Pope Francis Condemns Border Closures and Advocates for Migrant Compassion

[Social Media]

 

Pope Francis made headlines by condemning efforts to restrict migration at the U.S.-Mexico border, labeling such actions as "madness." In an interview with Norah O’Donnell on CBS's "60 Minutes," the Pope specifically criticized a Texas initiative aimed at shutting down a Catholic charity that assists migrants, highlighting the broader moral and humanitarian implications of such policies.

 

Pope Francis emphasized the positive contributions of migrants to national growth, using historical examples to underline his point. "Migration is something that makes a country grow," he remarked. "They say that you Irish migrated and brought the whiskey, and that the Italians migrated and brought the mafia. Migrants sometimes suffer a lot. They suffer a lot."

 

The Pope’s comments were a direct response to Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton's attempts to subpoena Annunciation House, a Catholic charity providing temporary shelter to migrants. Paxton accused the charity of engaging in "alien harboring, human smuggling, and operating a stash house." Pope Francis vehemently rejected these accusations, stating, "That is madness. Sheer madness. To close the border and leave them there, that is madness."

 

Francis further stressed the importance of humane treatment for migrants, advocating for their reception and proper evaluation before any decisions are made about their future. "The migrant has to be received," he insisted. "Thereafter, you see how you are going to deal with him. Maybe you have to send him back, I don’t know, but each case ought to be considered humanely."

 

A Texas judge blocked Paxton’s initial subpoena against Annunciation House in March, but Paxton's office filed a similar complaint again recently. These actions occur amid a broader context of congressional gridlock over border reform. Despite a bipartisan deal that fell apart in February, discussions have stalled, with Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) considering reintroducing the proposal amid mixed reactions from immigration advocacy groups.

 

The Pope also addressed criticisms from U.S. conservative bishops regarding his progressive stances on various issues within the Roman Catholic Church. In the "60 Minutes" interview, he described the conservative mindset as a "suicidal attitude," explaining that such rigidity prevents growth and adaptation. "Because one thing is to take tradition into account, to consider situations from the past, but quite another is to be closed up inside a dogmatic box."

 

Since his election in 2013, Pope Francis has pushed for more progressive policies within the Church, including a more inclusive approach to LGBTQ+ individuals while maintaining traditional views on marriage. He has denounced laws criminalizing homosexuality and clarified that transgender people can be baptized. In the interview, he reiterated his position on blessings for same-sex couples, distinguishing between blessing individuals and blessing unions, which he stated, "goes against the law of the Church. But to bless each person, why not? The blessing is for all."

 

Pope Francis's criticism of Texas's border policies extends to his broader views on migration and humanitarian aid. He condemned the efforts to close down Annunciation House as "sheer madness" and reiterated the necessity of receiving migrants humanely. "The migrant has to be received. Thereafter you see how you are going to deal with him. Maybe you have to send him back, I don't know, but each case ought to be considered humanely."

 

The interview also touched on sensitive issues like surrogacy and adoption. While Vatican doctrine does not authorize surrogacy, Pope Francis acknowledged the complexities of such situations. "It could be. The other hope is adoption," he said, emphasizing the need for careful consideration of each case both medically and morally.

 

Credit: AXIOS & The Hill 2024-05-21

 

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[prakhonchai nick]

Just stick to the pearly gates, Mate!

[JonnyF]

Stay out of politics.

[Dionigi]

how many migrants have been taken in to the vatican city?

[Hanaguma]

7 minutes ago, Dionigi said:

how many migrants have been taken in to the vatican city?

Or, how deep has he reached into his OWN pocket to pay for a single fish or loaf of bread for those he feels such compassion for?  Easy to tell others how to spend their money, not so easy to spend your own.

[Donga]

The continuing schism between Emotive vs Analytical approach to many of today's challenges.

So many people are hard wired to use their emotive side without a detailed understanding - they usually don't like to ferret things out themselves, easier to take a righteous stand - then accuse the other side of being inhumane.

Frustrating when you try to discuss and face this blank wall or cancellation, even with friends.

[Chomper Higgot]

2 minutes ago, Donga said:

The continuing schism between Emotive vs Analytical approach to many of today's challenges.

So many people are hard wired to use their emotive side without a detailed understanding - they usually don't like to ferret things out themselves, easier to take a righteous stand - then accuse the other side of being inhumane.

Frustrating when you try to discuss and face this blank wall or cancellation, even with friends.

The Pope arguing on principals of morality and humanity.

 

An area of thought some dare not enter.

 

[riclag]

1 hour ago, Dionigi said:

how many migrants have been taken in to the vatican city?

Vatican city got some nice big walls’.

Take them down Pope . Practice what you preach . 

[Donga]

40 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The Pope arguing on principals of morality and humanity.

 

An area of thought some dare not enter.

 

Principals of morality and humanity without considering those despairing in refugee camps, patiently waiting their turn, or the conflicts creating refugees around the world that are in far worse positions of helping themselves get to the West.

