Posted on 04/17/2008 2:32:31 PM PDT by EagleUSA
WASHINGTON - Pope Benedict XVI presided over a Mass celebrated in 10 languages Thursday, calling the United States a land of opportunity and hope but decrying that the nation's promise has been left unfulfilled for some.
At the first public Mass of his U.S. pilgrimage, Benedict mixed praise for the American experience with an effort to touch consciences, something he has been doing since the start of his trip on Tuesday.
More than 45,000 people filled Nationals Park on a clear spring day, as the pope, wearing scarlet vestments, led the service from an altar erected in centerfield of the recently inaugurated baseball stadium. Rows of red-robed church leaders joined him. The enthusiastic crowd burst into cheers when Benedict entered the stadium in his popemobile.
His homily was more somber. Benedict examined American society, saying he detected anger and alienation, increasing violence and a "growing forgetfulness of God."
"Americans have always been a people of hope," he said. "Your ancestors came to this country with the experience of finding new freedom and opportunity.
"To be sure, this promise was not experienced by all the inhabitants of this land; one thinks of the injustices endured by the native American peoples and by those brought here forcibly from Africa as slaves."
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
America, for al her faults, is that “Shining City On A Hill” that beckons all humanity.
“Our country! In her intercourse with foreign nations, may she always be in the right; but our country, right or wrong.”
Commodore Stephen Decatur, U.S. Navy
If the pope is so concerned about illegal immigation and us opening our doors, perhaps he’ll open the Vatican vaults to pay for it.
UGH!
The Pope should preach the Gospel, not join the left in their propoganda.
If they break our laws to get here, they should be treated like the criminals they are, prosecuted, and then deported after filling sentence duty by helping construct the fence.
The United States is a land where anyone who applies themself can better themself. It must always remain a place where personal effort is the fuel that drives advancement and success.
To simply state that the U.S. must fulfill some imagined promise to everyone, misses the point by a mile.
The United States government doesn’t owe anything to anyone, other than to get out of the way and let folks ‘do it’ themselves.
Ug.
If the pope is so concerned about illegal immigation and us opening our doors, perhaps he’ll open the Vatican vaults to pay for it.
::::::
Well stated. Excellent idea. And, as if the USA has not “opened its doors” for illegals — and they are still open.
That reminds me of a movie "The Shoes of The Fisherman" with Anthony Quinn as the Pope. Have you seen it?
In all fairness, you are somewhat correct. His rehashing of history cannot change anything that has happened in our past, whether good or bad. And it may have been better left unsaid.
But balance his remarks today with what he said at the recpetion held with Pres. Bush, where he seemed to positively glow in his admiration for the USA, and quoted a number of passages from our Founding Documents.
Does anyone know where a copy of those remarks, with the quotations from our Founding Documents, etc., might be acquired?
Sincere thanks.
nahhhh...
The pope is just like the Dali Lhama....Hope is good for any one running for (High School freshman class) office! Wonder which one gave the speech first or did they both copy it from a 1963 freshman class president’s speech!
Yeah, kinda like the Jews in his homeland of Germany?
Sheesh, there aren’t too many countries that have been squeaky clean on human rights, BUT the one country that stands head and shoulders above all others, and most put together, in ADVANCES in human rights the UNTIED STATES OF AMERICA...is wholly ignored!
He also totally ignored the issue of abortion, apparently 50 million abortions performed since Roe was to divisive an issue to make a note of, our treatment of terrorist is grist for his mill, but beheadings and bombings by those same terrorists, well that is not worth mentioning.
Blind, hypocrite.
They can pay their airfare to Austria where the Austrian taxpayers will be happy to “help them flourish”.
Unfortunately I missed that one but I just read the review. Sound interesting.
Pope: Vatican City Needs to be a Land of Hope for All
Fixed it. Let him open their doors to all the illegals. Afterall, they are a soverign nation.
God Bless Pope Benedict, a wonderful man provided by the Almighty to lead the Church at this critical time.
Pope: Vatican City Needs to be a Land of Hope for All
Fixed it. Let him open their doors to all the illegals. Afterall, they are a soverign nation.
:::::::
Excellent idea. Another one in fact. Amazing how the USA is expected to pick up the slack of the entire freakin’ world, isn’t it ??? It is time the rest of the world started carrying their share of great deeds. That would be a switch.
ROME –
In the Italian capital's abandoned Tiburtina railway station, clothes dangle from makeshift washing lines, and families camp out without running water or electricity - many waiting as long as 14 months to see if Italy will accept them as asylum seekers.
"I've been here a long time," says John Laki, who is still living on the weed-covered tracks more than five years after arriving from Sudan. "I keep trying to find a job. But it's always complicated. They gave me asylum, but they don't give me any money. How can a human being build their life [this way]?"
The tension between the two worlds was apparent last month in an uproar over school crucifixes, which echoed cultural struggles in France and Germany, where the wearing of head scarves in schools and the use of ID cards are burning issues.
Italians were outraged when a judge ruled that crosses should be removed from classroom walls out of respect for Muslim pupils. In the normally quiet town of Ofena in central Italy, parents held a "hands off our crucifix" vigil outside the elementary school in question. The Education Ministry managed to win a temporary injunction against taking down the crosses pending a hearing next week.
While Italy is officially secular, more than 80 percent of Italians declare themselves Catholic. Legislation from the 1920s says crucifixes should be in every school, but some argue the subsequent secularization of the state makes the laws defunct.
There's more...
Yes, yes, that’s our job. Other countries are allowed to just exist and seek their own comfort and protection, but our job is to be a BIG, LACTATING TEAT.
Oh, he’s probably thinking about something like 4,000 babies killed every day. In most countries, btw, the people who do the murdering and oppressing are a small portion of the population, whereas in America about 40 million women and 40 million “boyfriends” have killed 50 million babies. I’d say America has a moral problem a lot worse and more widespread than, say, Hitler’s Germany or Castro’s Cuba.
The Pope is visiting America. Is he supposed to spend his time here talking about OTHER PEOPLE’S sins? That’s the way to be a popular preacher, but it’s also the way of false prophets.
So, the Pope is endorsing Barack Obama for POTUS?
Take the many illegal invading mexicans that are here in the U.S. , back to the Vatican and give them all the charity Italy can muster.
So, the Pope is endorsing Barack Obama for POTUS?
::::::::
One would certainly think so, given his rather radically liberal position on American laws, citizens, borders, and American history. The Pope seriously needs to spend time in Cuba, Venezuela, Commie China, Viet Nam, Russia, and Africa, before he comes to America to talk to us about “human rights”...and how we should run OUR country.
That should read: "...to lead the Catholic religion..."
The Church as a whole does not regard the Pope as its leader.
The Pope also needs to spend some time in Mexico at both land borders (Mexico still uses machine guns to control its southern land border).
Well, to each his own. As a Catholic, I refer to it as The Church.
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.