Pope accused of encouraging illegal immigration

The Telegraph ^ | 7-10-2013

[markomalley]

During his visit on Monday, Francis called for greater compassion for the tens of thousands of migrants from Africa and the Middle East who each year make the hazardous crossing from Tunisia and Libya to the remote island, Italy's southernmost territory.

He said the migrants were "brothers and sisters of ours trying to escape difficult situations to find some serenity and peace."

He prayed for the thousands of migrants who have drowned in the Mediterranean during boat sinkings – "they were looking for a better place for themselves and their families, but instead they found death," he said.

While his remarks, made at an open air Mass near the island's main harbour, were praised by humanitarian organisations, they were sharply criticised by members of Silvio Berlusconi's PDL party and by the anti-immigration Northern League.

"I'd be happy if one of the boats sank," said Erminio Boso, a hard-line member of the Northern League.

[markomalley]

The full text of his homily is here.

The only thing he mentioned about illegal aliens was here:

Immigrants who died at sea, from that boat that, instead of being a way of hope was a way of death. This is the headline in the papers! When, a few weeks ago, I heard the news – which unfortunately has been repeated so many time – the thought always returns as a thorn in the heart that brings suffering. And then I felt that I ought to come here today to pray, to make a gesture of closeness, but also to reawaken our consciences so that what happened would not be repeated. Not repeated, please! But first I want to say a word of sincere gratitude and encouragement to you, the residents of Lampedusa and Linosa, to the associations, to the volunteers and to the security forces that have shown and continue to show attention to persons on their voyage toward something better. You are a small group, but you offer an example of solidarity! Thank you! Thanks also to Archbishop Francesco Montenegro for his help and his work, and for his pastoral closeness. I warmly greet the Mayor, Mrs Giusy Nicolini. Thank you so much for all you have done, and for all you do. I give a thought, too, to the dear Muslim immigrants that are beginning the fast of Ramadan, with best wishes for abundant spiritual fruits. The Church is near to you in the search for a more dignified life for yourselves and for your families. I say to you “O’ scia’!” [trans.: a friendly greeting in the local dialect].

The remainder of his homily talked about people being indifferent one to another.

[Mamzelle]

I would describe this new pope in a word--"fatuous".

We will likely get nothing but fools from the RCs from here on out, for a world starving for strong and coherent leadership. Likely this silly monk is the best they have to offer.

Every time I hope for a man In The papacy who'd speak up for persecuted christians, we get another effeminate weakling who wants to make nice with Nancy pelosi and provide a temple for Obaminations. Now the pope wants to build a church for Mexican Catholics in the US. So they'll have more money to give them than they would have had for Catholics in Mexico? Hopeless. Leave me alone, Francis.

[Alex Murphy]

Related thread here:
U.S. Catholic leader invokes pope’s immigration comments [Jose Gomez promoting immigration reform]

A chairman of the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops on Tuesday called for Congress to pass comprehensive immigration reform, citing remarks made by Pope Francis about the treatment of immigrants. “I call upon the House of Representatives to pass comprehensive immigration reform which is just and humane,” said Archbishop Jose H. Gomez (of Los Angeles), who chairs the conference’s committee on migration issues. “The current immigration system, which causes so much human suffering, is a stain on the soul of our nation.” The pope over the weekend criticized a “globalization of indifference” when it comes to the status of migrant workers.

[I want the USA back]

Many people in the church have no idea of what the real world is like. What appears to them to be compassion is really hurting everybody involved.

[haffast]

Revolution's Refugees - Italy (14:14 mins)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfV34GBmLrk

Muslim Immigrants Riot in Italy - YouTube (3:38mins)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nj2pk2OVmg4

Immigration, World Poverty and Gumballs - Updated 2010 (6:08mins)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LPjzfGChGlE

Immigration by the Numbers -- Off the Charts - (video 9:31mins)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?annotation_id=annotation_807249&feature=iv&src_vid=LPjzfGChGlE&v=muw22wTePqQ

Let the pope bring the Muslims to his house, and maybe they'll let him have Jerusalem.

Say no to amnesty. Yes to the Rule of Law.

[Pyro7480]

We will likely get nothing but fools from the RCs from here on out, for a world starving for strong and coherent leadership. Likely this silly monk is the best they have to offer.

Catholics = fools? Francis is a monk?

Leave me alone, Francis.

Eh?

[dagogo redux]

Compassion without wisdom is mere sentimentality.

[skinkinthegrass]

after the murders throughout the Muslim world of R/C priests et al,
that Muslim "outreach" is really working..bearing fruit...
*queuing up* "Kumbayah"

[Mamzelle]

Maybe I’m tired of hoping for help from the Vatican. But it would help if religion threads didn’t appear as general discussion threads, so I don’t assume that anything religion has to offer could actually be relevant to human needs.

[NotYourAverageDhimmi]

Many Catholic and Christian leaders are the greatest advocates of open borders and illegal immigration. They don’t see the world in terms of nations. They see the world in terms of religions and being “brothers and sisters in God.” Many Catholic leaders in the U.S. openly cheerlead illegal immigration from Latin America because Latinos have a higher rate than America’s existing population of being practicing Catholics.

