Posted on 05/06/2003 4:49:45 PM PDT by Dqban22
JOHN PAUL II’S DOUBLE MORAL STANDARDS
By Jesús J. Chao*
Columnist
La Nueva Cuba Mayo 6, 2003
On April 1, 1987, John Paul II called, properly so, the Chilean government a dictatorship.
General Augusto Pinochet, came to power by a military coup supported by the Armed Forces and most of the Chilean people ending Salvador Allende’s attempt to establish a Cuban communist satellite on the tip of South America.
Nevertheless, the Pinochet government did not persecute the Church and allowed it to fulfill its evangelical and missionary role. Later on, Pinochet restored democracy in free and honest elections.
As we can see in the followings articles, John Paul II did not mince words in order to attack the Chilean government and call things by its proper name.
On the other hand, John Paul II uses the most delicate words to refer to Fidel Castro and his brutal totalitarian dictatorship. His Holiness does not loose any opportunity to reiterate his high esteem for the Cuban dictator: “I take advantage of this circumstance, Mr. President, to renew my sentiments of highest and distinguished consideration.”
For John Paul II, Pinochet is a dictator, but Fidel Castro is Mr. President. The fact that Castro has established for over 44 years a Stalinist totalitarian regime that persecuted the Church, confiscated all of the Catholic schools and 90% of the religious convents and all Catholic lay institutions, expelled into exile hundreds of priest and religious, and forced 20% of the population out of country in their quest for freedom, murdered ten of thousands and imprisoned hundred of thousands of Cubans for demanding respect for the same human rights and return to democracy that John Paul demanded publicly in Chile, has not diminished the Pope’s “sentiments of highest and distinguished consideration.”
John Paul II has never referred to Castro as a dictator.
On April 10, 2003, the Catholic Information Agency published a document signed by 23 Cuban exiled priests and religious, among them, Auxiliary Bishop of Miami, Agustín Román, and father Alberto Cutié, director of Radio Paz in Miami, stating that “it is complicity to keep silence in front of the Cuban suffering.”
On the following day, April 11, three black Cubans were summarily sentenced and put to death by firing squads for the high crime of trying to flee the Cuban Paradise, while 75 dissidents were condemned to 1,500 years of imprisonment in subhuman conditions for demanding respect for the human and civil rights guaranteed by the United nations Declaration of Human Rights.
The Pope could not keep silent any longer in front of that document and the rage that spread throughout the world, including the condemnation of the Castro regime by long time friends and supporters from the extreme left, including European Communists.
But, in dealing with Pinochet, the Pope used strong and public condemnations, in Castro’s case, the of 4/13/2003 was a secret letter, that more than a condemnation for the brutal violations of human rights, was rather a letter of apology for being forced by the world opinion to say something, no matter how inane the letter might be. The Pope not even condemned the murder of the three blacks, even though the news had spread around the world and the Pope knew it.
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“EL NUEVO DIA” April 1, 1987 Montevideo, Uruguay.
THE POPE CALLS THE CHILEAN GOVERNMENT DICTATORSHIP By: Paula Buturni. United Press International Montevideo.-
The military government of Chile was called a dictatorship by John Paul II and exhorted the Chilean Catholics to work for the return of democracy to their country as the Philippines did the past year. The Pope, during his first day of the two week journey to Uruguay, Chile and Argentina, he didn’t even wait to arrive South America to start talking of the political problems of Chile and expressed a strong defense of the growing militancy in favor of the Catholic Church on the humane rights area.
(…) During the 13 1/2 hour trip from Italy to Uruguay, John Paul II told the press: “I think, that is not only possible, but necessary” that the Church in Chile fulfill its mission as it has done by the Church in Philippines where it played a crucial role in the pacific overthrow of Ferdinand Marcos in February, 1986. “This is part of the pastoral mission of the Church,” said John Paul II in one of his most prolonged and explicit conversations about the Church and its role in secular politics. “The right of men, that is the justice which is part of our mission.” “Some, want to separate the Church from that mission” added, pointing to Chile and Latin America as the only source for those feelings. There are some that would like to tell us “remain in the sacristy, and do anything else. They say that that is politics, but, it is not politics,” argued the Pope, adding that if the Church would limit itself to theological matters all its mission would be dead.
