Pope Francis isn’t your typical pope. If one takes the standard model and sets out your expected “papal features” – Francis will be well outside the mean. He is a Jesuit, a powerful group inside a powerful church – an order that is centered on education and social justice over sex and money. The guy has a Master’s degree in chemistry which… Dunno how that comes in handy but it does because science is cool, especially when it conquers religion in areas it shouldn’t be. He is from Argentina – the only pope from the Western Hemisphere. And – almost comically, because he’s just such a “regular guy,” he lives in a dormitory in the Vatican and not the Apostolic Palace, takes his meals in common at the cafeteria, and genuinely seems to prefer life as a simple “colleague” over the “royalty” that church leaders once represented. Oh, and he’s about the most liberal pope yet. Hang on to that thought.
The other thing about Francis is that he was from an immigrant’s family to Argentina and damned if the guy doesn’t retain that immigrant spirit. Nothing, and I mean nothing upsets this man more than anti-immigrant hatred. It makes today’s news that much more urgent when hearing of a letter he wrote to U.S. Bishops today – some of whom are surely quite “conservative” in their outlook:
Pope Francis has written a sweeping letter to the U.S. bishops decrying the “major crisis” triggered by President Donald Trump’s mass deportation plans and explicitly rejecting Vice President JD Vance’s attempts to use Catholic theology to justify the administration’s immigration crackdown.
“The act of deporting people who in many cases have left their own land for reasons of extreme poverty, insecurity, exploitation, persecution or serious deterioration of the environment, damages the dignity of many men and women, and of entire families, and places them in a state of particular vulnerability and defenselessness,” reads the pope’s Feb. 11 letter.
To the extent that the Catholic Church has a official position on anything, it is what the Pope writes, at least with respect to politics of some sort. Thus it is that it will be established fact in the U.S. that from the Catholic Church’s view the Trump Administration’s policy on immigration “damages the dignity of many men and women, and of entire families, and places them in a state of particular vulnerability.”
Sounds about right. The thing is, the Catholic Church is just horrific at just about every single thing it touches, as everyone knows. But few know that one thing it actually gets right is that it knows its own congregants and genuinely seem to not care that they’re poor and “new” over the old rich, and they are far more likely to be poor and from the very Catholic countries down south over moneyed interests here. Many bishops are already fighting this battle for their own people and it’s actually kind of inspiring:
The pope’s letter, published by the Vatican in both English and Spanish, offered his solidarity with U.S. bishops who are engaged in migration advocacy and draws a parallel between Jesus’ own experience as a migrant and the current geopolitical situation.
Getting back to Francis. He is not the type you want to have mad at you, either. He has the type of leadership role unheard of since the days of the “King” and his word goes, period. But more importantly, he does, in fact, get mad – very mad. And the thing about him is that it must be infuriating to have him after you because you simply cannot pin any hypocrisy on him. He is 100% legitimate. Thus, when he lets his righteous anger fly, look the F*** out because you will be blasted and have virtually nothing to sling back.
We could spend weeks, and may do so at some point, listing the failures of the Catholic Church. For today, let’s celebrate one of those wins within its grasp. It may look like they just stumbled on an issue to get right. But no – this is no stumble, they know damned well who is being attacked. In so many ways, it is them and their people, even if poor and marginalized. Good job, Francis.
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Maybe it’s time for Pope Francis to start threatening to excommunicate any Catholic (cleric or layperson) who decides to argue with him.
Or just use the power and money of the church’s official position to roll support for the deportation program as it currently stands. A lot of conservative Catholics stand behind Trump (A lot of liberal ones do not, and there are more liberal ones than most know.) But yes, he should use the weight of the church to push even harder. his is a good sign.
Even before I became agnostic I had some real problems with the Catholic Church. Starting with when I was young yet had been “confirmed” not being allowed to take communion when I went to our local Catholic Church as I wasn’t Catholic. The ‘only Catholics are worth of receiving communion in OUR place be WE by god are entitled to receive it anywhere’ didn’t seem at all Christian to me. Still doesn’t even though it’s been decades since I’ve been in any church or house of worship except for a funeral. As my teens progressed the church’s attitudes on birth control, abortion and sexuality overall cause me no end of ‘WTF is wrong with them?’ moments, as well as refusal to allow women to become priests. Then came the appalling revelations about shifting priests who were known child predators around – where they would keep committing not just sins but CRIMES instead of handing them over to the police.
Still, as life progressed I’d also learn that in godforesaken places around the world Catholic Charities were there, providing food, medicine and other help to people in desperate need. AND that unlike so many prominent Protestant “missionaries” the ‘price’ for getting help, even a simple meal didn’t require attending mass or bible study! Sure, it was offered and the gospel was preached but it wasn’t required. The ‘mission’ might have included spiritual help/guidance but the primary mission was to alleviate human suffering. Provide food, medicine and shelter. Teaching people to read and write and skills to work and survive and help their villages/communities. So, for all my problems with the Catholic Church that’s something for which I can confess my admiration. And thanks.
When I saw a Jesuit had become Pope I thought things might get interesting. The conflict between the Catholic Church and science goes all the way back to the beginning of what we know as Christianity. Yet the Jesuits revere learning and yes, science. I for one have never understood why religious folks including and especially leaders have so fiercely fought scientific advancement or just general knowledge. I developed the opinion which I still hold which is that science tells us the how, the church tells us why – but in the end it’s just two entities telling the same story focusing on different parts. From what I can understand that’s how Jesuits see things. So yes, they study and master non-religious/scripture fields of study including some awfully advanced science for those with the aptitude.
I read The Exorcist when I was a kid and one passage has always stuck in my head – when Father Karras quipped after a comment about his medical degree and Psychiatric training that Jesuits don’t take vows of INTELLECTUAL poverty!
American Catholics are like any group a mixed bag. Many parishioners and for that matter even more priests and nuns than people realized have no issues with things like reproductive rights and family planning/birth control or even abortion. That it’s an individual CHOICE. Or that priests have got to be unmarried, or that women should be allowed into leadership or even be priests. I for one think if the old-school types would STFU with their bullshit the Catholic Church would explode in membership in this country. I’m sure many disagree. Not being a person of faith it doesn’t really matter to me. People can choose to believe in god or not and so far as they don’t go forcing others to live by their own religious code worship and live their lives as they choose.
Regardless of faith or lack thereof I believe people should try to be good to themselves, others and the world around them.
I was lucky enough to be educated by the Jesuits. One can say a lot but an order dedicated to “Agape” (Love of mankind, including the arts and sciences) is headed in the right direction. Additionally, damn – when they say “educated” they don’t mean you know a lot about one subject. You can be a biology major and you’re still going to have to take four years of English, four years of philosophy, four years of a foreign language, three of history, you will have to take a class in ethics, morality, etc. They do not think anyone is “educated” unless that person can read/write at a high level, know their stuff (Four years of philosophy?), and use it.
For that, I am grateful. I would never have known I wanted to minor in modern American history if it weren’t for the fact that I had to take Western Civilization 101/102, nor “American History” 301 (Also required).
Many here may be amazed to know that I did take four years of English. So much so that when I wrote my novel and had to use Pope Francis as a character, I researched him and came away very impressed. I almost know with certainty he wishes he could solve the LGBTQ position – but really cannot do so yet w/o sending the conservatives into fits.