Posted on 11/26/2013 9:17:36 AM PST by IbJensen
In his first major work, Pope Francis urged the Catholic Church to commit itself to fighting poverty and called on world leaders to become more concerned about the current state of society. He opened the door to reforms of Vatican bureaucracy while reaffirming that female priests and the church’s opposition to abortion is 'not open to discussion.'
(In his first major work, Pope Francis called on an end to society’s obsession with money. He also said he was open to reforms that would move power away from the Vatican.)
Pope Francis decried the unfettered capitalism that has created “a new tyranny” and an “idolatry of money” Tuesday in his first major work as pontiff.
"Just as the commandment 'Thou shalt not kill' sets a clear limit in order to safeguard the value of human life, today we also have to say 'thou shalt not' to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills,” Francis wrote in his apostolic exhortation, which amounts to a platform for his papacy.
"How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points?"
Francis, 76, called on leaders the world over to guarantee people "dignified work, education and health care” in the exhortation called "Evangelii Gaudium" (The Joy of the Gospel).
RELATED: POPE PRESCRIBES PRAYERS FOR HUMAN HEART
The leader of the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics also called on the entrenched, antiquated Vatican bureaucracy to focus its energies on spreading the gospel. The reign of Francis’ predecessor, Pope Benedict, was marred by scandal and infighting at the Holy See.
"I prefer a Church which is bruised, hurting and dirty because it has been out on the streets, rather than a Church which is unhealthy from being confined and from clinging to its own security," the Argentine wrote in the plain language that has characterized his papacy. He also said he was open to the possibility of moving power away from the Vatican.
But Francis was at his most passionate when writing about poverty, the issue that has dominated his papacy since he was elected in March.
"As long as the problems of the poor are not radically resolved by rejecting the absolute autonomy of markets and financial speculation and by attacking the structural causes of inequality, no solution will be found for the world's problems or, for that matter, to any problems," he wrote.
RELATED: POPE FRANCIS EMBRACES MAN WITH DISFIGURED FACE
He added that his call did not amount to a populist cry of outrage.
This goes "beyond a simple welfare mentality," he said.
"I beg the Lord to grant us more politicians who are genuinely disturbed by the state of society, the people, the lives of the poor."
Despite the significant shift in tone, Francis did not go so far as to open the door to abortion or female priests.
RELATED: ST. PETER'S BONES DISPLAYED
The male-only priesthood, he said, "is not a question open to discussion," but women must have more influence in church leadership, he wrote.
The message of the first non-European pontiff in 1,300 years reflects the influence of Liberation Theology, a controversial political movement with roots in Latin America that tied the teachings of Jesus Christ to radical opposition of the social and economic conditions that create poverty.
Francis’ apostolic exhortation is the first major work he has authored alone. In July Francis completed an encyclical begun by Benedict, though he made clear it more reflected the voice of his predecessor.
Let's start by putting the gold plated throne and pure silver candelabras directly behind you on ebay and send the money to the Philippines.
“idolatry of money”
Sounds like every government on the planet.
I agree - the poor should not be so obsessed with money.
That’s going to leave a mark.
Ha ha ha...perfect response. Pot meet kettle.
Isn’t it funny how the church’s influence shrinks as nation’s grow increasing less capitalistic or monarchistic? Namely because socialist governments don’t like competing with the church, so they shut it down. That, and they make their people worship the machinations of government as opposed to the God-gifted talents in each individual.
The current American administration IS concerned with the welfare of the masses. Almost everything the administration does is designed to destroy or undermine the economic welfare, security, jobs, and health of Americans. That’s one heck of a lot of concern...
He talks about the tyranny of the markets. What about the tyranny of tyranny?
Desiring to keep the State from stealing your property is not idolatry.
The love of money can indeed be idolatry,
but coveting and stealing are also listed in the Big 10.
This pope is turning out to be a lulu!
I personally believe that all popes that followed Pope Pius XII, that is those that were elevated subsequent to the ill-conceived Vatican II, were complicit in manufacturing a new religion.
Pope Pius V codified the liturgy, tenets and teachings of the church in order that it remain the same in perpetuity until the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.
That being the case, those subsequent popes are going to have a lot of explaining to do before those gates are going to swing open for them. I honestly don’t believe their explanation will save them.
What is it with todays wealthy? Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, George Soros, The Pope...all control vast wealth yet want to redistribute YOUR money
Liberal Free Trade Communist Globalists always want to redistribute Your wealth and my wealth
I believe that the ‘progressive’ tax rates are all wrong.
Those who are the ‘poor’ should be taxed at a higher rate in order to get them off their butts and couches and out the door in order to make more moolah.
“Political tags — such as royalist, communist, democrat, populist, fascist, liberal, conservative, and so forth — are never basic criteria. The human race divides politically into those who want people to be controlled and those who have no such desire. The former are idealists acting from highest motives for the greatest good of the greatest number. The latter are surly curmudgeons, suspicious and lacking in altruism. But they are more comfortable neighbors than the other sort.”
---Robert A Heinlein
Sounds like there's a whole lot of controllin' that this Pope would like to do...
I know. It’s exasperating.
It’s as though once they hit the billion mark they decide that redistribution of our ‘wealth’ is an ideal aspiration.
Only time will tell.
The problem is with unfettered cronyism, corruption, and government interference, not with capitalism.
Pope Frankie is starting to get on my nerves. Of all the things he called have called to end he chose unfettered Capitalism (which doesnt exist). How about illegitimate kids, obsession with vices such as recreational drugs, casual sex, abortion, homoism, govt dependence due to laziness, sloth, and a culture of victimization, etc.
He also called for an end to society’s obsession with money which I will remember the next time someone passes me a collection plate. Now if I can only get my wife to stop dropping $100 in it every week.
This pope is just adding to the rolls of the sedevacantists.
Now sedevacantists have seminaries, chapels, churches and priests that adhere to the Tridentine Mass and look upon what Rome espouses as an entirely new religion barfed out by modernists. Those in the churches controlled by the new religionists are believed to be heretics.
I believe an exorcist is sorely needed. For some unknown reason it appears as though devils entered the souls of the popes of the last fifty years at the time of their consecretion as pope.
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