Pope Francis Sounds Pro-Immigrant Message In Lampedusa During First Official Trip Outside Rome

[Beacool]

Source: The Huffington Post

By Peter Finocchiaro
07/08/2013



Pope Francis urged compassion for immigrants on Monday, during his first official trip outside Rome since his election in March.

In what was billed as a highly symbolic and "dramatic pro-immigrant outing," Francis celebrated mass on Lampedusa, an island in the southern Mediterranean that has become a safe haven for African migrants seeking passage to Europe. The plight of the migrants, many of whom are killed attempting to cross the sea, has been a "thorn in the heart," the Pope said.

"These our brothers and sisters seek to leave difficult situations in order to find a little serenity and peace, they seek a better place for themselves and for their families – but they found death," Francis lamented. "How many times to those who seek this not find understanding, do not find welcome, do not find solidarity! And their voices rise up even to God!"



Read more: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/07/08/pope-francis-immigration_n_3560803.html

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Hear that conservatives? Your attitude toward immigrants is not very "Christian" of you.

[Bluenorthwest]

1. Francis libels some minorities whom he says are an attack on

God, Francis being judge of that which God created. I do not agree with Francis. I do not see him as a good judge of who is worthy and who is not.

[Beacool]

2. Are you against his immigration stance?

[Babel_17]

3. I think many object to holding up anyone as a moral arbiter

I think many object to holding up anyone as a moral arbiter who views GLBT's as being outside of being on great terms with God.

This is probably not the thread to get into that but I can understand anyone feeling that way.

[Beacool]

4. That's the point.

The article is not about GLBT rights and the place of women in the Church hierarchy. Two things where I oppose The Catholic Church's position, but I think that this Pope is a good man who does care about the downtrodden in society. He has been practicing what he preaches for years now.

[Babel_17]

6. Well, I was smiling when he was chosen to be Pope

I was very happy at his choice of name. I don't disagree with anything that you said.

But I'm guessing that some have an issue that they see trumping that. They maybe feel that it's wrong to hold him up as a moral arbiter. That if you quote him when he's right you're giving a pass to what is seen as indefensible.

Like Newt Gingrich lecturing Bill Clinton for being unfaithful. People saw Gingrich as having lost the right to be a lecturer.

It can't be easy to respect the speaker when you're spoken down to.

[Beacool]

8. Except that Church dogma is not going to change on a Pope's whim.

The Church is a behemoth that has existed for over 2,000 years. It doesn't do change very well. Baby steps.......

[David__77]

5. The reassertion of Catholic social doctrine would be a good thing.

And it should be welcomed. The Catholic church has, at times, played a progressive role in opposing unrestrained capitalism - a humanist role. And I would hope that the church would welcome unity with secular progressives.

[Babel_17]

7. It's great to hear the Pope speaking out for basic human rights (k&r)

Here's hoping that this will be a continued trend. Here's to the day when we can speak of "Her Holiness" or can congratulate a Pope on his children. Onward and upward.

I think it would be great if the Pope also addressed violence as practiced by governments against their own people. Naturally he'd also need to urge those who oppose their governments to give peaceful change a chance.