Pope urges Italy to find houses for all families

[onehandle]

Source: AP



VATICAN CITY (AP) - Pope Francis urged anti-austerity protesters who attended his weekly Angelus blessing to use dialogue and not violence to press their demands.

Addressing a group of protesters among the pilgrims gathered Sunday in St. Peter's Square, the pope appealed for "a constructive contribution, rejecting the temptation for conflict and violence and following always the path of dialogue."

The pope read aloud one of their banners: "The poor cannot wait." He urged everyone from charities to Italian authorities "to do everything possible so that every family can have a house" this holiday season.

Protests aimed at impressing upon Italian leaders the pain inflicted on ordinary people by the country's economic crisis have been under way across the country for two weeks. Some of them have erupted into violence.

Read more: http://www.philly.com/philly/news/nation_world/20131222_ap_c2bf7c0edb034f258fb4371d1604f4e0.html

[chuckstevens]

1. In the Words of Al Franken....

For Shame, Pope Francis: That's Class warfare!

Merry Xmas to all the "upstanding Christian acting" Fox News Viewers. NOT!

[MyNameGoesHere]

2. Well I hear there is a large building in Rome

that is a monument of holiness and has about 1400 rooms. It is also my understanding it is used to house fine art and a lot of old men with means. Damn you glass house!

[itcfish]

5. Come On Now

This Pope had done more good than any Pope has done in decades. Why do people have to always poopoo something positive???

[MyNameGoesHere]

7. Why do people poopoo? 1000's of years of NOT doing the right thing

that could be why.

[dickthegrouch]

11. ^^^ THIS ^^^

Blatant hoarding in the church and blatant waste.
How many trillions does the Catholic church actually control/have stashed away for no better purpose than its own continuation?

[MyNameGoesHere]

13. I have no idea but it holds about 17% of the total value of the Italian stock market.

So maybe they have like 50 euros ?

[LeftyMom]

15. Nobody really knows, but here's a decent little documentary that looks at the question.

[LeftyMom]

14. He could put people up in the unused rooms. The British monarchs did and do.

War widows were put up in apartments at Kensington, for example.

It's a bit hypocritical to tell other people to do something about homelessness when you literally live in a palace. Even if you're a nice guy and you mean well.

[valerief]

10. ^^^THIS^^^

[treestar]

16. He's talking about society doing it

which is much larger and more effective. A much larger effort.

[Berlum]

3. "No room at the inn for the poor. Sneer." - Republicons (R)

[Kingofalldems]

4. This pope is a communist and a Muslim.

[Igel]

6. Pope likes families.

Famiglia e casa vanno insieme - prosegue il pontefice tra gli applausi dei fedeli - è difficile portare avanti la famiglia senza abitare in una casa. In questi giorni di Natale invito tutti, persone, entità sociali, autorità, a fare tutto il possibile perchè ogni famiglia possa avere una casa".


"Family and home go together," continued the pontifex after the applause of the faithful. "It is difficult to promote the family without living in a home. In this days of Xmas I invite all people, social organizations, authorities, to do everything possible so that every family may have a home."
(Full disclaimer: I won't use translation software like Google, but I don't claim Italian as a language I actually know much about. )

Oh. The quote is from http://www.repubblica.it/cronaca/2013/12/22/news/il_papa_ai_fedeli_difendere_i_diritti_ma_no_a_scontro_e_violenza-74259606/?rssimage

[tavalon]

8. I have to preface this by saying I'm not a Catholic, not even a Christian anymore, though

Jesus is allowed to play in my pantheon (his dad is not, he doesn't play well with others). Was it the same people who picked the previous egregious Pope and now, this almost awesomely cool Pope? It just kind of blows my mind. I could get behind this guy. He's a flaming liberal.

[valerief]

9. Why don't you put your money where your mouth is? nt

[dickthegrouch]

12. Because I'm rapidly approaching needing the non-existent largesse of the establishment

As of next week I will be having to liquidate retirement funds before I will attain 59.5 years.
I'll be damned if the church is getting any of that money.
Even through unemployment, I've been sponsoring (without benefit of charitable deductions) a poor University student who's father passed away and left debt rather than tuition or board and lodging. If everyone of means would sponsor one specific person/family in a similar fashion, a HUGE dent could be made int he poverty and misery on this planet.

[valerief]

17. That's very generous of you. In my previous post, the "you" was the pope, not you. nt