The term migrant is used too loosely, and makes light of the many more genuine refugees and unfortunates worldwide.

Pope could better demonstrate his principals of morality and humanity by: Condemning illegal people smugglers with their vile ways, in a multi billion $ industry and recognise the West is entitled to control who they allow into their countries...  Only if the West play their part in reducing the misery by replacing the "migrants" with more aggressive refugee intakes. More morality and more humane.

But much easier to just take a simplistic, righteous stand that resonates with the emotive ones.

[Myran]

What a coincidence, I'm currently condemning the Catholic church for their systematic protection of child rapists.

[JonnyF]

36 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The Pope arguing on principals of morality and humanity.

 

 

Perhaps he should focus on cleaning up his own back yard before pontificating on political issues that he appears to have extremely limited knowledge of?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church_sexual_abuse_cases

[transam]

Religions should stay out of it......

[Chomper Higgot]

13 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

Perhaps he should focus on cleaning up his own back yard before pontificating on political issues that he appears to have extremely limited knowledge of?

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Catholic_Church_sexual_abuse_cases

Oh no, the whataboutary.

[Pla Simon]

2 hours ago, Donga said:

Principals of morality and humanity without considering those despairing in refugee camps, patiently waiting their turn, or the conflicts creating refugees around the world that are in far worse positions of helping themselves get to the West.

The term migrant is used too loosely, and makes light of the many more genuine refugees and unfortunates worldwide.

Pope could better demonstrate his principals of morality and humanity by: Condemning illegal people smugglers with their vile ways, in a multi billion $ industry and recognise the West is entitled to control who they allow into their countries...  Only if the West play their part in reducing the misery by replacing the "migrants" with more aggressive refugee intakes. More morality and more humane.

But much easier to just take a simplistic, righteous stand that resonates with the emotive ones.

 

Ironic, considering he heads a multi billion dollar organisation that aided and granted safe passage to nazi war criminal "migrants".

 

The Catholic church is in no position to cast any stones.

[brianthainess]

Maybe all the Burmese should turn Catholic, then he could slag of this government. Catholics are not the chosen few, nobody is.  

[john donson]

the vatican has billions in euros, property, etc... empty churches, there is where they should put illegals...

 

not in 300$ a night hotel rooms... 36.000$ just for food of 1 illegal I heard for 1 year...

 

anyway, the flood of illegals into USA,  I call it karma

 

they destabilized africa with wars and coups and pushed tens of millions of refugees/illegals into europe... 

[Danderman123]

Not a lot of fans of the Pope here.

[Chomper Higgot]

24 minutes ago, Danderman123 said:

Not a lot of fans of the Pope here.

Not a lot of fans of ‘morality and humanity’ either.

[Luuk Chaai]

13 hours ago, Dionigi said:

how many migrants have been taken in to the vatican city?

Zero !     I'll bet they could fit quite a bit in some fabricated shelters..  look at all that space !

Another case of  rules for thee,,,,,  not for me

[Chomper Higgot]

3 hours ago, Luuk Chaai said:

Zero !     I'll bet they could fit quite a bit in some fabricated shelters..  look at all that space !

Another case of  rules for thee,,,,,  not for me

It doesn’t belong to the Pope.

[JonnyF]

10 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Not a lot of fans of ‘morality and humanity’ either.

 

Nothing moral and humane about involving yourself in political issues while the organization you preside over has been routinely sexually abusing children for decades. 

 

It's pretty ironic that you choose to ignore that sexual abuse in order to score political points while talking about morality. 

[Chomper Higgot]

Just now, JonnyF said:

 

Nothing moral and humane about involving yourself in political issues while the organization you preside over has been routinely sexually abusing children for decades. 

 

It's pretty ironic that you choose to ignore that sexual abuse in order to score political points while talking about morality. 

It’s not irony Jonny.

 

It’s whataboutary.

[herfiehandbag]

18 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

The Pope arguing on principals of morality and humanity.

 

An area of thought some dare not enter.

 

But they argue from a stance that has no moral compass (Stormy Daniels anyone) and certainly abhors humanity ( seeding rivers with razor wire and putting children in camps).

 

I think it is called "evangelical "?

 

That is what is driving this one.

[JonnyF]

54 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It’s not irony Jonny.

 

It’s whataboutary.

 

It's highlighting hypocrisy.

 

Curious that you would leap to the defense of someone presiding over an organization guilty of such systemic abuse of children in order to score political points re. migration.  

[Chomper Higgot]

4 minutes ago, JonnyF said:

 

It's highlighting hypocrisy.

 

Curious that you would leap to the defense of someone presiding over an organization guilty of such systemic abuse of children in order to score political points re. migration.  

Defense?

[JonnyF]

1 hour ago, Chomper Higgot said:

Defense?

 

[Luuk Chaai]

23 hours ago, Chomper Higgot said:

It doesn’t belong to the Pope.

neither does the US southern border !      he should keep his pie hole shut