[bunkerhill7]

One would surmise that his parents were LEGAL immigrants from Italy into Argentina.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Let the pope bring the Muslims to his house, and maybe they'll let him have Jerusalem.

No way. Jerusalem is not theirs to give.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Many Catholic and Christian leaders are the greatest advocates of open borders and illegal immigration. They don’t see the world in terms of nations. They see the world in terms of religions and being “brothers and sisters in God.”

Excuse me. Religious identity is the supreme identity and religious loyalty is the supreme loyalty. Only a utilitarian atheist to whom religions are patinas of ethno-culture (like Sam Francis or the henotheistic racialists at VDare) would put nationality ahead of religion.

I'm no big fan of the Catholic Church or illegal immigrants and I recognize the validity of nations and ethno-cultures, but . . . come on. G-d first, last, and always.

[BlatherNaut]

“The current immigration system, which causes so much human suffering, is a stain on the soul of our nation.”

---

“Stain”?

“Human Suffering”?

Absurd, hyperbolic drivel. As a Catholic I find his comments highly obnoxious. Apparently he has a limited concept of what constitutes human suffering if he thinks that the treatment of illegals in this country merits such a characterization. The real “stain” is upon his native country, since its citizens (by the millions) prefer to go elsewhere.

Dissatisfaction with one’s economic prospects does not entitle one to illegally enter a foreign country or avail oneself of property (i.e. taxpayer $$ in the form of public benefits) belonging to another. Does Vatican City allow countless immigrants to illegally move in and demand that the Church provide them with welfare and a myriad of other freebies without limit until the Church goes bankrupt? Does Archbishop Gomez share his home and his table with interlopers who demand that he support them merely because they succeeded in breaking in?

Evidently, principles don’t apply with certain bishops when in conflict with their personal interests, and their hypocrisy does not go unnoticed.

[ek_hornbeck]

Unfortunately, liberal Catholic Bishops in America are one of the many voices pushing for amnesty and open borders. They're so desperate to add to their ranks that they completely ignore the fact that the attitudes and beliefs of mestizo peasant "Catholics" are completely different from the Catholicism practiced by assimilated German, Irish, Polish, or Italian Americans.

That being said, the Catholic Church isn't the sole offender in this regard. A lot of evangelical Churches see in Mexican immigrants a big pool of potential converts, and various Charismatics have started making significant inroads in converting Mexicans to Fundamentalist Protestantism. As a result, many conservative evangelicals have become open borders enthusiasts as well.

It's all very short-sighted and bound to backfire in the long run. It reminds me of hacks in the Republican party who push for amnesty with the hope of winning over a handful more hispanic votes (didn't help McCain much in 2008, did it)?

[ek_hornbeck]

Simply because people nominally share the religion of your nation doesn't mean that they can fit in culturally, linguistically, or economically in a society. Austria and the Philippines are both Catholic nations, but not many Austrians would feel at home in the Philippines or vice-versa.

To say that "as Catholics" or "as Christians" Americans should welcome Mexican illegals is to ignore just about every other aspect of a person's existence.

[Zionist Conspirator]

Simply because people nominally share the religion of your nation doesn't mean that they can fit in culturally, linguistically, or economically in a society. Austria and the Philippines are both Catholic nations, but not many Austrians would feel at home in the Philippines or vice-versa.

I agree

To say that "as Catholics" or "as Christians" Americans should welcome Mexican illegals is to ignore just about every other aspect of a person's existence.

What Catholicism or any other form of chrstianity teaches is not my problem. However, the notion that G-d is subordinate to one's "people" or one's "culture" or one's "heritage" is absolute poison and idolatry, and the root of Nazism itself, as well as the "national liberation" ideology Communism adopted after WWII.

I am not arguing for the abolition of nations or cultures or ethnicities, but I most certainly am arguing for a single human race (descended from Adam and Eve) who were all created by, and are responsible to, the Objective One True G-d. "Civilizationism" is merely the foyer to this room (and nationalism, which was left wing before it was right wing, can ultimately lead to it as well if one isn't careful).

I'm no expert, but my poor understanding is of all the nations of the world being truly themselves yet at the same time acknowledging, worshiping, and obeying the One True G-d, with Israel as the clerical nation dwelling in the "sacristy" of 'Eretz Yisra'el.

[No Surrender No Retreat]

I am Catholic and against these illegals getting a free meal ticket for perks and citizenship by breaking our US Law. The Pope needs to not let compassion deviate logical thinking.

[ek_hornbeck]

Catholic nations in Europe did just fine without allowing in millions of “refugees” from Africa and the Middle East for centuries, and it didn’t make them any less Catholic. Was there something in scripture that mandates open borders that the Church just recently discovered?

[ansel12]

That being said, the Catholic Church isn't the sole offender in this regard. A lot of evangelical Churches see in Mexican immigrants a big pool of potential converts, and various Charismatics have started making significant inroads in converting Mexicans to Fundamentalist Protestantism.

One thing about Protestant Hispanics, is that they are more conservative, in 2004 for instance they voted 56% republican, and in 2008 when Obama was the racial and history making juggernaut, Protestant Hispanics still voted 48% republican.