Pope slams treatment of migrants as 2 Italians become saints

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

By COLLEEN BARRY and LUIGI NAVARRA

VATICAN CITY (AP) — Pope Francis on Sunday denounced Europe’s indifference toward migrants risking their lives to cross the Mediterranean Sea as he elevated to sainthood an Italian bishop and Italian-born missionary whose work and life paths illustrated the difficulties faced by 19th Century Italian emigrants.

Francis departed from prepared remarks to slam Europe’s treatment of migrants as “disgusting, sinful and criminal.” He noted that people from outside the continent are often left to die during perilous sea crossings or pushed back to Libya, where they wind up in camps he referred to as “lager,” the German word referring to Nazi concentration camps.

He also recalled the plight of Ukrainians fleeing war, which he said “causes us great suffering.”

“ The exclusion of migrants is scandalous,” Francis said, generating applause from the faithful gathered in St. Peter’s Square for the canonizations of Don Giovanni Battista Scalabrini, an Italian bishop who founded an order to help Italian emigrants in 1887, and Artedime Zatti, an Italian who emigrated in 1897 to Argentina and dedicated his life as a lay-worker there to helping the sick.



Pope Francis celebrates a mass for the canonization of two new saints, Giovanni Battista Scalabrini and Artemide Zatti, in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican, Sunday, Oct. 9, 2022. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)



Read more: https://apnews.com/article/pope-francis-religion-migration-vatican-city-36e9bd548977f9f36bb59896b1adf4da?utm_source=homepage&utm_medium=TopNews&utm_campaign=position_08

[speak easy]

1. Francis is the 'good emperor'

but for every Francis, there is another Ratzinger in waiting in the wings. the problem is emperors.

[peppertree]

2. I just hope Francis keeps his tea under lock and key

Opus Dei is none too fond of him - even in his native Argentina, where right-wing (Opus-allied) media attacks him non-stop.

[musette_sf]

3. The Church is going to have to split

Last edited Sun Oct 9, 2022, 05:55 PM - Edit history (1)

Bergoglio says many of the things that need to be said, and I think in reality, a good faction of the top hierarchy knows that this Pope was needed to restore some sense of social relevancy to the Church. That being said, the small but exceedingly loud and annoying fundy cohort (see: “Church Militant”, Opus Dei, People of Praise, etc), that worship the questionably canonized Wojtyła and his collaborator Ratzinger, are deep in places of power. I’d personally be glad to see the trads break off into their own little sect, and let the Church attempt to advance social justice without them as an anchor. When Bergoglio retires/passes, the power struggle will be interesting to see. (I’m all in favor of this retiring thing, but I think Ratzinger and his followers wield it as a shadow Papacy.)

[peppertree]

5. You're just the kind of person the Catholic right doesn't like: sharp, and very well-informed

My impression is that most Catholics are largely unaware of the political tug-of-war within their church.

And that's just how Opus Dei and their medievalist allies like it - especially their lay allies, the most dangerous.

[musette_sf]

7. I remember when it was admirable

to be Catholic, sharp, and well-informed, e.g. Berrigan, or St Óscar Romero, for that matter. But since Wojtyła, it’s more about pliant pew potatoes.

[peppertree]

8. "Pliant pew potatoes"

Sounds like something a Pope might eat!

- but not Archbishop Salvatore Cordileone of San Francisco (widely reputed to be gay, besides having almost Versace-like tastes), or Archbishop Michael Bransfield of West Virginia (who lived a very un-West Virginia lifestyle).

It was first-class and cordon-bleu for them all the way.

[Stargleamer]

4. he should decry shipping them to Martha's Vineyard & Kamala Harris's home

such overt criticism would be most welcome

[iluvtennis]

6. Love this pope !!!