Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Pope: 'The fundamental solution [would be] that there is no longer any need to immigrate'
National Catholic Reporter ^ | 4/15/2008 | John Allen

Posted on 04/15/2008 6:12:28 PM PDT by Pyro7480

The following is a rush transcript of comments made by Pope Benedict XVI to reporters aboard the papal plane, on his way to his first pastoral visit to the United States....

Fr. Federico Lombardi: ...We’ll have a question from our colleague Andres Beltramo, from the Notimex agency in Mexico.

Beltramo: I’ll ask the question in Italian, but we would love to have just a greeting in Spanish. With the enormous growth in the Hispanic presence, the Catholic church in the United States is becoming steadily more bilingual and bicultural. Yet there’s also a growing “anti-immigrant” movement in America. Do you intend to invite the United States to welcome immigrants well, many of whom are Catholic?

Benedict XVI: Unfortunately I’m not ready to speak in Spanish, but I offer a greeting and blessing for all the Spanish-speakers! Certainly I’ll talk about this subject....

It seems to me that we have to distinguish between measures to be taken immediately, and longer-term solutions. The fundamental solution [would be] that there is no longer any need to immigrate, that there are sufficient opportunities for work and a sufficient social fabric that no one any longer feels the need to immigrate. We all have to work for this objective, that social development is sufficient so that citizens are able to contribute to their own future.

On this point, I want to speak with the President, because above all the United States must help countries develop themselves. Doing so is in the interests of everyone, not just this country but the whole world, including the United States.

In the short term, it’s very important above all to help the families. This is the primary objective, to ensure that families are protected, not destroyed....

(Excerpt) Read more at ncrcafe.org ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Foreign Affairs; Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: benedictxvi; immigration; papalvisit; pope
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-40 last
To: Pyro7480
Yet there’s also a growing “anti-immigrant” movement in America.

There is no “anti-immigrant” movement in America. Most Americans have immigrant ancestors somewhere in the family tree.

There is an "anti-illegal" movement in America since the Rule-of-Law is a core value of American society.

21 posted on 04/15/2008 8:48:37 PM PDT by Polybius
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Cacique

btt


22 posted on 04/15/2008 8:58:28 PM PDT by Cacique (quos Deus vult perdere, prius dementat ( Islamia Delenda Est ))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pyro7480

Viva il Papa!


23 posted on 04/15/2008 9:31:24 PM PDT by Jaded ("I have a mustard- seed; and I am not afraid to use it."- Joseph Ratzinger)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Pyro7480

I think the pope has it. Mexico with all its resources ought to be able to take care of its people. It cannot, because its political culture will not allow development. Wealth in concentrated in the hands of a few thousand families, and these families lack the entrepeneural spirit that grows an economy. Simplistically perhaps, I blame it on the culture that the conquistadors brought to America, which owned much to the Arabs the Spanish Christians displaced.


24 posted on 04/15/2008 9:50:26 PM PDT by RobbyS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Polybius

There is a sense of having been invaded. And its has been done with the complicity of business and government leaders.


25 posted on 04/15/2008 9:55:17 PM PDT by RobbyS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Interesting. Whereas the Australians are saying (to muslims) leave your baggage behind, this Pope is saying just don’t come.


26 posted on 04/15/2008 10:15:38 PM PDT by kinghorse
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: AnAmericanMother
As long as Mexico is a corrupt, violent hell-hole, people will risk their lives and freedom to get out.

My friend, I must object.

Mexico is a MARXIST corrupt violent hell-hole.

Let's give credit where credit is due.

!Viva Cristo Rey!

27 posted on 04/16/2008 3:55:35 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: DancesWithBolsheviks
How do you arrive at that quite precise number?

(just curious).

28 posted on 04/16/2008 5:30:27 AM PDT by AnAmericanMother ((Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment)))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 17 | View Replies]

To: DancesWithBolsheviks; El Gato
Mexico has a very strong tradition of anti-clericalism. Most politicos seem to get themselves elected by playing off the poor against the church.

I'm remembering a well known political cartoon from the 20s or 30s, where a pig-like priest in the confessional is telling the poor campesinos, "Obey your padrone and work hard and you will get the 10,000 indulgences."

29 posted on 04/16/2008 5:32:49 AM PDT by AnAmericanMother ((Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment)))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]

To: ArrogantBustard
. . . my description was not meant to be all-inclusive! < g >

Only in Mexico could you have a political party whose name means "Party for the CONSERVATION of the Revolution." Oxymoronic, but much of Mexico is that way.

30 posted on 04/16/2008 5:34:00 AM PDT by AnAmericanMother ((Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment)))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Polybius
Yet there’s also a growing “anti-immigrant” movement in America.

There is an "anti-illegal [immigrant]" movement in America since the Rule-of-Law is a core value of American society.

Needs to be repeated. Benedict XVI has a deep, insightful understanding of many contemporary pressing social issues. I'm certain he understands the distinction between legal and illegal immigration.

31 posted on 04/16/2008 6:11:49 AM PDT by ELS (Vivat Benedictus XVI!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 21 | View Replies]

To: AnAmericanMother

In commie-speak, “the revolution” refers to the institution of communism as the governing principle. Any effort to institute something else is “counter-revolutionary”, or “reactionary”. Hence, once “the revolution” has been accomplished, it must be conserved or preserved against the “reactionary counterrevolutionaries” (That would be folks like us). So, conserving revolution is not oxymoronic at all. Moronic, perhaps, give the real results of the revolution.


