← Autodidact Archive · Original Dissent · Stigmata
Thread ID: 17744 | Posts: 4 | Started: 2005-04-12
2005-04-12 22:33 | User Profile
[center]ZENIT - The World Seen From Rome [/center]
Code: ZE02120202
Date: 2002-12-02
Papal Message for Day of Migrants and Refugees (2003)
"To Overcome Racism, Xenophobia and Exaggerated Nationalism"
VATICAN CITY, DEC. 2, 2002 [url="http://www.zenit.org/"]color=#606420[/color][/url].- Here is John Paul II's message for the World Day of Migrants and Refugees, which will be observed in 2003 on the date established by the various episcopal conferences.
For a Commitment to Overcome All Racism, Xenophobia and Exaggerated Nationalism
Among those particularly affected are the most vulnerable of foreigners: undocumented migrants, refugees, asylum seekers, those displaced by continuing violent conflicts in many parts of the world, and the victims -- mostly women and children -- of the terrible crime of human trafficking. Even in the recent past we have witnessed tragic instances of forced movements of peoples for ethnic and nationalistic pretensions, which have added untold misery to the lives of targeted groups. At the root of these situations there are sinful intentions and actions that go contrary to the Gospel and constitute a call to Christians everywhere to overcome evil with good.
The Church understands that restricting membership of a local community on the basis of ethnic or other external characteristics would be an impoverishment for all concerned, and would contradict the basic right of the baptized to worship and take part in the life of the community. Moreover, if newcomers feel unwelcome as they approach a particular parish community because they do not speak the local language or follow local customs, they easily become "lost sheep". The loss of such "little ones" for reasons of even latent discrimination should be a cause of grave concern to pastors and faithful alike.
Often, solidarity does not come easily. It requires training and a turning away from attitudes of closure, which in many societies today have become more subtle and penetrating. To deal with this phenomenon, the Church possesses vast educational and formative resources at all levels. I therefore appeal to parents and teachers to combat racism and xenophobia by inculcating positive attitudes based on Catholic social doctrine.
Understandably, as I urge Catholics to excel in the spirit of solidarity towards newcomers among them, I also invite the immigrants to recognize the duty to honor the countries which receive them and to respect the laws, culture, and traditions of the people who have welcomed them. Only in this way will social harmony prevail.
The path to true acceptance of immigrants in their cultural diversity is actually a difficult one, in some cases a real Way of the Cross. That must not discourage us from pursuing the will of God, who wishes to draw all peoples to himself in Christ, through the instrumentality of his Church, the sacrament of the unity of all mankind (cf. Lumen Gentium, 1).
At times that path needs a prophetic word that points out what is wrong and encourages what is right. When tensions arise, the credibility of the Church in her doctrine on the fundamental respect due to each person rests on the moral courage of pastors and faithful to "stake everything on love" (cf. Novo millennio ineunte, 47).
May Mary our Mother, who also experienced rejection at the very time when she was about to give her Son to the world, help the Church to be the sign and instrument of the unity of cultures and nations in one single family. May she help all of us to witness in our lives to the Incarnation and the constant presence of Christ, who through us wishes to continue in history and in the world his work of liberation from all forms of discrimination, rejection, and marginalization. May God's abundant blessings be with those who welcome the stranger in Christ's name.
From the Vatican, 24 October 2002
IOANNES PAULUS II
[url="http://zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=28429"]http://zenit.org/english/visualizza.phtml?sid=28429[/url]
2005-04-12 23:47 | User Profile
As much as I love my sincere Romanist friends and respect the many positive qualities of the Chruch of Rome, I have to say I disagree profoundly with the late Bishop of Rome. I agree with him that those immigrants Christians come into contact with shoould be treated in a compassionate and Christian manner. However, Christian freedom gives the state a right to regulate the racial and cultural content of a country by regulating its borders. The bible remains silent on the topic of immigration so we have the freedom to develop any policy we want. The pope had the unfortunate habit of adding elements to God's law that did not previously exist.
I hate to comment too negatvely about a man that's just been buried. John Paul II had a lot of positive qualities like his opposition to abortion and the truly retarded idea that women should be ordained.
