Uh, ya think?! You know, I've tried to give this Pope the benefit of the doubt, countless times, but no matter how much he denies being a Marxist, that all-too-often influence felt south of us seems to have unfortunately had a lasting influence on him.AP: Pope Francis called Friday for governments to redistribute wealth to the poor in a new spirit of generosity to help curb the "economy of exclusion" that is taking hold today.
Francis made the appeal during a speech to U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the heads of major U.N. agencies who are meeting in Rome this week.
Latin America's first pope has frequently lashed out at the injustices of capitalism and the global economic system that excludes so much of humanity.
On Friday, Francis called for the United Nations to promote a "worldwide ethical mobilization" of solidarity with the poor in a new spirit of generosity.
He said a more equal form of economic progress can be had through "the legitimate redistribution of economic benefits by the state, as well as indispensable cooperation between the private sector and civil society."
Francis had a similar message to the World Economic Forum in January and in his apostolic exhortation "The Joy of the Gospel." That document, which denounced trickle-down economic theories as unproven and naive, provoked criticism in the U.S. that he was Marxist.
(apologies for the MediaDoesn'tMatter clip, but this is the only one available)
I don't think you'll find much kickback against striving towards 'an indispensable cooperation between the private sector and civil society.' Christians often manifest this charitable calling, both through their Churches and individually. What Francis leaves absent is that such a notion should be made of our own volition, not of his, not of any government. And yet, in that same breath, he takes a message of statist redistribution to the outmoded, authoritarian-minded United Nations, and expects them not to lick their chops and slobber at the jowls over the notion of collectively trampling on the sovereignty of nations? I'm sorry, but this is anything but a message of joy or peace. Perhaps it's time to get back to the doctrine and stop playing politics...
FoxNews: Pope Francis has spent a year on the Throne of Peter. In that time, his modest style and high-minded ideals have ignited a new optimism and fervor among Roman Catholics, including those who left because of disagreements with some of its teachings.Related links: Pope to UN: Resist the economy of exclusion, serve the poor
Francis has gone out of his way to voice support for the world’s poorest citizens, rightly noting that their plight is too often ignored or brushed aside. Until this week, his statements have called for voluntary action by wealthier countries and individuals as the right way to relieve economic inequality. He appealed to our better selves, and in so doing, made us all ask if we could be kinder and more generous. The answer, of course, is yes.
On Friday, however, Francis chose a meeting with – of all people -- officials of the United Nations to endorse what he called “the legitimate redistribution of economic benefits by the state, as well as indispensable cooperation between the private sector and civil society.” ...
The pope is the head of the Church. He is the Vicar of Christ and is infallible on matters of doctrine.
When it comes to economics, however, Francis should stick to making suggestions for how to voluntarily reduce economic inequality and leave tax policy to the politicians. Perhaps he can help by offering a prayer for them. God knows, they need it.
Catholic Cardinal: Obamacare Regulation “Violates God’s Law”
