The Latest: Pope speaks of importance of poverty to church

[Omaha Steve]

Source: AP

HAVANA (AP) — The latest developments in Pope Francis' visit to Cuba and the United States. All times local:

6:30 p.m.

Pope Francis has spoken off-the-cuff at length for the first time during his trip to Cuba, breaking from prepared remarks to deliver a sermon that focuses extensively on the importance of poverty to the Roman Catholic Church.

He also warns of the dangers of falling prey to the temptations of wealth.

FULL story at link.



FILE - In this Wednesday, Sept. 16, 2015, file photo, a worker hangs banners ahead of Pope Francis' scheduled visit, on the Benjamin Franklin Parkway in Philadelphia. After months of angst over long security lines and onerous travel, organizers still expect more than a million people for Pope Francis{2019} outdoor Mass in Philadelphia. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Read more: http://apnews.excite.com/article/20150920/cb--pope-the_latest-f8d5480fad.html

[DustyJoe]

1. The Popes church must lead by example

Excerpt from the OP link

In Francis's word: "Our dear mother church is poor. God wants it poor, as he wanted our Holy Mother Mary to be poor."

As a catholic hispanic, not destitute but hardly considered middle class, the Popes call to embrace poverty and keep temptations of wealth at bay I consider ludicrous from the church he leads which I am a member of.

Maybe the Vatican could divest itself of a few solid gold baubles, vast real estate holdings and other untold billions in assets to help the poor. I realize this Pope leans heavily on marxist views and teachings, decries capitalism, but at the same time is guilty of hoarding wealth gained by capitalistic ventures and investmens enough to make the Rockefeller family blush.

just can't buy into this calling unless the church shows it practices what it preaches.

[roguevalley]

6. he didn't make the church rich. He inherited it and is now demanding the changes

necessary to follow the teachings of Jesus. Give him a break. No one has tried as hard as him in as little amount of time. Trying rolling the boulder uphill. It will take a bit of time.

[Joe Chi Minh]

7. You speak as if these post-Vatican II popes were sybarites,

spending the money on themselves to live the life of Reilly. I think you are a right-winger, talking through your pocket, fearful of a call on your own resources by the reformed, economic structures Francis knows Christianity demands.

[Bluenorthwest]

8. So which other raging anti gay bigots do you support and what reasons do you create to support

them? Francis is right wing, he is opposed to all contraception, opposed to equality for LGBT persons. In defending Francis, you are defending right wing positions against LGBT people. It's that simple. I'm gay and pro-choice. Francis is the religious right with some 'compassionate conservatism' rhetoric in the mix. Thousand points of light....

[Joe Chi Minh]

10. What's that got to do with the price of fish and chips? Or just maybe, the

issue under discussion?

If you're part of the 'gay' lobby, would you not be more likely to spend lots of money on personal bling-bling than Frankie. Or have you become austere and ascetical? Will those gay parades ever be the same again?

[DustyJoe]

9. comparisons

Comprehension is a lost art.
Calling on the church to share its own very visible and touted opulent riches when they
demand others embrace poverty as the poor destitute church hardly paints a rightwing complaint.
Of course he inherited the riches, but describing his venue as being in the poor house without
first embracing poverty himself smacks of -we have ours, but give me yours mentality-.
I will reiterate, you first pope, lead by example, not from behind the golden robes and ornaments.

Even Reily would have a hard time comparing his living to the vaticans.
First time I ever saw using 'haves and have nots' comparisons called rightwing, but have at it.

I give what I can at church, the rest goes to the church of the IRS so my resources are
pretty well allocated, time for the church to allocate theirs .. visibly and publicly ..

[Demeter]

2. You know, there's a large undefined area between Obscenely Wealthy and Impoverished

and there's no reason why all of us can't fit into it.

[graegoyle]

3. Poverty is important to the church.

Poverty brings despair. The church brings hope. That hope is usually for a reward that is held--for the poor--until after death.

Poverty is important to the church. Gold and real estate and valuable art is pretty important to the church, too.

[NastyRiffraff]

4. "Our dear mother church" is FAR from poor

No idea where he gets that from, but although the Catholic church isn't as rich and influential as it has been in the past, it still is in no way destitute. Of course, it pays no taxes in the US. In Washington DC, it owns a huge swath of very valuable land (Catholic University, the Basillica where Francis is scheduled to hold a service, etc.) Not to mention the property of the many, many Catholic churches in the city.

[Joe Chi Minh]

11. I've heard tell it runs innumerable charities all over the world with its money.

But probably wasted on losers who should pull themselves up by their bootstraps. You've changed politics towards your way of thinking and prioroties, why won't the Catholic church fall into line?

[restorefreedom]

5. i bet he gives congress an earful. nt

[flamingdem]

12. This will be worth watching

I hope he does!

[restorefreedom]

13. we better do popcorn runs