Posted on 02/25/2016 5:09:03 PM PST by ebb tide
In a February 8 interview with one of Italy's most prominent dailies, Corriere Della Serra, Pope Francis praised Italy's leading proponent of abortion - Emma Bonino -- as one of the nation's "forgotten greats," comparing her to great historical figures such as Konrad Adenauer and Robert Schuman. Knowing that his praise of her may be controversial, the Pope said that she offered the best advice to Italy on learning about Africa, and admitted she thinks differently from us. "True, but never mind," he said. "We have to look at people, at what they do."
At 27, Bonino had an illegal abortion and then worked with the Information Centre on Sterilization and Abortion which boasted over 10,000 abortions. There are famous photos of Bonino performing illegal abortions using a homemade device operated by a bicycle pump. Arrested for the then-illegal activity she spent a few days in jail and was acquitted and entered politics.
When she was appointed Italy's foreign minister in 2013 there was a general outcry from life and family leaders at the appalling situation.
Responding to the Pope's praise of Bonino, pro-life leaders in Italy expressed disbelief. "How can the pope praise a woman that is best known in Italy for practicing illegal abortion and promoting abortion?" commented Msgr. Ignacio Barreiro, who was until last year the head of the Rome office of Human Life International.
Luca Volonte, an Italian politician and the president of the pro-life Novae Terrae Foundation, told LifeSiteNews he believed the Pope "was not really informed about how much Mrs. Bonino has done in Italy and at the international level to promote abortion and euthanasia." Even though he admits "she did well in Egypt," he adds that even there "she promoted her anti-life values." The Pope, said Volonte, "was wrong and worse were the members of His secretariat for not informing him."
The Pope's possible ignorance of Bonino's stance is unlikely given his justifications in the interview. She has been for decades the most prominent supporter of abortion in Italy. Moreover, the Pope already received criticism for his contact with Bonino in 2015 when he called her about her cancer and invited her to the Vatican.
"How can the pope praise a woman that is best known in Italy for practicing illegal abortion and promoting abortion?" commented Msgr. Ignacio Barreiro, who was until last year the head of the Rome office of Human Life International.
Now I understand why antipopes were needed.
Are the Catholics sure that Francis I is actually Catholic?
This isn’t sarcasm, just a question.
Let’s hope no innocents are ever aborted. islamo filth just needs sterilized so we don’t have an issue.
The Pope’s not hard to understand.
He’s just hard to understand AS a Pope.
Is this Pope trying to break up the Catholic Church?
You get an idea of how difficult it is for Pro-Life Catholics to keep up their morale, when so many of the Catholic clergy clearly support or abet politicians who promote abortion.
Elections....err...I mean selections have consequences.....
Catholics keep telling me (or did) that the Holy Spirit though the cardinals decides who is Pope....
I have not heard that argument lately...I wonder why...
Maybe the people who have written about evil in the Vatican know what they’re talking about.
Satan is horrified.
I read the article. Couldn’t figure out what the Pope was praising her for.
The Catholic Church should meet and put Benedict back in as Pope. This one is a disaster.
He’ll fail. The Modernist Wing was curbed by JP II’s record long papacy. He appointed so many solid bishops, especially in the Third World where growth is explosive.
The loonies like Kaspar are all old Europeans or Americans who probably realize that after Francis the numbers will tilt against them completely as they die off.
I don’t think Francis is a radical, after all he was hated in Argentina by the Liberation Theologians, but he is malleable enough to be manipulated.
The Pope is first and foremost, a politician. That’s how Hitler got a pass.
Catholics everywhere are asking who is this guy. He deserves it.
I used to think it was outrageous that some priest would give Pelosi and other pro-abortion Catholics Communion. I would never dream they would praise people who promote abortions.
I don’t believe this Pope is Christian.
Did they find Frank playing piano in a Buenos Aires horrhouse?
I have never been sure. I am now thinking “dementia.”
Demonentia.
As if.
He is flanked by a top flight PR organization.
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