Pope pleas for European unity, says ideologies threaten its existence

By Philip Pullella

 

Pope Francis talks to the media on the papal plane after his visit to Romania, June 2, 2019. AP Photo/Andrew Medichini/Pool via Reuters

 

ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE (Reuters) - Pope Francis made an impassioned plea for Europe to stick together and revive the ideals of its founders on Sunday, saying ideologies and fear-mongering politicians were threatening its very existence as a bloc.

 

His comments to journalists on the plane while returning from a three-day trip to Romania, one of the more recent European Union members, were his first since European elections last month.

 

Francis, who was asked about the elections, Italian far-right leader Matteo Salvini and other European topics, urged believers to pray for European unity and non-believers to hope for it "from the bottom of your hearts".

 

The far-right and nationalists in Italy, Britain, France and Poland came out on top in their national votes, shaking up politics at home but failing to dramatically alter the balance of pro-European power in EU assembly.

 

"If Europe does not look carefully to future challenges, Europe will dry up. Europe is ceasing to be 'Mother Europe' and is becoming 'Grandmother Europe'. It has aged. It has lost the goal of working together," he said.

 

"Someone could ask under their breath 'Is this perhaps the end of a 70-year adventure?'," he said.

 

Francis avoided directly criticising Salvini, leader of the right-wing League party who has often spared with him on migration issues, saying the reason they had not yet met was because Salvini had not asked for an audience.

 

Francis also stressed that his comments should be taken generally about Europe and were not specific to Italy, saying it was near impossible for him to understand Italian politics.

 

"We have to help politicians to be honest. They should not carry out (political) campaigns under dishonest banners, with calumny, defamation, scandals," he said, without naming any countries or giving examples.

 

"Many times they sow hate and fear. A politician should never sow hate and fear, only hope - just and demanding - but always hope," he said.

 

He said Europe had to again "take up the mysticism" of its founding fathers and overcome divisions and borders.

 

"Please let's not let Europe be overcome by pessimism or by ideologies, because Europe is not being attacked by canons or bombs in this moment, but by ideologies - ideologies that are not European, that come either from outside or which stem from small groups in Europe," he said.

 

Francis urged Europeans to remember how the continent was divided and belligerent in the years leading up to both world wars in the 20th century.

 

"Please, let's not return to this. Let's learn from history. Let's not fall in the same hole."

 

(Reporting By Philip Pullella; editing by David Evans)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2019-06-03

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It's odd how politicians like to lecture the people about moral duty, and the religious types tell us how to organise our politics.

16 minutes ago, webfact said:

Francis, who was asked about the elections, Italian far-right leader Matteo Salvini and other European topics, urged believers to pray for European unity and non-believers to hope for it "from the bottom of your hearts".

This would be an entirely suitable comment from Pope Benedict (aka Ratzi the Nazi), but surely not Pope Francis.

Edited June 2, 20197 yr by BritManToo

Europe's diversity is what makes it great and also what makes federalism impossible. There are too many different cultures & languages to make it a viable single currency area (Optimal Currency Area). The circa. 1 TRILLION EURO's Target2 balance 'owed' to Germany is all the proof you need to show that the imbalances between many of these European countries are simply too big to make a single currency viable.   

 

Besides, what is wrong with a Europe where the different countries have their own currency? The economics actually works better this way!

Reuters reporters ought to know the difference between pleas and pleads.

Pope Francis is a dedicated socialist, big government globalist. He's against nationalism or individualism and preaches a phony religion.

"And so castles made of sand,
Fall in the sea, eventually"

Edited June 3, 20197 yr by AGareth2

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Pope pleas for European unity, says ideologies threaten its existence

 

noun: ideology; plural noun: ideologies

synonyms:

beliefs, ideas, ideals, principles, doctrine, creed, credo, teaching, dogma, theory, thesis, tenets, canon(s)

 

Mr. Pope, you are quite right.

The Pope should concentrate on praying, keeping his underlings off the knickers and choirboys and bless the crowds. The last thing we need is an Argentinan pope to comment on Italian politics!

As long as the European leadership, after years of fact finding, concludes that it is operationally not possible to do away again with Europe's daylight saving time, I think that the problem is in Brussel.

Ah, and by the way, Putin just signed a decree to eliminate Russia's daylight saving time - a simple signature - that was it. Juncker missed something here?

It is interesting that the last time there was a European common currency (a silver coin) a country was expelled for issuing debased currency with less than the required amount of silver.

 

That country was the Papal States (now the Vatican State). I wonder if their ethics have improved as their size has diminished.

Edited June 3, 20197 yr by rott

53 minutes ago, Sydebolle said:

The Pope should concentrate on praying, keeping his underlings off the knickers and choirboys and bless the crowds. The last thing we need is an Argentinan pope to comment on Italian politics!

As long as the European leadership, after years of fact finding, concludes that it is operationally not possible to do away again with Europe's daylight saving time, I think that the problem is in Brussel.

Ah, and by the way, Putin just signed a decree to eliminate Russia's daylight saving time - a simple signature - that was it. Juncker missed something here?

"The Pope should concentrate on praying, keeping his underlings off the knickers and choirboys and bless the crowds."

 

Agree entirely.

Francis, who was asked about the elections, Italian far-right leader Matteo Salvini and other European topics, urged believers to pray for European unity and non-believers to hope for it "from the bottom of your hearts".

 

   That made my day. Hallelujah! 

2 hours ago, AGareth2 said:

"And so castles made of sand,
Fall in the sea, eventually"

Which is why there will be a second referendum.

8 minutes ago, ballpoint said:

Which is why there will be a second referendum.

There will likely be a second referendum as our politicians/big business etc. etc.  know that this is their only possible hope ......

Interesting reference to "ideologies which are not European".

 

If the Pope is smart, he'll pray for a slowdown in Muslim immigration into Europe and the unprecedented rate of conversions to the ideology of Islam.

 

Otherwise, he and his succesors could end up shepherds without a flock.

The flock is.well diminished already judging by scant attendances at mass even in holy Rome, dwindling numbets of new priests etc.

 

And looking at the birthrate most are only paying lip-service and don't believe a word he says.

Edited June 3, 20197 yr by rott

2 minutes ago, rott said:

looking at the birthrate most are only paying lip-service

Oral sex?