2005-04-13 01:22 | User Profile
Accepting third world immigrants, migrants, refugees, colonizers, invaders--whatever you want to call them--is not Church doctrine. Roman Catholics are free to disagree, and oppose, in good conscience the Pope's pronouncements on these matters. I would even say Roman Catholics and other serious Christians have a moral duty to do so. After all, as anyone can see, the fruits of a borderless world of mass non-white immigration, race-replacement schemes, and multiculturalism--which the Pope sadly appears to endorse in this message--are thoroughly rotten. Every day we can see the tragic consequences of mass movements of peoples for ethnic, nationalistic, and economic pretensions, which have added untold misery to the lives of targeted groups in the West.
In fact, the truly Catholic & Christian position is to maintain borders and regulate immigration. Because, by doing so, we are at the very least defending our loved ones, our families, and our communities from racial conflict and genocide. It not only allows us to express our love for our family, community, language, heritage, and faith, but it also gives us the chance to deepen the gift of unity, in a spirit of openness and solidarity, with our people.
2005-04-13 05:09 | User Profile
[QUOTE=Stuka]Accepting third world immigrants, migrants, refugees, colonizers, invaders--whatever you want to call them--is not Church doctrine. Roman Catholics are free to disagree, and oppose, in good conscience the Pope's pronouncements on these matters. I would even say Roman Catholics and other serious Christians have a moral duty to do so..[/QUOTE]
I agree.
This is a painful topic for me, because JPII really did go very far astray on this.
I think that he unconsciously applied a double standard here. I can't imagine he thought it a good idea that a million nogs from Angola show up for mass in Krakow. He was a Pole, that's for sure. This was aimed at America and to a lesser extent Canada and Australia. Basically, he wanted us to accept gazillions of Mexican Catholics because he had no understanding, much less respect, for the American nation.
As to Catholic doctrine, the profoundly nationalist character of Catholic doctrine is clear. From the Catechism:
[QUOTE]56. "After the unity of the human race was shattered by sin God at once sought to save humanity part by part. The covenant with Noah after the flood gives expression to the principle of the divine economy toward the 'nations', in other words, towards men grouped 'in their lands, each with (its) own language, by their families, in their nations'.[Gen 10:5 ; cf. Gen 9:9-10, 16 ; Gen 10:20-31 .]"
"This state of division into many nations, each entrusted by divine providence to the guardianship of angels, is at once cosmic, social and religious. It is intended to limit the pride of fallen humanity [Cf. Acts 17:26-27 ; Dt 4:19 ; Dt 32:8 vLXX.] united only in its perverse ambition to forge its own unity as at Babel.[Cf. Wis 10:5 ; Gen 11:4-6 .] But, because of sin, both polytheism and the idolatry of the nation and of its rulers constantly threaten this provisional economy with the perversion of paganism.[Cf. Rom 1:18-25 .]"
"The covenant with Noah remains in force during the times of the Gentiles, until the universal proclamation of the Gospel.[Cf. Gen 9:16 ; Lk 21:24 ; DV 3.] The Bible venerates several great figures among the Gentiles: Abel the just, the king-priest Melchisedek - a figure of Christ - and the upright 'Noah, Daniel, and Job'.[Cf. Gen 14:18 ; Heb 7:3 ; Ezek 14:14 .] Scripture thus expresses the heights of sanctity that can be reached by those who live according to the covenant of Noah, waiting for Christ to 'gather into one the children of God who are scattered abroad'.[Jn 11:52 .]"
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Our identity as members of distinct nations defined by the indicia of common blood, shared culture and sovereign territory is seen as an integral part of God's plan of salvation.
JPII's implicit denigration of this basic doctrine is indeed troubling.
He's coming awfully close to preaching the Sin of Babel here:
[QUOTE]Membership in the Catholic community is not determined by nationality, or by social, or ethnic origin, but essentially by faith in Jesus Christ and Baptism in the name of the Holy Trinity. The "cosmopolitan" make-up of the People of God is visible today in practically every particular Church because migration has transformed even small and formerly isolated communities into pluralist and inter-cultural realities.[/QUOTE]