Posted on 03/15/2013 10:21:15 AM PDT by haffast
VATICAN CITY — Pope Francis is the first ever from the Americas, an austere Jesuit intellectual who modernized Argentina's conservative Catholic church.
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Bergoglio's legacy as cardinal includes his efforts to repair the reputation of a church that lost many followers by failing to openly challenge Argentina's murderous 1976-83 dictatorship. He also worked to recover the church's traditional political influence in society, but his outspoken criticism of President Cristina Kirchner couldn't stop her from imposing socially liberal measures that are anathema to the church, from gay marriage and adoption to free contraceptives for all.
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"In our ecclesiastical region there are priests who don't baptize the children of single mothers because they weren't conceived in the sanctity of marriage," Bergoglio told his priests. "These are today's hypocrites. Those who clericalize the Church. Those who separate the people of God from salvation. And this poor girl who, rather than returning the child to sender, had the courage to carry it into the world, must wander from parish to parish so that it's baptized!"
Bergoglio compared this concept of Catholicism, "this Church of 'come inside so we make decisions and announcements between ourselves and those who don't come in, don't belong," to the Pharisees of Christ's time — people who congratulate themselves while condemning all others.
This sort of pastoral work, aimed at capturing more souls and building the flock, was an essential skill for any religious leader in the modern era, said Bergoglio's authorized biographer, Sergio Rubin.
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Many Argentines remain angry over the church's acknowledged failure to openly confront a regime that was kidnapping and killing thousands of people as it sought to eliminate "subversive elements" in society. It's one reason why more than two-thirds of Argentines describe themselves as Catholic, but fewer than 10 percent regularly attend mass.
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(Excerpt) Read more at southcoasttoday.com ...
Portuguese is in Brazil. And meaning no disrespect, how can you opine on world events if you are not acquainted with this basic information.
Your knowledge of something with which another is not acquainted is not proof that you are more totally-knowledgable than that other person.
You have a mighty strange set of criteria don’t you? I was a little confused between the two countries. Most people couldn’t even tell you where Brazil is. I’ll be sure and run every thing I post by you first from now on, ok?(s).
Indeed. Thank you.
I find that hard to believe, because what you are describing (and shrugging off) is such a profound and egregious example of cultural illiteracy - knowing the map of the world is fourth grade geography. Are you saying that most people posting On FR didn’t get through elementary school?
I've always loved the sound of Romanian...
I strongly disagree with your statement. There are basic facts and elemental information that constitute being educated. Beyond that, there are specialties, that could be considered extra. It is disturbing to encounter this degree of ignorance - and intransigience about it -On FR. To not know where Brazil is and what language is spoken is like not knowing who Newton was or that there is a law of gravity. These are basics of elementary school education.
And didn’t we all carry on when Obama said that the people in Austria spoke Austrian?
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