Pope's sharp words make a wealthy donor hesitate

[hrmjustin]

By: Michelle Caruso-Cabrera | CNBC Chief International Correspondent


Pope Francis' critical comments about the wealthy and capitalism have at least one wealthy capitalist benefactor hesitant about giving financial support to one of the church's major fundraising projects.

At issue is an effort to raise $180 million for the restoration of St. Patrick's Cathedral in New York being spearheaded by billionaire Ken Langone, the investor known for founding Home Depot, among other things.

Langone told CNBC that one potential seven-figure donor is concerned about statements from the pope criticizing market economies as "exclusionary," urging the rich to give more to the poor and criticizing a "culture of prosperity" that leads some to become "incapable of feeling compassion for the poor."

Langone said he's raised the issue more than once with Cardinal Timothy Dolan, archbishop of New York, most recently at a breakfast in early December at which he updated him on fundraising progress.


http://www.cnbc.com/id/101302230

[last1standing]

1. Sounds like Langone wants to buy a religion.

If he's only willing to "donate" to the Church if it stops spreading the message it was founded on then he's trying to use his wealth to subvert the faith, not enhance it. In the old days a pope could excommunicate a guy for that.

[hrmjustin]

3. I guess he did not read the part where Jesus said it is not easy for the rich to get to heaven.

[last1standing]

5. Seems its been a long time since a pope took that part seriously.

I'm not a Catholic (or even a Christian) so I don't want to go too deep into it all. I just found this story to be rather ironic as Langone appears to be saying "tell me being rich is good or I won't give to the poor."

[hrmjustin]

6. Someone should educate him on the guy he supposedly follows.

[Leontius]

13. If you get the whole message of Jesus' teaching it ain't easy for the poor

to get there either.

[hrmjustin]

14. Being a Christian is not easy.

[cleanhippie]

20. How's that?

Isn't believing Jesus is ones lord and savior the minimum requirement?

[hrmjustin]

23. Living according to the teachings of Christ is not easy.

[Igel]

17. But he also gave the reason.

Because the young rich man loved his things more than he loved God.

Lots of people, including some among the poor, love their "things" more than they love God. Some things are tangible. Some aren't. What people do is their choice. The one who set the challenge for the young rich man also said not to judge.

Jesus hung out with both sets of people. The rich and the poor. Just as he hung out both in cities and in small towns, as well as rural areas. He wasn't much of a respecter of persons.

[hrmjustin]

18. Agreed.

[Igel]

15. It was founded on a rather complex message.

But he's not alone in wanting to be in a church that says he's special and right and objecting to it strongly when it says he should change.

That's certainly a reduction, but not a reduction to absurdity.

[No Vested Interest]

2. Isn't Home Depot's founder long-known for his RW views,

regardless of any religious affiliation?

[hrmjustin]

4. I think he is a rwer.

[cbayer]

7. So, the rich guy took the pope's words personally?

Kind of makes the pope's point for him, doesn't it.

[hrmjustin]

8. Yep. He should try reading the bible.

[eShirl]

9. He thought he had a religion that "stays bought" like a politician.

[hrmjustin]

10. Looks like it. It has been fun watching Dolan squirm.

[edhopper]

11. This is a crack at these rich assholes

not the Church.
The pedophilia scandal doesn't give them pause to donate, but the Pope speaks out about these rich mother fuckers and they close their wallets. What worthless pieces of shit.

[hrmjustin]

12. That is a ver good point.

[goldent]

19. There is a distinction that pedophilia wasn't a teaching of the church

[trotsky]

21. As has been pointed out more times than I can count...

what made it a particular scandal for the RCC was not the pedophilia itself but the institutional coverup and protection of the rapists.

[rug]

22. That ain't doctrine either.

[edhopper]

24. So this stuff about the rich and poor

is new with this Pope? Or Langone didn't understand it was a teaching while he was donating all that money? But now that the Pope has pointed it out, or created this new teaching, he wants to stop giving?
But institutional pedophilia and cover up, no matter how wide spread, as long as it wasn't "a teaching" was fine by him?
Talk about angels on the head of a pin.

[goldent]

25. I don't know what Langone's thought process is

but I think there is a good chance he never read and/or accepted the Social Doctrine of the Church.

http://www.vatican.va/roman_curia/pontifical_councils/justpeace/documents/rc_pc_justpeace_doc_20060526_compendio-dott-soc_en.html

Even if he was aware, feelings can change when it is preached to your face.

There are billions of dollars donated to all kinds of organizations, and I'd say most of it is to people and organizations that have made mistakes, and these mistakes might or might not have anything to do with the mission. It is up to donor as to how to react to such mistakes.

[edhopper]

29. That sounds all reasonable and all

but the fact remains, he got upset when the Pope preached about inequity and did nothing about wide spread CHILD RAPE!

His priorities are completely fucked and he does not get a pass because some people react to different things, and it's all ones point of view and other garbage. His is a rich turd, beneath contempt.

[goldent]

31. I don't know who he is - don't think I ever heard of hm.

Just saying there is a difference between Church doctrine and errors made by the Church

[edhopper]

34. Well i don't want to get into that

because I am not making this about the Church and I think I have made myself quite clear about my feelings on the Pedophilia scandal.

He is the founder of Home Depot and one of the major contributors to the Church in this country.

[democratisphere]

16. Some people and their beliefs can't be bought, regardless of the amount of $$$$$.

This principle should be applied to our worthless, do absolutely nothing congress.

[CincyDem]

27. Can't be bought, you say ?

As the story goes...

The heir to the Tyson poultry fortune was granted a rare 1:1 meeting with the Pope. He had a simple request. "Your Holiness", he said. "Would you be willing to change the Lord's prayer from '...give us this day our daily bread' to '...give us this day our daily chicken'?"

The Pontiff was taken aback and said certainly NOT...our "daily bread" has been part of the Lord's prayer forever.

Tyson offered a million dollars. The Pontiff said definitely NOT...our "daily bread" has been part of the Lord's prayer for a long time.

Tyson offered 500 million dollars. The Pontiff said NO...our "daily bread" has been part of the Lord's prayer for as long as I can remember.

Tyson offered 1 billion dollars and the Pontiff said "I don't think so...it's about the daily bread you know".

Then Tyson leaned over and whispered something in the Pope's ear.

Later that day...the Pope spoke to the College of Cardinals.

"I have some bad news and some good news. The bad news is that we've lost the Wonder Bread account. The good news is that we've picked up the Tyson's Chicken account.".

[cbayer]

30. Ok, I really like that one!

Thanks for bringing it here.

[muntrv]

26. Langone must be a dominionist, not Christian.

[Dawson Leery]

28. Langone needs to listen. The Pope does not reject the market system.

He believes that those with more are obliged to commit more of their wealth to assist those with less.
He also condemns your hustler friends on Wall Street who have stolen trillions of working people.

[Nite Owl]

32. 180 million?

That's an awful large amount to spend on restoration. I think Jesus would rather it be spend on food and shelter and jobs for the poor.

[hrmjustin]

36. Great point.

[Evoman]

33. meh.

Then go donate the money to a soup chicken or homeless shelter. Feeding a hungry person instead of building/fixing a church might make you feel better when you bathe in your money and steal resources from the least wealthy, you fiesty job creator you.

[Goblinmonger]

35. It's not like this money was going to help the poor

It was going to restore some of the RCC's capital. Big fucking deal. So the RCC doesn't make one of their churches prettier.