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Old November 25th, 2014 #1
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Post Rabbi Francis describes Europe as "elderly and haggard"



In an address to the European Parliament, Pope Francis called for Europe to find a new sense of purpose, as it struggles with high youth unemployment, migration from Africa and the Middle East, and conflict on its eastern borders. Photo: Agence France-Presse/Getty Images

STRASBOURG, France—Pope Francis called for Europe to find a new sense of purpose, describing the Continent as “elderly and haggard” as it struggles with high youth unemployment, waves of migrants from strife-torn countries in Africa and the Middle East and conflict on its eastern borders.

The pope made the remarks Tuesday in an address to the European Parliament, the first pontifical visit to the body since a 1988 trip by St. John Paul II. In his address, Pope Francis—the first non-European pope in centuries—touched on the crisis of confidence afflicting a region struggling to forge a new economic and social model in the wake of a debilitating downturn.

“We encounter a general impression of weariness and aging, of a Europe that is now a ‘grandmother,’ no longer fertile and vibrant,” the pope told European lawmakers.

He underscored the discontent in many quarters with European Union institutions that have often failed to solve the region’s malaise. “The great ideas that once inspired Europe seem to have lost their attraction, only to be replaced by the bureaucratic technicalities of its institutions,” he said.

The pope warned that the EU has strayed from the principles of “peace and fellowship” that inspired its founders after World War II, citing the region’s treatment of migrants, soaring youth unemployment rates and “uncontrolled consumerism.”

“Men and women risk being reduced to mere cogs in a machine that treats them as items of consumption to be exploited,” he said. “How can hope in the future be restored so that, beginning with the younger generation, there can be a rediscovery of that confidence needed to pursue the great ideal of a united and peaceful Europe?”

The Argentine-born pope has made opposition to unfettered capitalism a hallmark of his papacy, a message that could resonate among Europeans torn between much-cherished social-welfare models and the need to make their economies more flexible and competitive globally.

Pope Francis has frequently denounced a “throwaway culture” that he views as a frequent product of a free-market economic model, resulting in the abandonment of the elderly, a lost generation of unemployed young people and disparagement of the poor.

“The time has come to promote policies that create employment” by “joining market flexibility with the need for stability and security” for workers, he said.

The visit to Strasbourg is the pope’s fifth trip abroad and only his second European trip outside Italy. Pope Francis has so far favored the emerging world in the choice of his trips, while his first European foray was to Albania, a small, Muslim-majority country that is among the poorest in Europe.

The pope’s harshest words were for Europe’s immigration policy. Pope Francis’ first trip after being elected pope last year was to Lampedusa, the tiny Italian island that been overwhelmed by tens of thousands of boat people arriving from Africa. So far this year, more than 3,000 migrants have died attempting to reach Italian shores in rickety boats.

Meanwhile, European leaders—often buffeted by strong anti-immigrant popular sentiment—have struggled to assemble a robust, unified response. Anti-immigrant riots have erupted in recent days in Rome’s poor peripheral neighborhoods.

“We cannot allow the Mediterranean to become a vast cemetery,” the pope said, warning that Europe’s failure to integrate immigrants risks contributing to slave labor and continuing social tensions. He joined the call, advanced by some center-left European parties, for European governments to do more to help resolve the poverty and strife in the Middle East and Africa that drives many to flee to Europe.

The pope also addressed the persecution of religious minorities, particularly Christians, around the world. The problem will be a major theme of a visit to Turkey that the pope will begin on Friday. Turkey is the fourth Muslim-majority country the pope will have visited, but it is by far the biggest. Moreover, it is Pope Francis’ first voyage to a Muslim country since the surge in violence this summer against Christians in Iraq and Syria.

The Vatican has issued tough calls for Muslim leaders to do more to denounce the violence by Islamic fundamentalists—a call the pope appeared to renew during his remarks Tuesday.

“Communities and individuals today find themselves subjected to barbaric acts of violence,” the pope said. “They are evicted from their homes and native lands, sold as slaves, killed, beheaded, crucified or burned alive, under the shameful and complicit silence of so many.”

Tuesday’s visit was the shortest papal trip on record, at just under four hours, which is characteristic of a 77-year-old pope who has appeared somewhat reluctant to travel and keeps his trips very short. The visit was unusual in that it had no pastoral purpose; the pontiff declined an invitation by local Catholic leaders to visit Strasbourg’s cathedral.

The pope’s visit encountered scant protest, unlike the 1988 visit by John Paul II, who was interrupted by hecklers. One French far-left member of Parliament said in an open letter to Pope Francis that he would have preferred that the pontiff hold Mass in the Strasbourg cathedral “rather than having a platform in the Parliament.”

—Frances Robinson contributed to this article.

Write to Deborah Ball at [email protected]

read full article at source: http://online.wsj.com/articles/pope-...ose-1416915190
 
Old November 26th, 2014 #2
Patrick Bateman
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Was there ever a time the Catholic church wasn't in bed with the jews? Maybe like 150 AD to 151 AD.
 
Old November 26th, 2014 #3
AgainstAllOdds
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I suppose he has an Argentine national identity somewhat, not a European one.

I read the book by Malachi Martin called The Jesuits maybe 20 years ago, pretty shocking book. It was all about how infiltrated the Jesuits where with hardcore communists.

Anyways, the Fatima prophecies predicted all of this, which is a little spooky. they said the last pope would be a 'black pope', which is exactly what he is, a Jesuit Pope.
 
Old November 26th, 2014 #4
The Bobster
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So the Anti-Christ's solution to unemployment is the importation of more savage bluegums?
 
Old November 26th, 2014 #5
Patrick Bateman
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AgainstAllOdds View Post
I suppose he has an Argentine national identity somewhat, not a European one.

I read the book by Malachi Martin called The Jesuits maybe 20 years ago, pretty shocking book. It was all about how infiltrated the Jesuits where with hardcore communists.

Anyways, the Fatima prophecies predicted all of this, which is a little spooky. they said the last pope would be a 'black pope', which is exactly what he is, a Jesuit Pope.

Yeah and communists = jews

There is a reason the pope wears a fucking yamaka on his head.
 
Old November 27th, 2014 #6
ulsterpatriot
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But what credibility can we lend to a man in a dress?
 
Old November 27th, 2014 #7
Gifu
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Elderly and haggard, huh? Well, everyone knows that the catholics certainly want their assholes youthful and plump. Hence all the predatory boy fucking.
 
Old November 29th, 2014 #8
Hugo Böse
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Rabbi Francisco is frustrated because if you peek into any catholic church in west these days it looks like a geriatric ward.
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