Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search
 

Purveyor

(29,876 posts)
Thu Feb 18, 2016, 04:43 PM Feb 2016

Trump Aide: Vatican Completely 'Surrounded By Walls'

A top aide to Donald Trump sought Thursday to further push back on Pope Francis's criticism of the GOP presidential front-runner's proposal to build a wall along the nation's southern border.

Trump senior advisor Dan Scavino suggested the pontiff was being hypocritical regarding Trump's wall proposal, tweeting about the walls that surround the Vatican.

The image appears to include a drop shadow overlaid on a map of the borders of the roughly 100 acres in the Vatican City. Critics have previously pointed to the centuries-old walled portions of the Vatican to call out the pope's push for open borders.

Asked about Trump, Pope Francis told reporters Thursday that "a person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not of building bridges, is not Christian. This is not the gospel."

While concluding his trip to Mexico, the pontiff laid a wreath on the U.S. border to honor those attempting to pass into the U.S.

MORE...

http://thehill.com/blogs/blog-briefing-room/news/269876-trump-aide-vatican-completely-surrounded-by-walls

15 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies

Tommy_Carcetti

(43,182 posts)
1. Yes, because a major world leader's administrative complex the size of a city park....
Thu Feb 18, 2016, 04:47 PM
Feb 2016

....is no different than a 2,000 mile border.

Okay, Danny boy.

Xipe Totec

(43,890 posts)
2. It's really not a good idea to challenge one of the most important articles of Catholic faith
Thu Feb 18, 2016, 04:48 PM
Feb 2016

That the Pope is infallible.

KatyMan

(4,198 posts)
5. I'm an atheist, but your statement is wrong.
Thu Feb 18, 2016, 05:32 PM
Feb 2016

Catholics don't believe every word out of the Pope's mouth is infallible, it's only when he speaks on certain matters that he is. I believe it's called ex cathedra, and hasn't been used (from what I can find) since 1950. So the pope can spout all the crap he wants and he's not infallible to Catholics, but if he issues an encyclical and says he's speaking ex cathedra, then that's the be all and end all of Church belief.

Xipe Totec

(43,890 posts)
8. When the Pope says somebody is not a Christian, I think he's in pretty strong territory
Thu Feb 18, 2016, 05:38 PM
Feb 2016

ex cathedra, I would say.

KatyMan

(4,198 posts)
9. It would carry a lot of weight with Catholics (I would think)
Thu Feb 18, 2016, 05:40 PM
Feb 2016

But it doesn't go into ex cathedra territory. Ex cathedra is about doctrine, not about opinions on other world leaders or potential world leaders.
I'm not defending the faith here, just saying that the infallibility thing is overblown.

Retrograde

(10,137 posts)
4. The piazza is open to the rest of Rome
Thu Feb 18, 2016, 05:24 PM
Feb 2016

no walls preventing entrance to St. Peter's Basillica - unless they built some since I was there a decade ago. There are some walls, but the Vatican is pretty open to people coming in to see the church and the museums.

Tommy_Carcetti

(43,182 posts)
7. Also, I believe the Donald is talking the Pope's comments on "walls" a little too literally.
Thu Feb 18, 2016, 05:38 PM
Feb 2016

Walls need not be an actual fence, but rather a barrier between people.

And by demonizing immigrants or Muslims or whatever segment of the population Donald Trump has seen fit to demonize, he certainly has built up those walls pretty high.

Latest Discussions»General Discussion»Trump Aide: Vatican Compl...