Venezuela’s End Game: Pope and Bishops Take Different Paths

The National Catholic Register ^ | 1/31/19 | Joan Frawley Desmond

[marshmallow]

WASHINGTON — During a Jan. 28 inflight press conference on his return from World Youth Day in Panama, Pope Francis was asked to offer explicit support to Venezuelan protesters calling for their country’s embattled President Nicolás Maduro to step down.

But the Pope replied that taking sides in the escalating confrontation between the Maduro regime and its opponents “would be a pastoral imprudence” and do “damage.”

“I suffer for what is happening in Venezuela right now,” said Francis, who repeated his call for a “just and peaceful solution.”

The Holy Father’s language frustrated human-rights advocates and others who see a fresh opportunity for democratic change in Venezuela and want world leaders — the Pope included — to pressure Maduro to abandon his fight to retrain power.

“What the good people of Venezuela hope for, and have a right to expect, is the moral and spiritual solidarity of the chief pastor of their Church, openly and fearlessly expressed, when they demand their liberties and the end of a criminal regime propped up by Cuba — another criminal regime,” veteran Church analyst George Weigel told the Register.

Locked in a brutal battle for survival, Maduro faces near-universal condemnation of his repressive tactics as a long-awaited end game appears to draw near. The country is in the middle of an economic and humanitarian crisis, and widespread hunger and rampant crime have forced an estimated 3 million people to flee their homeland.

But the danger and uncertainty that shadows this moment have also prompted some to defend Francis’ “careful” response as an exercise in prudence.

“Francis is right to be very careful about what he says,” said Bradley Lewis, a political philosopher at The Catholic University of America.

If a peaceful transition to democratic rule becomes a real possibility, said Lewis, it “will mean......

[cpdiii]

The Pope has not hesitated to inject his opinions and support of political factions world wide. It is always on the side of the left.

The Pope’s action or rather lack of action concerning Maduro and Venezuela show full well The Pope is a Marxist and out of the Marxist closet. In addition if one looks at his efforts in covering up homosexual abuse in the church one must wonder if he has another closet to come out of?

He is destroying my church!

[Lurker]

This pope is a fraud.

L

[cpdiii]

I forgot to note this: The Church of Cardinals elects The Pope. These Cardinals knew this man for decades. They knew what he believed in. They elected him.

The deep rot in the Catholic Church rests in the Church of Cardinals. The present pope is just a symptom of the rot in The Church of Cardinals.

[Seruzawa]

Enough of this commie Pope. Or “Pyoop” as Inspector Clouseau would say.

[irishjuggler]

I forgot to note this: The Church of Cardinals elects The Pope. These Cardinals knew this man for decades. They knew what he believed in. .

Disagree. Most of them didn't know him well. Unlike many of his predecessors, he wasn't a known quantity around the Vatican. His election was engineered by a small well-organized minority that voted as a bloc, lobbied for him and was able to secure support for him in early ballots. His supporters arranged for him to get prime speaking slot at a pre-conclave event. He apparently delivered a strong reform-oriented speech (that was likely written for him by someone else). There have been reports that many cardinals now greatly regret voting for him and believe that his election was manipulated.

[Bulwyf]

Come join the church of Christ then and leave that man-made Christian killing one behind.

[vette6387]

“I suffer for what is happening in Venezuela right now,” said Francis, who repeated his call for a “just and peaceful solution.”

Sorry it this offends anyone, but this Pope is an international disgrace and its long past time for the decent Catholics the world over call for him to step down. Prudence keeps me from writing down exactly what I think of him!

[ebb tide]

I forgot to note this:...

You forgot more than that. There is no "Church of Cardinals", which you mentioned three times.

There is however, a college of cardinals.

[ModelBreaker]

“Francis is right to be very careful about what he says,” said Bradley Lewis, a political philosopher at The Catholic University of America.

If Pinochet were in charge, you can bet that Bradley Lewis would be all over the Pope to call for immediate change . . . and that the Pope would have already called for him to step down a year ago.

They’re hoping against hope to save a compatriot.

[piusv]

Can you post these reports? If there are so many Cardinals that regret their vote, then why haven’t they spoken out against Francis as of late?

[Marchmain]

That’s not how it works. Cardinals are not Congressmen. There are no formal “reports” or analyses. And the speaking out is all over the place and very vehement, but not always obvious. Look at Muller for example, since his first paper on marriage when he was still CDF. The media forgets these things in a month, and does not understand to begin with. But the bishops know what it means and the decisions to be made, subtly as possible. The Cardinals are not going to create panic, havoc and any more disunity in the Church.