Pope Francis recently visited Kazakhstan for a controversial meeting attacked by Traditional Catholics for seemingly promoting religious indifferentism. Apparently, he was hoping to meet with Xi, but the Chinese leader was too busy for his lapdog. This didn’t prevent Francis from defending ‘dialogue’ with China and playing down China’s crimes during his interview on the plane though. He spoke of how Russia had actually preserved piece for its neighbors more successfully than the UN. He spoke of how certain things of China seemed ‘undemocratic’. China not being democratic enough isn’t its biggest problems. If it respected basic human rights, including the rights of Francis’ own flock, maybe it’d be understandable how he goes easy on them.
While Francis has been accused by Right-wingers of being a Globalist, he seems to actually be fine with nationalism and imperialism from various dictatorships.
He didn’t even symbolically reserve a chair for Cardinal Zen during the recent consistory. He uses ultra-soft kid gloves on Xi and Putin, even though it is clearly not working. His crony, Cardinal Hollerich, recently accused Zen of worsening persecution of Chinese Catholics by speaking out against the evil oppression. In spite of the fact that the evidence shows persecution worsened with Francis’ sell-out of his underground flock.
Now, the European parliament has condemned the persecution of Catholics in Nicaragua. It’s 2-0 for the EU against Francis in speaking up for Catholics who are being persecuted.
Pope Francis is truly a rather exceptional case. Not just in that he managed to become famous as pope who was supposedly progressive (but so far hasn’t directly changed Church doctrine on most of the hot button culture war issues). Or that he is the first Pope to have a living predecessor who is still Pope and has the validity of his election questioned by several bishops. It’s that he isn’t even consistent in pushing a progressive version of Catholicism (still seems like a contradictio in terminis honestly).
He seems very obsessed with focusing specific politics that don’t even fully align with mainstream Left. He just seems strangely intent on sugarcoating the most totalitarian dictatorships. It seems obvious that some people in his inner circle are close to China. China was rumored to have a role in Pope Benedict XVI abdicating, to have given millions to the Vatican and it honestly wouldn’t be surprising if they have dirt on certain pederast prelates.
Whether Francis himself is being bribed or blackmailed by China, is so influenced by Latin American Marxism that he actually supports these dictatorships ideologically, or that he is too stupid and/or prideful too realize that his inner circle is manipulating him or that his appeasement doesn’t work, is difficult to say. But it seem relatively unimportant at this point.
Francis is special not just for attacking the faith he pretends to be the head off, but simply for attacking basic morality and pushing disinformation even as he criticizes the media for doing this. Francis’ support for child abusers and child abuse enablers (including Danneels, McElroy and McCarrick) and his appeasement of horrendous dictatorships is not just offensive to Conservative Catholics, but simply for people with basic decency and morality.
Yet, anti-Catholic writers have gone incredibly soft on Francis. But, specifically the ones calling themselves Catholic. His (supposed) attempts to change everything traditional that they hate about Catholicism, absolves him of covering up child abuse, corruption and supporting brutal dictatorships apparently.
Infamous gossip writer and charlatan John Cornwell was all too willing to swallow KGB propaganda, mistranslate texts and spouts blatant lies to attack Pope Pius XII as Hitler’s pope, but he somehow managed to be a fan of Xi’s Pope. But considering what I just mentioned about his use of KGB propaganda, I guess it should be obvious he doesn’t mind communist dictatorships.
Apparently, he thinks Francis will save the Catholic Church after the child abuse scandals, even though Francis has done a lot to promote abuse enabling bishops and shield abusers himself.[1]
His fellow traveler extremist James Carroll from The Atlantic was angry at Francis for lying about his knowledge regarding scandals and failing to tackle abuse.[2]
Yet, he attacked Archbishop Vigano for calling out Francis’ abuse cover up regarding McCarrick (whom Carrol himself calls an important ally of Francis), calling it an ambush. Why the anger at Vigano for calling out Francis’ abuse cover ups in an article that called Francis out for mishandling abuse? Well, the article is clear that Vigano is too Francis’ right, while Carroll is to his Left. To acknowledge Vigano’s courage for speaking out about the abuse cover ups would lead credence to Conservative Catholics’ notions of a return to tradition being the solution. Can’t have that.
No, the only option was to go further Left and abolish the priesthood. Public schools, the Kinsey Institute and the Boy Scouts have no priesthood and it has definitely prevented child abuse in those institutions, right?
Regardless of whether one is Catholic or not, Progressive or Conservative, modernist Catholics currently serve as the remaining supporters and enablers of a corrupt politician who is using religion to support unclear political objectives. Innocent people are sacrificed in the process. The hope that Francis destroys the Catholic Church of the 1950’s that these middleclass baby boomers hate is important enough that they’re fine with children being destroyed in the process.
Francis’ often touted mercy, is mercy for abusers and dictators, not for their victims.
It’s sad to read how Conservative Christians are turning to Eastern Orthodoxy because of all this though. One shouldn’t look to Moscow for truth or virtue.
Ramon Giralt
Notes:
[2] https://www.theatlantic.com/magazine/archive/2019/06/to-save-the-church-dismantle-the-priesthood/588073/