The Holy Father touched on many many issues while he was here. And one of those issues was immigration. Evidently he struck a nerve because Representative Tancredo of Colorado had this to say:
Accusing the pope of “faith-based marketing,” Mr. Tancredo said Benedict’s comments welcoming immigrants “may have less to do with spreading the Gospel than they do about recruiting new members of the Church.” Mr. Tancredo, a former Catholic who now attends an evangelical Christian church, said it was not in the pope’s “job description to engage in American politics.”
Keep in mind Tancredo was the one who ran this campaign advertisement that said “immigrants rape your children.”
The Pope had this to say:
The separation of families “is truly dangerous for the social, moral and human fabric” of Latin and Central American families, the pope told reporters aboard his plane. “The fundamental solution is that there should no longer be a need to emigrate, that there are enough jobs in the homeland, a sufficient social fabric,” he said. Short of that, families should be protected, not destroyed, he said. “As much as it can be done it should be done,” the pontiff said.
The pope did not just send a message to the president and the public, he spoke to the bishops. In his private meeting with them on Wednesday evening, he emphasized that recent newcomers to the United States are “people of faith, and we are here to welcome them,” Cardinal Mahony said.
For the whole story, go here.
Tancredo is a nut. I am so glad the GOP is r about id of him. His threats were getting tiring and it was nice the last two years to see he realized he was not all that.
He is now preparing himself for some silly radio talk show host job where no doubt he will again find out he is not all that.
As usual Tancredo is did not talk about all of Pope Benedicts statements on the complex issue of immigration
His” Extremeist John Tanton ” views was a threat to many things including conservativism.
I am counting the days when he is outta here
“Mr. Tancredo said Benedict’s comments welcoming immigrants ‘may have less to do with spreading the Gospel than they do about recruiting new members of the Church.’”
Were they not Catholics back in Mexico? That doesn’t make any sense.
BA: They were Catholics and they were in Mexico, etc. The real question: were they not unskilled, uneducated, and poor back in Mexico, etc.? Now, does it make sense?
Is the solution to latin american poverty, move it to the USA? If it is, just come out and say it and stop demonizing everyone with whom you disagree.
You all seem to think Pope B was saying, let them (how many, 50 or 100 million?) come to the USA where the money is, and then force American taxpayers do the Church’s corporal works of mercy. Neither the Church nor the taxpayer get ‘graces’ for forced (Church = forcer; taxpayer = forcee) charity. PS: voting for Obama because he will raise taxes on the hated (charity) rich evil s.o.b.’s is not one of the corporal works of mercy, and does not offset his extermist abortion activities.
Now, does it make sense to you that some may view a worst-case secnario with 12-plus million undocumented, young disaffected, without ties as potential (1% is 120,000, almost as many as US troops in Iraq and four-times the number of troops in Afghanistan) acting as foot soldiers in a violent revolutionary army to be led by catholic socialist justice philsopher kings like here in vox nova?
And don’t bother wasting your click-clacking with your time honored “zenophobe!” ad hominen slurs. Go ahead, censor me again.
T.,
You never cease to amaze me. We (America), or at least our government, (and not exclusively this regime) are largely responsible for the plight of many of these countries through business policies and foreign policies. We are indirectly responsible for putting many of the LAtin American regimes into power.
There is a reason so many people feel the necessity to immigrate. We are part of that reason.
Regardless, the CAtholic perspective is to share what we have with those who have less. They have less, and generally speaking are more than willing to work for their share. They just want to the freedom and opportunity to have a stable life.
They are our brothers and sisters and God’s sons and daughters. The Pope is very to challenge us to care for the body of Christ.
T: I have never “censored” you. I have no idea what you are talking about, nor do I know about this xenophobic slurs you refer.I think you are talking about other posts. Try and stay on topic or I WILL remove you. Thank you!
And where have I mentioned Obama? Oh that is right, I mention Obama when I was concerned about his Church he attends.
Wow, T . Shaw. I mention that a particular criticism of Pope Benedict by Rep. Tancredo makes no sense, and next thing I know I’m leading an army of illegal immigrants to violently overthrow the government. That’s an impressive leap of logic.
[...] who once ran this political tagline in his campaign ad; “immigrants rape your children” (Source) himself politicized the Holy Father’s statements, revealing his Evangelical religious bias [...]
I gave more thoughts here
A Catholic Republican Responds to Represenative Tancredo’s Pope and Catholic Bashing
http://opinionatedcatholic.blogspot.com/2008/04/catholic-republican-responds-to.html
Now I wish that Tancredo had become the Republican nomination. It would’ve been great to see the loyalties of his Catholic supporters tested. But Tancredo probably would’ve come back with a “I’m sorry if anyone was offended” and his supporters would have had their excuse to embrace him again.
‘“The fundamental solution is that there should no longer be a need to emigrate, that there are enough jobs in the homeland, a sufficient social fabric,” he said…’
Unfortunately, self-sufficient national and regional economies are about the last thing either of our parties would like to see.