his reports on the Pope's latest press conference, focused upon just two issues? That is, Father Rosica's headlines point to Pope's Francis' supposed denunciation of Donald Trump's status as a Christian and remarks related to contraception.

It is unbelievable that Father Rosica would promote the notions that Pope Francis supports contraception and denounces Donald Trump's status as a Christian. That is what the hateful (of the Church) secular news media have done. Why would Father Rosica follow suit in sensationalizing the Pope's press conference?

I ask again why, for example, has not Father Rosica not promoted Pope Francis' devastating condemnation of abortion? Pope Francis denounced abortion as "evil" and a "crime". That puts to rest once and for all the false claim that Pope Francis is soft on abortion. Father Rosica has the golden opportunity to promote that fact.

Fsther Rosica could promote the praise that Pope Francis heaped upon Pope Benedict XVI for his (Pope Benedict XVI) having combatted the priest sex abuse crisis that has plagued the Church. The secular news media would have us believe that Cardinal Ratzinger/Pope Benedict XVI aided and abetted priests who had abused children sexually. Pope Francis made it clear that the opposite is true.

That is a major story that Father Rosica should and must promote. Pope Francis responded to the vicious lies that Pope Benedict XVI was soft on the child abuse scandals.

Pope Francis declared that permitting divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Holy Communion is not the way to integrate them into the Church. That is major news. But Father Rosica has refused to promote that story.

Again, it's bad enough that the secular news media are determined to distort Pope Francis' statements and image. But it is appalling that the same thing applies to certain segments of the Catholic news media.

Pax.

Mark Thomas

TLM said...

As 'Fr. Z' points out......'it's only an airplane flight that we are not obliged to even listen to' BUT..........HOW MANY SOULS ARE PUT IN DANGER OF TAKING HIS 'OFF THE CUFF' COMMENTS SERIOUSLY????!!!! Fr. Z evidently does not see the danger to souls or damage to the Church with all these ridiculous 'air plane interviews'.

Mark Thomas said...

I am sorry to say that Father John Zuhlsdorf plays that game...calm down, little people, calm down...following Pope Francis' disastrous dealings with the news media.

By the way, sorry, but I refuse to refer to a Catholic priest as "Z" or Father "Z". That is too theatrical and attention-calling for my tastes. Should Father Zuhlsdorf wish to promote his "Father Z" image, well, that's his decision. But I don't believe that such is proper to the dignity of the Catholic priesthood.

Father Zuhlsdorf said yesterday..."Next, and this is important, I remind everyone that the Roman Pontiff doesn’t teach doctrine on faith and morals through off-hand comments to journalists ON AN AIRPLANE RIDE! So, relax about the contraception comment. It was meaningless."

That is a bizarre and preposterous statement. Massive chaos and damage has followed in the wake of the Pope's latest press conference. Rome is already in damage control as Father Lombardi has attempted to "clarify" the Pope's remarks from said press conference.

Unlike Father Zuhlsdorf, the Holy See is well aware that the Pope's "off-hand comments to journalists ON AN AIRPLANE RIDE!" are far from "meaningless". Yeah...that's why Rome is, once again, in damage control mode.

I am not certain as to why Father Zuhlsdorf plays that condescending "calm down, it's meaningless" game with his readers. But many of his readers follow him in lockstep. That is their choice.

Anyway, the Holy See knows better than Father Zuhlsdorf. The Holy See has just issued several lengthy "clarifications" on numerous statements, including the contraception remark, that Pope Francis uttered during his press conference in question.

Father Zuhlsdorf claim that the Papal press conference was a meaningless yawner has just been refuted by the Holy See. Father Zuhsldorf was way off the mark in his comments about the press conference. It is incredible that he failed to have grasped the fact that immense damage flowed from the press conference.

Regardless, Rome understands the situation better than Father Zuhlsdorf and has just attempted to stem the damage in question. Let us hope that Rome succeeds in that.

Pax.

Mark Thomas

Osusanna said...

I'll bet $$$ that my pewsitter neighbor will be saying the Pope now approves contraception. CBS actually broke into a radio program with a special report, like aliens had just landed or something, to say the Pope called Trump unChristian. The media loves to use him.

Dorota said...

@ Mark Thomas
Expect to hear from some hot-shot lawyers of RawZika's.

Dorota said...

@ Kathleen1031

Senator Obama's consistent voting record against any aid to aborted babies born alive should have been enough to prevent him from winning the presidency. Forget the birth certificate and the anti-constitution executive orders of this "constitutional lawyer".

Beyond any doubt he has proven himself a monster with his votes to leave alive babies to die. How is it worse than Nazi experiments on human beings?

A pope, if he were only a decent human being, not to mention Vicar of Christ, should have never met with him, yet he shook his hand and cooperated in working out a way to peace and unity with ungodly communist Cuba. I can imagine that Bergoglio might have wanted to meet him to reproach him, but we know this is not what happened.