Posted on 03/23/2012 11:21:56 AM PDT by Olog-hai
Pope Benedict said on Friday communism no longer works in Cuba and that the Roman Catholic Church was ready to help the island find new ways of moving forward without "trauma".
Speaking on the plane taking him from Rome for a trip to Mexico and Cuba, the pope told reporters: "Today it is evident that Marxist ideology in the way it was conceived no longer corresponds to reality."
Responding to a question about his visit to the island, a communist bastion 90 miles off the coast of the United States for more than 50 years, Benedict added: "In this way we can no longer respond and build a society. New models must be found with patience and in a constructive way."
Benedict offered the help of the Church in achieving a peaceful transition on the island saying the process required patience but also "much decisiveness."
"We want to help in a spirit of dialogue to avoid traumas and to help move forward a society which is fraternal and just, which is what we desire for the whole world," the pope added.
His comments drew a cautious response from Cuba's government.
"We will listen with all respect to his Holiness," said Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez, speaking at a press conference in Havana shortly after the Pope's comments.
"We respect all opinions. We consider useful the exchange of ideas," he added, noting however that "our people have deep convictions developed over our country's long history." …
(Excerpt) Read more at reuters.com ...
Uh, Ben... communism has NEVER worked ANYWHERE! How about a stronger statement against it?
If you read his exact words, that’s not what he said. He said “this way,” Communism, can continue “no longer,
not that it once worked but stopped working.
Typical poor writing from the gerbalist. They should all have to take their chances under Communism, imo.
Let's hope that he can free the Cuban people from the chains of the Castro rulers.
Works for me.. thanks!
The pope is being polite but direct.
This is a good thing.
Called the “theological Einstein of our times” Benedict speaks with unrivaled authority as Pope, Successor to St. Peter, Scholar, and theologian without parallel in modern times. His words will have a huge impact both in Cuba and Mexico. Like his predecessor John Paul II, you can count on Benedict being in indefatigable opponent of Marxism, Communism, and all atheistic beliefs and all forms of secular government that seek to isolate the spread religious belief and worship.
Did the fifty years of Cubans washing up in South Florida convince him?
I’m curious as to where Cuba will stand even six months from now; it will be harder for them to restrict thought than it is for Red China.
Unemployment does not work.
bump
Must have read about it in breaking news. ;’) Thanks Olog-hai.
Perhaps Cuba can follow Poland’s example and break the bonds of communism.
But Democrat Catholics can practice Communism in American and he is OK with that?
Apparently so.
I am so disgusted with the half hearted and no hearted attempts by the Catholic church's failure to declare good vs. evil and lies vs. the truth that I don't care what they say anymore.
Enjoy the next "Social Justice" homily when you all go to your local Catholic church, and watch all the donkey lever pullers in the pews smile. It happens Sunday after Sunday.
Guess you haven't been following the news much lately, especially his remarks to the American bishops in Rome a few weeks ago.
Disciplining Nazi Pelosi is not his responsibility; it's her bishop's responsibility. Please feel free to write Bishop Niederauer a letter advocating that invoke canon 915 against Pelosi.
Oh, and BTW, don't tar all Catholics with the same brush. One priest I know is a long-time Navy veteran and gives a homily that's been compared to a Ron Paul campaign commercial.
I am so tired of it.
"One priest I know"
Yup - we all have the same stories. We have to shine a light on the few good ones so the rest of the insects don't get upset. Why is that?
The Bible says God gives those who believe in Jesus Christ discernment. I wonder how many Catholics really care who Jesus Christ is. Here is a fact for you: 73% of Evangelicals voted against Obama, and 54% of Catholics voted for him.
Vatican to America: ‘Social Justice’ is About Relationships, Not Socialism {Catholic caucus}Reading before commenting is a good thing --> especially those who didn't even know that the Pope had criticized Islam in the Regensburg address and didn't even follow the news about the calls for his death by Moslems for this -- the excuse given I think was "how do you expect me to read all the news" -- but evidently reading is neglected...
Peter Cardinal Turkson, President of the Vatican’s Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace, has a message for Catholics in America, particularly those involved in social justice ministry, that could put a damper on the political machinations of the Shadow Party.
The message? “Social justice” is about “relationships,” not “socialism.” This clarification may very well be the catalyst to set the Catholic Church in America back on course with authentic Catholic teaching on hot-button issues involving massive government entitlement programs and other forms of overreach. If nothing else, it will almost certainly jump-start the “social justice” debate among Catholics. Cardinal Turkson, you see, is scheduled to deliver the plenary address at the 2011 Catholic Social Ministry Gathering in February.It would be useful if we just observed our sense of justice as our ability to fulfill the demands of the relationships in which we stand.Whether he intended to or not, Cardinal Turkson has now echoed what many conservative Catholics in America have been calling for repeatedly — subsidiarity in economic policy. More importantly, the Cardinal observes the heart of the matter in noting that a ‘handout’ and a ‘gift’ are not at all the same, with the latter being more in keeping with the Gospel message.
This is in contrast to socialism, he explained, which is an ideology in which private property and private interests are totally placed in the service of government policies. What the Pope proposes in ‘Caritas in Veritate,’ said Cardinal Turkson, is ‘achieving the common good without sacrificing personal, private interests, aspirations and desires.’
Cardinal Turkson said the Council was also surprised that the Pope’s concept of the ‘gift,’ was perceived in some circles as encouraging government welfare handouts. In ‘Caritas in Veritate,’ Pope Benedict described the concept of “gift” as a way to understand God’s love for men and women in his gift of life and his gift of Jesus.
One of the key principles of Catholic social thought is known as the principle of subsidiarity. This tenet holds that nothing should be done by a larger and more complex organization which can be done as well by a smaller and simpler organization. In other words, any activity which can be performed by a more decentralized entity should be. This principle is a bulwark of limited government and personal freedom. It conflicts with the passion for centralization and bureaucracy characteristic of the Welfare State.You may remember that Pope John Paul II worked closely with President Ronald Reagan and Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher to bring down communism in the Soviet Union and Marxist governments in Latin America. With the worldwide Left now in such kinship with Islam, and with no modern-day Reagan or Thatcher in sight, Pope Benedict XVI certainly has his work cut out for him. If they recognize that America has become polarized, perhaps America’s Catholic bishops will bite the bullet and commit themselves to following in the footsteps of the just-beatified Pope John Paul II…to morally undermine the Left as he morally undermined the Soviet Union.
It's soo easy to criticize and so difficult to actually do anything, right?
Perhaps whichever cult outside the Apostolic Church has the "rest" as insects, but for us we recognize the majority as being striving sinners and we don't condemn the masses for the sins of a few. We're Christians, Campion and I along with others who may be Catholic, Orthodox, Presbyterian, Lutheran, Anglican, Methodists,Pentecostal, Baptist etc. -- we recognise we're sinners....
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