Pope Francis Uses Easter Address To Denounce 'Greed Looking For Easy Gain'

Guardian (U.K.) ^ | March 31, 2013 | John Hooper

[Steelfish]

Pope Francis Uses Easter Address To Denounce 'Greed Looking For Easy Gain' Pope appears to put uncaring capitalism on a par with the armed conflicts traditionally deplored in the annual Urbi et Orbi address

John Hooper in Rome The Guardian, 31 March 2013

Pope Francis gave an unexpected twist to the annual pontifical appeal for peace on Sunday when he used it to denounce "greed looking for easy gain".

In his Urbi et Orbi address, which translates as "to the city [of Rome] and to the world", the pope – who has sought to make himself the tribune of the poor, disabled and disadvantaged – appeared to put uncaring capitalism in the same category as the armed conflicts his predecessors have traditionally, and forlornly, deplored on Easter Day.

Since being elected on 13 March, Francis has repeatedly stressed concern for the poor and others on the margins of society, and he returned to what is clearly emerging as the central theme of his papacy on Sunday. He said he wanted his Easter message of hope and resurrection "to go out to every house and every family, especially where the suffering is greatest, in hospitals [and] in prisons".

Last week, the pope visited a youth detention centre in Rome where he washed the feet of 12 inmates as part of the traditional rite representing Jesus's final act of humility to his disciples.

Francis's denunciation of greed came after he moved among the crowd in St Peter's Square in the popemobile. He kissed babies and children, held a severely disabled young man in his arms and accepted the gift of a football shirt of his favourite team, Argentina's San Lorenzo "Saints". His longest stop was for a disabled child who was lifted into the popemobile and whom he hugged and kissed repeatedly.

[Maceman]

Milton Friedman talks to Phil Donauhue about "greed."

[Cowboy Bob]

He should at least call out the Democrats by name! :)

[ArrogantBustard]

The world is bigger than America, and political thugs greedily looking to use their respective governments for easy gain are ubiquitous.

Their name is Legion, for they are many.

[fifedom]

Here is the relevant part of what the Pope actually said unfiltered by the leftist media:

Peace in the whole world, still divided by greed looking for easy gain, wounded by the selfishness which threatens human life and the family, selfishness that continues in human trafficking, the most extensive form of slavery in this twenty-first century; human trafficking is the most extensive form of slavery in this twenty-first century! Peace to the whole world, torn apart by violence linked to drug trafficking and by the iniquitous exploitation of natural resources! Peace to this our Earth! Made the risen Jesus bring comfort to the victims of natural disasters and make us responsible guardians of creation.

From: http://tinyurl.com/c3qutvk

Seems to me he is speaking out against human and drug trafficking, not against capitalism as the communists at the Guardian claim.

Don't know what he means by "iniquitous exploitation of resources", though.

The Guardian singles out a small part of the homily when most of it was about the basic Easter joy that Christ is risen

[Jeff Chandler]

The world is bigger than America

That is true. We tend to think that we are the center of the universe.

Unfortunately, prominent American Catholics such as Biden, Pelosi, the Kennedys, et al. love to take statements such as this and place them over liberal agendas. This sort of statement lends itself well to the furtherance of American socialism.

[LastNorwegian]

It would be nice if he would take a firm stand against the jihad and other persecution of Christians the world over instead. But I guess he is a shepherd for all humanity rather than his actual flock.

[Wonder Warthog]

"Don't know what he means by "iniquitous exploitation of resources", though."

Well, if he goes according to the evidence, he won't be talking about capitalism. THE most "iniquitous exploitation of resources" has demonstrably occurred in the "most socialist" regimes. As have the highest citizen enslavement and murder.

"Human trafficking" is certainly bad, but can't hold even a tiny candle against the socialist death camps. whether they be Dachau, the Soviet Gulag (or the Chinese equivalent), or Pol Pot's, Castro's, or Chavez's "re-education" vacation spots.

[Steelfish]

I think the reference to the world “torn apart by violence” captures all that and more. He was a witness to the Argentinian junta.

[Wonder Warthog]

"I think the reference to the world “torn apart by violence” captures all that and more. He was a witness to the Argentinian junta."

I certainly hope that is true. Seems like a lot of priests, bishops, and cardinals are brainwashed against capitalism and in favor of socialism, especially the "Euro-socialist" flavor, despite the Church's official affirmation of property rights.