Today I really don't have time to post and nurse a diary, but I can't resist passing along this wonderful article from The Guardian: http://www.theguardian.com/....
Pope Francis is now in Bolivia, where he met socialist President Evo Morales. Morales presented him with an oddball artifact, a combination crucifix and hammer & sickle, and the pope reportedly was bemused.
But his fiery speech yesterday was incredible! Here are a few key grafs:
Pope Francis has urged the downtrodden to change the world economic order, denouncing a “new colonialism” by agencies that impose austerity programs and calling for the poor to have the “sacred rights” of labor, lodging and land.
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Quoting a fourth century bishop, he called the unfettered pursuit of money “the dung of the devil”, and said poor countries should not be reduced to being providers of raw material and cheap labour for developed countries.
Repeating some of the themes of his landmark encyclical Laudato Si on the environment last month, Francis said time was running out to save the planet from perhaps irreversible harm to the ecosystem.
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The pope's recent blockbuster encyclical Laudato Si' is not really primarily focused on climate change, as is generally reported. Instead, it's a passionate diatribe against unchecked capitalism. I don't think there has ever been a pope who has spoken truth to power the way Francis does.
He is coming to the United States in September and among other things is going to address the U.S. Congress. It will be amusing to watch the Republicans squirm and lie.
UPDATE: Here is another good article on the pope's great speech: http://www.cnn.com/...
Here's the lede:
Pope Francis delivered a fiery denunciation of modern capitalism on Thursday night, calling the "unfettered pursuit of money" the "dung of the devil" and accusing world leaders of "cowardice" for refusing to defend the earth from exploitation.
Speaking to grassroots organizers in Bolivia, the Pope called on the poor and disenfranchised to rise up against "new colonialism," including corporations, loan agencies, free trade treaties, austerity measures, and "the monopolizing of the communications media."
Here's what one prominent American priest had to say about the speech:
Pope Francis in Bolivia just used the strongest language I can remember a pope using about the rights of the poor and of social justice.
— James Martin, SJ (@JamesMartinSJ) July 9, 2015
There is quite a lot to unpack in the speech, including the Pope's apology for the "many grave sins" committed by Catholic Church against Native Americans "in the name of God."