Posted on 02/18/2016 7:16:24 PM PST by ebb tide
Pope Francis refused Thursday to condemn Italy's attempts to introduce gay unions legislation, which have polarized public opinion and are being resisted by the national Catholic Church.
Catholic-majority Italy is the last Western European nation with no laws on same-sex partnerships. It has been urged to change the status quo by both its constitutional court and the European Court of Human Rights.
"The Pope does not meddle with Italian politics," Francis said in an in-flight press conference returning from Mexico. "Because the Pope belongs to everybody, he cannot enter the concrete, domestic politics of a country. This is not the Pope's role," he added.
Francis said it was up to Italian bishops to take a stand, while recalling his previous pronouncements - namely that same-sex partnerships cannot be equated to heterosexual marriages, and his famous 2013 "who am I to judge" remark about gays.
His statements are likely to embolden sponsors of the Italian bill, and disappoint its Catholic critics. On Wednesday, a Senate vote on the reform was postponed by a week in response to mounting obstacles to its passage.
Nor does the Pope meddle with the Communist Cuban or Russian/Ukranian politics. But he has no problem addressing the U.S. Congress and the U.N. on their politics.
“The Pope does not meddle with Italian politics,” Francis said in an in-flight press conference returning from Mexico. “Because the Pope belongs to everybody, he cannot enter the concrete, domestic politics of a country. This is not the Pope’s role,” he added.
Proof he is a socialist stooge. He’s done nothing but meddle in US affairs since arriving. This guy sucks.
“Who is he to judge?” when it comes to homos, but everything else is fair game.
Well, hell! He sure does love to stick his nose into our elections! Doncha, “Mr. Wall And Security Detail”?
It’s not his role? But it’s the Italian bishops’ role? How do explain that hypocrisy?
Doesn’t Francis refer to himself solely as “Bishop of Rome”? Why shouldn’t he get himself involved in the legalization of sodomite unions in Italy?
Humble Jorge remained silent before and after the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in favor of queer marriage. He did the same before and after the Irish referendum on the same subject. But if global warming or illegal immigration is the subject, he jumps in with both feet.
it would make for very bad optics if he spoke out against the fay-gets
Then why did this same pope choose to address the U.S. Congress in person and speak about global warming and making illegal immigration legal; with no mention of the word, "abortion"?
Is the pope a Marxist?
He is light in his Bergoglios.
(Did I fall for the media spin?)
Phil Pullella, Reuters: Today, you spoke very eloquently about the problems of immigration. On the other side of the border, there is a very tough electoral battle. One of the candidates for the White House, Republican Donald Trump, in an interview recently said that you are a political man and he even said that you are a pawn, an instrument of the Mexican government for migration politics. Trump said that if he’s elected, he wants to build 2,500 kilometers of wall along the border. He wants to deport 11 million illegal immigrants, separating families, etcetera. I would like to ask you, what do you think of these accusations against you and if a North American Catholic can vote for a person like this?
Pope Francis: Thank God he said I was a politician because Aristotle defined the human person as 'animal politicus.' At least I am a human person. As to whether I am a pawn, well, maybe, I don't know. I'll leave that up to your judgment and that of the people. And then, a person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. This is not in the Gospel. As far as what you said about whether I would advise to vote or not to vote, I am not going to get involved in that. I say only that this man is not Christian if he has said things like that. We must see if he said things in that way and in this I give the benefit of the doubt.
My take: Walls fine. "Only walls" not Christian. Did Trump say only walls? I this, he gives Trumo benefit of the doubt.(That he is not just about walls)
Carlo Marroni, Il Sole 24 (Italy): Holy Father, my question is about the family, a subject which you addressed often during this trip. The Italian parliament is discussing a law on civil unions, a subject that is provoking strong political clashes but also a strong debate in society and among Catholics. In particular, I would like to know your thoughts on the subject of adoption by civil unions and therefore on the rights of children and of sons and daughters in general.
Pope Francis: First of all, I don’t know how things stand in the thinking of the Italian parliament. The Pope doesn’t get mixed up in Italian politics. At the first meeting I had with the (Italian) bishops in May 2013, one of the three things I said was: with the Italian government you’re on your own. Because the pope is for everybody and he can’t insert himself in the specific internal politics of a country. This is not the role of the pope, right? And what I think is what the Church thinks and has said so often – because this is not the first country to have this experience, there are so many – I think what the Church has always said about this.
He is against homosexuals adopting. Against Homosexual unions. For what the Church has always said about this.
Did somebody whisper that in his ear, or is this strawman number 5,281?
What does you quote have to do with legalizing sodomite unions in Italy, the Pope’s backyard?
Supposedly he just came out as against this in January.
“there can be no confusion between the family God wants and any other type of union”.
“The family, founded on indissoluble matrimony that unites and allows procreation, is part of God’s dream and that of his Church for the salvation of humanity,” he said on Friday in an address to members of the Vatican court that rules on marriage annulments.
Freegards
I posted 2 quotes. The seond one dealt with that.
I was pissed when I thought he went after Trump, yet refused to go after Italians supporting sodomites.
Was illustrating the difference betweeen what the MSM said he said, and what he actually said on the two issues.
No he didn’t. He washed his hands, just like Pilate. Where, in either quote, did Francis address the question asked of him about homo adoptions?
Yes, he did.
Question “I would like to know your thoughts on the subject of adoption by civil unions and therefore on the rights of children and of sons and daughters in general.”
Pope Francis: what I think is what the Church thinks and has said so often because this is not the first country to have this experience, there are so many. I think what the Church has always said about this.”
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