Vatican is an ‘enormous soft power’, says MP after visit

Eleven members of the All Party Parliament Group, accompanied by the chaplain to Parliament Canon Pat Browne, met with the Pope on Wednesday, after the General Audience.

MP Edward Leigh declared after the three day visit that “The Holy See is an enormous soft power, it represent a religion of 1.2 billion people and so the British government and the British parliament is very interested in what the Vatican says.”

The Group, made up of representatives of both House of Parliament and all the major political parties, has encountered senior officials of the Secretariat of State, the Pontifical Council for Justice and Peace and the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith.

The visit continued through a meeting with Caritas Internationalis and with the Sant’Egidio Community, a Church association dedicated to evangelisation and charity through the world.

The group’s main role monitoring the relationship between Britain and the Holy See, exploring a broad range of issues pertaining to the Vatican and the work of the Catholic Church.

Let me introduce you:

Tradition in Action is a sedevacantist site, and does not represent Catholic doctrine. I do notice curious affinities between the "sados" (anti-papist non-Catholics, Chickosaurus vulgaris) and the "sedes" (anti-papist post-Catholics, Savonarola hortensis var. vetus in Gothic lettering and gold leaf).

They seem to endlessly arouse each other. Strange.

As for the Ignitum article, it did have a good, relevant papal quote:

The Church "cannot and must not replace the State" (quote from Deus Caritas Est, Pope Benedict XVI’s first encyclical)

The rest of it, Matthew Olson basically redefines the idea of the Church's temporal role by saying it could be a cornerstone of ethics, e.g. by throwing its moral influence against abortion, euthanasia, gay "marriage," and other societal ills, while not using the coercive powers of the State.

In fact, that is how the Holy See functions now in the U.N.: it has permanent observer status, no vote, no enforcement, and serves as a focus for groups opposing LGBT and Planned Parenthood in U.N. committees and conferences.

I've got no problem with that.

Let me introduce you: Tradition in Action is a sedevacantist site, and does not represent Catholic doctrine. I do notice curious affinities between the "sados" (anti-papist non-Catholics, Chickosaurus vulgaris) and the "sedes" (anti-papist post-Catholics, Savonarola hortensis var. vetus in Gothic lettering and gold leaf). They seem to endlessly arouse each other. Strange.

Atila S. Guimarães states that the seat of the pope is not vacant. Therefore, he is not a Sedevancantist. You would think "Tradition In Action" and the website address "www.traditioninaction.org" would have been a clue.

Now here is an example of a Sedevancantist site. Fun reads!

Should we mention Conclavists?

Not all are counted among the 1.2 billion you Catholics love to boast about. When you dig deep among the number of groups affiliated with Rome, you almost get the feeling of different "denominations". Strange.

As for the Ignitum article, it did have a good, relevant papal quote:

The Church "cannot and must not replace the State" (quote from Deus Caritas Est, Pope Benedict XVI’s first encyclical)

Mr. Olson appears to be a very zealous wet behind the ears confused young man who's in good hands now. ;)

In fact, that is how the Holy See functions now in the U.N.: it has permanent observer status, no vote, no enforcement, and serves as a focus for groups opposing LGBT and Planned Parenthood in U.N. committees and conferences.

The Vatican has the same status as Palestine whom it hailed and celebrated upon the UN's acceptance of the Palestine state into the assembly.

I've got no problem with that.

I have.

Though the Vatican can dally in the political affairs of the whole world, and world leaders come to the Vatican to "pay their respects", the Vatican did not sign the Rome Statue which would have made it vulnerable to the ICC. Even the "State of Palestine" signed the Rome Statue.

But that's a good thing for PEBXVI and the Vatican because he could have been SNAPped up and answer some embarrassing questions and provide more embarrassing documents than the Vatileaks scandal. Only God knows. May PEBXVI rest in peace secure behind the walls of the Vatican.

The Holy Roman Catholic Church, blurring the line between church and state, since about 310 AD.

Won't you join me in prayer for the victims of sex abuse, accessories to those crimes who obstructed justice, and the Israeli victims of "The State of Palestine"?

"You would think "Tradition In Action" and the website address "www.traditioninaction.org" would have been a clue."

So, I see this Atila fellow is not a sedevacanist. OK. But the name "Tradition in Action" doesn't tell me a thing on that score. Sedes and their allies think they're defending tradition. I'd imagine all ex-Catholics --- even those from the days of the glorious Reformation --- think of themseles as keeping the true tradition. Restoring the purity of the Apostolic faith. And so forth.

" When you dig deep among the number of groups affiliated with Rome, you almost get the feeling of different "denominations". Strange."

They are different denominations -- in embryo. Nothing strange at all about that. A new crop of splitters. But you missed an important point: that what they have in common is that they are not affiliated with Rome. They might as well be Anglicans, Arminians or Amish. They've split.

"The Vatican has the same status as Palestine whom it hailed and celebrated upon the UN's acceptance of the Palestine state into the assembly."

It also has the same status Switzerland had for 48 years. I wonder if there's something sinister about that: "Non-Voting Permanent Observer." Doesn't sound like a power-grab to me.

As for the Palestinians being (also) nonvoting observers, in the 1970's, the PLO was recognized as the representative of the Palestinian people by over 100 states with which it holds diplomatic relations ---and by Israel.

So it's OK if the Israelis recognize them, but something sinister cooking when the Vatican takes the same stance as Israel? Really?

I've got no problem with that. As for the "Rome Statue" (sic), --- I'm guessing you mean "Statute" --- the information I have doesn't indicate any malfeasance on the part of Pope Benedict XVI. I do want clarification on what you're charging the Pope Emeritus with. Short paragraph, no innuendo.

"Won't you join me in prayer for the victims of sex abuse, accessories to those crimes who obstructed justice, and the Israeli victims of "The State of Palestine"?"

Of course. With all my heart.

I like neither Oliveira nor the Miserablists. You may be surprised by how shockingly little sympathy I have with any of them. They would be interesting if you put them into a box together like matter and antimatter, and see what happens. I'd perk up for that.

That's the Christian spirit! Not exactly inline with Pope Francis' recent PR "New Evangelism" campaign though.

There really is no salvation outside of the Holy Roman Catholic Church is there?

"Oh, how I would like a poor Church, and for the poor." - Pope Francis

"It hurts me when I see a priest or a nun with the latest model car, you can't do this," he said." - Pope Francis

It appears Pope Francis is a "Miserablist". Unless it's all a PR move too.

Do you think Pope Francis knows the same god as his predecessor (Pope) St. Sylvestor mentioned in Oliveira's article, or are they different gods? The God of the Bible doesn't change, though He sometimes "relents".

So it's OK if the Israelis recognize them, but something sinister cooking when the Vatican takes the same stance as Israel? Really?

The only Israeli's for a Palestinian state are the Leftist Liberals supported by the likes of US Democrats, USCCB, The Vatican, and...you?

As for the "Rome Statue" (sic), --- I'm guessing you mean "Statute" --- the information I have doesn't indicate any malfeasance on the part of Pope Benedict XVI. I do want clarification on what you're charging the Pope Emeritus with. Short paragraph, no innuendo.

Well, you got me there on that spelling error. Completely topples my point. Congratulations. Thank-you for your leniency on my many grammatical errors also.

In a hierarchical structure the person at the top is usually responsible for the wrongdoings of those below him or her. Leaders with integrity usually take responsibility for their subordinate's actions, in some cases, even stepping down. An example might be like this.

Maybe Holy Roman Catholic Church Canon Law supersedes everybody else's? Clearly there is an "enormous soft power" there.

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.