(…) But, the Pope added, “not all the human rights problems concern to the evangelical message.” “If democracy means human rights, it also concerns to the Church’s message.”
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The Pope in Chile: Giving a Boost to Human Rights. by Jack Wintz, O.F.M.
April 1987 John Paul II's visit to Chile April 1-6, 1987, had a broader purpose, of course, than to tackle human rights issues. But already on the flight to South America, on March 31 he asserted that working for justice and human rights was an essential part of the Church's mission. He rejected the position of political figures like [President Augusto] Pinochet who tell bishops that they should spend all their time praying, and stay out of politics. When he preached to the Chilean bishops two days later, he told them: "Never hesitate to defend always, before all, the legitimate rights of the person, created in the image and likeness of God.. Proclaim your preferential love for the poor...." He defended the Church's right "to pass moral judgment even in political matters" and expressed hope the country would soon become more democratic. The Catholic Church, as a key defender of human rights, together with the opposition parties and others working for the return to democracy, found themselves affirmed by the pope’s visit. In his speech to the bishops, the pope shared his hope that “in the near future” it would be “possible for each citizen to have a full and responsible role in the making of important decisions that touch on the life of the entire nation.” With statements like these, along with other symbolic gestures, Pope John Paul II was opening doors toward greater democracy and the end of military rule.
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4/28/2003
Pope's Letter to Fidel Castro Expresses "Profound Distress" Over Conviction of Cuban Dissidents.
VATICAN CITY, APRIL 28, 2003 (Zenit.org) .- When John Paul II heard about the recent sentences levied against Cuban dissidents, including three death sentences, he requested Cardinal Angelo Sodano, Vatican secretary of state, to express "his profound distress" in a letter to Fidel Castro. Here is a translation of the letter. * * *
Vatican, April 13, 2003 Palm Sunday Distinguished Mr. President: As Holy Easter draws near, I am pleased, in the first place, to express my best wishes to you and to the whole Cuban Nation.
In addition, I fulfill the important duty of communicating to you that the Holy Father has felt profoundly afflicted upon learning the severe sentences imposed recently on numerous Cuban citizens and, also, for some sentences of capital punishment.
Given these facts, His Holiness has asked me to request Your Excellency to give consideration to a significant gesture of clemency toward those condemned, with the certainty that such an act would contribute to create a climate of greater relaxation for the benefit of the beloved Cuban people.
I am sure that you also share with me the conviction that only a sincere and constructive confrontation between citizens and civil Authorities can guarantee the development of a modern and democratic State in an ever more united and fraternal Cuba. I take advantage of this circumstance, Mr. President, to renew my sentiments of highest and distinguished consideration.
Cardinal Angelo Sodano Secretary of State
Yes, he was---how does that change anything about the validity of viewpoint of the article. Pinochet overthrew Allende and established a non-communist dictatorship. Castro overthrew Batista and established a communist dictatorship. They are both still dictators.
I wasn't aware that JPII had NOT denounced Cuba (I assumed that he had done so long ago). I guess I gave him too much credit for his resistance to Communism in Poland.
Sure, he was elected by 36% of the vote. He then proceeded to defy both the Legislature and Supreme Court. The military coup which deposed him had wide and deep popular support.
That's dopey. Exceptionally so.
However, the Pope beats up on leaders who he knows won't persecute Catholics. Like Pinochet. Like Bush.
The Pope wants to "work" with Castro.
The Pope never uttered one word of condemnation of Hussein.
Yet, he allows his minions to call the war to liberate Iraq a "crime against humanity."
This is a puzzlement.
This is evil.
I see statements like this all the time, but I have yet to see any evidence of his "resistance to Communism in Poland." I am ready to be corrected if anyone has any evidence. He was a symbolic hero to the Polish people after he was elected pope. But are there any examples of concrete steps he took against Communism either before or after he was elected pope? Any statements even that were unequivocal?
BlackElk, I'm pinging you because if anyone would have the evidence, you would. I am hoping that there is some basis to this claim.
36% of the vote could get you elected in the US. What % would it take before you wouldn't support a military coup of an elected president?
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