Posted on 05/21/2016 6:21:30 AM PDT by Auntie Mame
(CN) — Pope Francis condemned the sin of "living off the blood of the people" while criticizing immoral employers for not providing health care for their employees, calling them "true leeches."
During his homily on Thursday, the pontiff brought up a hypothetical situation in which a business employs a worker from September to June but does not provide health care coverage.
"Exploitation of people today is a true slavery," he said. "We thought that slaves do not exist anymore. They exist. It's true, people don't go to Africa to take them and then sell them in America, no. But it's in our cities."
Francis' critique of greedy employers was published in the National Catholic Reporter, which quoted the pontiff as saying that "living off the blood of the people is a mortal sin."
He elaborated on his hypothetical scenario by explaining how the mindset does not reflect Christian values and instead represents an immoral focus on becoming wealthy.
"I will pay you this much, without vacation time, without health insurance, all under the table — but I will become rich!
"May the Lord make us understand today that simplicity that Jesus tells us in the Gospel today. A glass of water in the name of Christ is more important than all the wealth accumulated by exploitation of people," Francis said.
Francis has commented on economic and health care issues since becoming pontiff in 2013. He criticized trickle-down economics, stating that it has never worked. He also called for a more balanced economic system that cares for the poorest people in May 2014.
Francis has discussed health care issues less frequently, and there's been a divide within the Catholic Church regarding the mandates outlined in the Affordable Care Act, specifically regarding contraception. In 2010, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops officially opposed the Affordable Care Act.
But Sister Carol Keehan, the president of the Catholic Health Association, defended the act in a 2012 speech, citing the bill's assistance in extending lives
"As I mentioned at the beginning of my remarks, the ACA is not a perfect law but it is a tremendous beginning for getting coverage for all," she said. "It is a pro-life law that matches Catholic and American principles for fairness and compassion."
Pope Francis also spoke of temporary workers who perform intense labor without receiving sufficient compensation in his comments Thursday, saying that when their job ends they're expected to "eat air."
Those who employ the temporary workers are "true bloodsuckers," the pontiff added.
Remember, He is from Argentina, rest my case.
The Pope is most likely a holy man, but certainly not an economist nor a scientist. His words tend to ring thinly hollow, and reverberate only in the mindless/soul-less vacuum of progressivism.
Like his hero, Che.
Then Francis won’t mind if we start taxing the Church?
This leftist goofball pope may cause the unraveling of the Catholic Church. Ultimately, the Catholic Church requires the attendance and financial and organizational support of faithful conservative Catholic lay people. Yet, under Francis, they are finding that their beloved church has turned and at its highest level is beginning to preach against them. This risks provoking enough antagonism to prompt the disaffection and departure of conservative Catholics. As that happens, it will be the end of the Catholic church as a unique and vital force.
Save
Coming out of the closet any day now....
I’m sure that he was just misquoted./sarc
This pope illustrates perfectly why South America is basically an economic basket case.
Did he forget to mention greedy governments?
Coming from someone who has never worked a real job.
Tells us who to marry from someone who knows nothing about relationships.
Sounding more and more like Obama everyday.
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.