Monday, January 23, 2017

Pope Francis: "Liberation Theology Was a Positive Thing in Latin America"

Pope Francis in Interview with El Pais
(Rome) The Spanish daily El Pais published in yesterday's Sunday edition an interview with Pope Francis. In this, the leader of the Catholic church said that "liberation theology was a positive thing for Latin America," that "one can practice religion in China" and that he "must be much more incomprehensible because of my sins." An excerpt.

On Liberation Theology

El Pais : Do you not think that the Church has lost many positions for the benefit of other religions and sects even after the failed attempt of liberation theology? Why is that?
Pope Francis : Liberation theology was a positive thing in Latin America. The part was condemned by the Vatican which opted for the Marxist analysis of reality. Cardinal Ratzinger issued two instructions when he was prefect of the Congregation of the Faith. It was very clear about the Marxist analysis of reality, and a second in which he came back to the positive aspects. Liberation theology had positive aspects, but also deviations, especially in the Marxist analysis of reality.

To the People's Republic of China

El Pais : Can Vatican diplomacy  soon be broadened in China?
Pope Francis : In fact, there is already a Commission working with China and meets every three months, once here [Vatican], once in Beijing. And there is a lot of dialogue with China. China has always had the aura of mystery, which is fascinating. Two or three months ago they were happy with the exhibition of the Vatican Museum in Beijing. And they will come to the Vatican in the coming year with their things, their museum.
El Pais : Will you soon travel to China?
Pope Francis:  When I am invited. They know that. In China, by the way, the churches are full. They can practice religion in China.

Europe

El Pais : Do you think, Holy Father, that the signs are similar in Europe today, which were present in Germany in 1933? [It's like Hitler!!]
Pope Francis : I am not a technician in it, but on today's Europe, I refer to my three speeches. The two in Strasbourg, and the third, when I received the Charlemagne Prize, the only prize which I have accepted as a service because of the moment which Europe is going through. These three speeches say what I think about Europe.

About Paul VI. And misunderstanding

El Pais : 50 years ago there was almost everything. The Second Vatican Council, the journey of Paul VI. And the embrace with the patriarch Athenagoras in the Holy Land. Some say to understand you, they should come to know Paul VI. At a certain moment he was a misunderstood pope. Do you also feel a bit like an uncomfortable pope?
Pope Francis : No, no. I think I am much more misunderstood because of my sins. Paul VI was the martyr of disagreement. Evangelii gaudium  was in the framework of the Pastoral.  What I want to give to the Church now is an update of Evangelii nuntiandi of Paul VI. He is a man who went forward in history. And he suffered, suffered much. He was a martyr. And many things he could not do, because he knew as a realist that he could not, and so he suffered, but he offered that suffering. And he did what he could do. And what Paul VI did best: sow. He sowed things that were later harvested in history. Evangelii gaudium is a mixture of Evangelii nuntiandi and the Aparecida document [2007 Latin American Episcopal Conference]. Things that have grown from below. Evangelii nuntiandi is the best post-conciliar pastoral document and has lost none of its topicality. I do not feel misunderstood. I feel accompanied, accompanied by all types of people, boys, old people, ... Yes, some out there are disagreeable, and that's their right, because if I felt bad, because some disagree. that would be the beginnings of the dictator in my attitude.  You have the right to disagree. You have the right to think that the road is dangerous, that it could bring bad results, that ... they have the right. But always on the condition that they enter into a dialogue, and not that they throw stones and hide their hand, not that. No man has a right to that. [Except for you and your close circle of intimates who rules the Vatican like oriental despots?] Throwing a stone, but hiding the hand is criminal. Everyone has a right to discuss, and hopefully, we will discuss a lot, because this is what sets us apart. The discussion unites. The discussion with good blood, not with slander and all that ... [Unless it's you who's doing the slander, Holiness?]
Introduction / translation: Giuseppe Nardi
Image: OSS / El Pais (Screenshot)
Trans: Tancred vekron99@hotmail.com
AMDG
 to press

12 comments:

Anthony said...

Not only did many Latin American countries suffer internal oppression at the hands of Juntas and 'Generalissimos for life,' they were also faced this the incursions of the Gringos (validated by the Monroe Doctrine) prosecuting their Banana Wars on behalf of the United Fruit Company.
Liberation Theology according to Card Mueller, who was a student of Gustavo Gutierrez OP, has affirmed that Liberation Theology is not only correct doctrinally but it is validated by its practice.
I think that these need to be considered when reading items like this.



JBQ said...

Francis is naïve about China. From an acquaintance from Hungary, in Communist nations, you cannot get a good job unless you are a member of the Communist Party and express that you are an atheist. The faithful in China are being persecuted while Francis preaches drivel and grows fat with good food while the poor in China are intentionally starved.

Tancred said...

Mueller's relationship with Gutierrez and LT is problematic to say the least. We need more helicopters, not more evil-minded socialists in the Church pushing their warmed over Marxism.

Chris Dickson, F.L.A. said...

http://portiunculathelittleportion.blogspot.com/2010/08/catholic-church-vs-liberation-theology.html

Robbie said...

Reading these comments, the only positive I can take from them is we're one day closer to the end of this protestant papacy. That's all I've got at this point.

Tancred said...

PF hates Gutierez.

Tancred said...

http://eponymousflower.blogspot.com/2013/09/cardinal-cipriani-muller-is-bit-naive.html?m=1

jac said...

I am not so optimistic as you. When Francis will die another modernist pope worse than him will be elected.
I quote the late cardinal Lienart, archbp of Lille (France) who declared on his deathbed: "Humanly speaking the Chuch is lost".
Unless a miracle...

Tancred said...

Wasn't he a close friend of Marc Sangnier?

Anonymous said...

Liberation Theology is a communist invention.
Look it up for yourself its true.

Unknown said...

Those "Grungos" gave gave billions in foreign aid to Latin America. We've allowed millions of illegals to flood our country where they such up billions every year in welfare benefits. Why don't they go to Cuba, Haiti, or Venezuela instead instead of the land of the Anglos?

Anonymous said...

OFM Franciscans swallowed that Marxist poison in the 1970's and the entire Order went down the drain. What little is left of it in the US is a gay disgrace.