Politics and Pope Francis: What is the role of the Catholic Church and the State?

There has been growing concern that the Catholic Church has taken the wrong path under the leadership of Pope Francis. Pope Francis has made statements, some misunderstood, that baffle loyal Catholics, this author being one of them.

Pope Francis’ recent statement on climate change as a “scientific reality” requiring Catholics to have a moral and religious responsibility to do something about it has drawn praise from environmentalists and criticism from scientists who understand that changes in the climate are due to nature and nature’s (God’s) laws. Pope Francis seems more concerned over God’s climate than the fact that 11 Christians are slaughtered by members of Islam every hour.

A 1924 Time Magazine article on Pope Pius XI reported:

When Politics come near the Altar, then Religion, the Church, the Pontiff have not only the right but the duty to give directions and indications to be followed by Catholics.

The same reply was made by Moses. The same was made by Luther, Calvin, Knox. The same was made in unmistakable language by Pius IX, in the last Century: “It is an error to assert that the Church ought to be separated from the State and the State from the Church.”

[ … ]

Indeed, this Pontiff went further and declared: “It is an error to assert that every man is free to embrace the Religion he shall believe true, guided by the light of reason.”

But is this what Pope Francis is doing – giving directions and showing that the Church ought not be separated from the state? If so, at what cost?

When asked about homosexuality Pope Francis replied, “Who am I to judge.” But he appears to be judging (taking sides) on other political issues such as climate change, the Arab/Israeli conflict and the recognition of a Palestinian state. However, he refuses to address the persecution and slaughter of Catholics, Christians and Jews globally. His actions to embrace Islam as “the religion of peace” seems in conflict with the words of Pope Pius XI that, “It is an error to assert that every man is free to embrace the Religion he shall believe true…” No one would choose Islam as a religion as Pope Pius XI stated if they were “guided by the light of reason.”

Rep. Jeff Duncan (R-S.C.), a defender of Israel, after the Vatican recognized Palestine, stated, “It’s interesting how the Vatican has gotten so political when ultimately the Vatican ought to be working to lead people to Jesus Christ and salvation, and that’s what the Church is supposed to do.” How can any Pope recognize the Palestinian state, which repeatedly calls for the destruction of Israel and  the Holy Land? The birthplace of Jesus Christ, upon whose teachings the Catholic Church is based?

The Vatican in now embroiled in several scandals involving gay orgies and murder. The Independent reports:

The Vatican has been embroiled in two separate, highly embarrassing, scandals.

In one, a north Italian priest has been removed from office after allegations emerged that he had been surfing the internet to find gay lovers and had been involved in gay orgies.

The other, which has generated – if possible – even more lurid press coverage in Italy, alleges a priest in the south of the country is under investigation on suspicion of murdering one of his parishioners.

[ … ]

Meanwhile, to the north of the country, the local Curia is scrambling to address the allegations made by a 32-year-old man from Rovigo, midway between Bologna and Venice.

The unidentified man apparently approached the media after church authorities failed to take action following his official complaint to the Ecclesiastical Court of the Puglia region against the unidentified 50-year-old priest.

The younger man claimed he met the priest through Facebook, forming a close friendship with the clerical figure who then confessed his homosexuality to his online correspondent.

In his complaint, according to Italian newspaper Corriere del Mezzogiorno, the man included a record of his conversations with the priest.

In these online interactions, the priest admitted to sexual relationships with other religious figures – as well as members of the Vatican’s elite Swiss Guard – using the internet to find new partners and engage in sexual encounters online.

Perhaps it is time to remove Satan from the Catholic Church and the public square.

Greg Laurie, from World Net Daily asks, “Is the world today changing the church? Or is the church changing the world? If we want to be a church that changes the world, then we need to get back to the church that Jesus started and live the Christian life as the early church lived it.”

As a Catholic I want a Church that changes the world, not a Church that changes with the world. Perhaps it is a time to get back to Christian basics, perhaps it is time for another reformation?

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