32 posted on 04/16/2008 6:17:32 AM PDT by ArrogantBustard (Western Civilization is Aborting, Buggering, and Contracepting itself out of existence.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 30 | View Replies]

To: markomalley

Absolutely! You should hear the libs in my church. They act as if the rest of the world is waste land and this is the only country worth coming to, for the welfare anyway.


33 posted on 04/16/2008 6:21:17 AM PDT by stevio (Crunchy Con - God, guns, guts, and organically grown crunchy nuts.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Pyro7480
"I’d like to say that I’m going with joy. I’ve been in the United States several times, I know this great country, and I also know the great life of the church despite all the problems. I’m happy to be able to meet in this historical moment, both through the church and my visit to the United Nations, this great country."

34 posted on 04/16/2008 6:27:51 AM PDT by ELS (Vivat Benedictus XVI!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Little Ray; Pyro7480
"Dunno. It certainly sounds nice. I’d love to hear an American politician say something like this about the many regimes (not just Mexico) hostile to us. But my first response is always going to be “Who’s gonna fix it and how much is it gonna cost?”bttt

Here's what Pope Benedict XVI says about it -it's quite Scriptural, and is in direct agreement with the Framers of our Constitution:

"..an authentic...theology: [is] one that puts:

[1] God and the life of the spirit first,
[2] DIRECT charitable care of others second,
[3] and only then draws consequences for a just social order."

And here's more:

Pope John XXIII, On Establishing Universal Peace In Truth, Justice, Charity, And Liberty, April 11, 1963 Excerpts:

"Man's personal dignity requires besides that he enjoy freedom and be able to make up his own mind when he acts.

In his association with his fellows, therefore, there is every reason why his recognition of rights, observance of duties, and many-sided collaboration with other men, should be primarily a matter of his own personal decision.

Each man should act on his own initiative, conviction, and sense of responsibility, not under the constant pressure of external coercion or enticement.

There is nothing human about a society that is welded together by force.

Far from encouraging, as it should, the attainment of man's progress and perfection, it is merely an obstacle to his freedom."

"Hence, a regime which governs solely or mainly by means of threats and intimidation or promises of reward, provides men with no effective incentive to work for the common good.

And even if it did, it would certainly be offensive to the dignity of free and rational human beings."

"Consequently, laws and decrees passed in contravention of the moral order, and hence of the divine will, can have no binding force in conscience, since 'it is right to obey God rather than men.' " ~

*

"[Some are involved in] a disastrous confusion between the poor of the Scripture and the proletariat of Marx." ~ Pope Benedict XVI Theologies of Liberation

*

Pope Benedict XVI, notes that proper stewardship of our environment is one of the individual Christian's responsibilities toward God - - - BUT only in this order:

"..an authentic...theology: [is] one that puts:

[1] God and the life of the spirit first,
[2] DIRECT charitable care of others second,
[3] and only then draws consequences for a just social order."

*

C.S. Lewis: "Of all tyrannies, a tyranny sincerely exercised for the good of its victims may be the most oppressive. It may be better to live under live robber barons than under omnipotent moral busibodies. The robber baron's cruelty may sometimes sleep, his cupidity may at some point be satiated; but those who torment us for our own good, will torment us without end, for they do so with the approval of their own conscience."

35 posted on 04/16/2008 6:28:16 AM PDT by Matchett-PI (Proud member of "Operation Chaos" having the T-shirt , ball cap and bumpersticker to prove it.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: ArrogantBustard

I know, but it still sounds funny. Political schizophrenia in action. It’s deadly, of course - somewhere I have an old political cartoon of the Mexican presidents from Juarez on a totem pole — the number of them who did NOT die in their beds is astonishing.


36 posted on 04/16/2008 7:08:21 AM PDT by AnAmericanMother ((Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment)))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 32 | View Replies]

To: AnAmericanMother

Read is somewhere a couple of years ago. (perhaps fairus.org but not certain) Article claimed 57% from Mexico, an additional 18% from central and south America, and 25% from rest of world.


37 posted on 04/16/2008 7:21:11 AM PDT by DancesWithBolsheviks
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 28 | View Replies]

To: DancesWithBolsheviks
Thanks.

You think they'd ALL go home?

38 posted on 04/16/2008 7:26:52 AM PDT by AnAmericanMother ((Ministrix of Ye Chase, TTGC Ladies' Auxiliary (recess appointment)))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 37 | View Replies]

To: Alas Babylon!

A Mexico that isn’t corrupt, envious of its Northern neighbor, and happy to roll up its sleeves and get busy in its own house instead of exporting problems elsewhere?

Thank you Pope Benedict

&&&
AMEN!


39 posted on 04/16/2008 8:15:59 PM PDT by Bigg Red (Position Wanted: Expd Rep voter looking for a party that is actually conservative.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: PLK

Plus their upper crust is terribly resentful of foreign influence.


40 posted on 04/17/2008 4:39:37 PM PDT by RobbyS
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 10 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-40 last

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.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson