Thread: Pope: America needs to be a land of hope for all

Apr 17, 4:31 PM EDT

Pope: America needs to be a land of hope for all

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Pope Benedict XVI presided over a Mass celebrated in 10 languages Thursday, calling the United States a land of opportunity and hope but decrying that the nation's promise has been left unfulfilled for some.

At the first public Mass of his U.S. pilgrimage, Benedict mixed praise for the American experience with an effort to touch consciences, something he has been doing since the start of his trip on Tuesday.

More than 45,000 people filled Nationals Park on a clear spring day, as the pope, wearing scarlet vestments, led the service from an altar erected in centerfield of the recently inaugurated baseball stadium. Rows of red-robed church leaders joined him. The enthusiastic crowd burst into cheers when Benedict entered the stadium in his popemobile.

His homily was more somber. Benedict examined American society, saying he detected anger and alienation, increasing violence and a "growing forgetfulness of God."

"Americans have always been a people of hope," he said. "Your ancestors came to this country with the experience of finding new freedom and opportunity.

"To be sure, this promise was not experienced by all the inhabitants of this land; one thinks of the injustices endured by the native American peoples and by those brought here forcibly from Africa as slaves."

It was not the first time on the trip that the pontiff has delicately critiqued his host nation.

Speaking to his American bishops Wednesday, he said the U.S. must be welcoming to immigrants, helping them to flourish in their new homes.

Following a White House visit, a joint statement from the U.S. and the Vatican hinted that Benedict raised concerns with President Bush about punitive immigration laws. It said the leaders discussed "the need for a coordinated policy regarding immigration, especially the humane treatment of immigrants and the well-being of their families."

The statement also said Bush and Benedict "touched on the need to confront terrorism with appropriate means that respect the human person and his or her rights" - an apparent reflection of the Vatican's strong condemnation of the mistreatment of prisoners.

During Thursday's Mass, Benedict worried about divisions among Catholics, and what he called the "troubling realization" that many are not following church teaching.

Benedict also turned for a third day to the clergy sex abuse scandal that has plagued the American church since 2002, saying "no words of mine could describe the pain and harm inflicted by such abuse."

He called on parishioners to help with healing, reconciliation and assistance to the victims, but he also urged his flock to "love your priests, and to affirm them in the excellent work that they do."

At 5:45 a.m., more than four hours before the Mass, it was standing-room only on subways. Vendors hawked Vatican flags and souvenir buttons, but there were few takers as people hurried toward the stadium.

For others, there was nothing more important than getting in, and many people without tickets stood outside the subway station with signs pleading for extras.

Patty Trail, 54, pastoral associate at a church in Virginia Beach, Va., drove overnight to bring two priests to the Mass. She didn't have a ticket but said she was happy to at least be in the vicinity of the pope.

"Just to be out here, just to be in the presence," she said. "D.C. feels different."

At the end of the two-hour Mass, Benedict blessed the cheering crowd, some of them waving Vatican flags. Worried-looking papal bodyguards stood close and cleared a way for him as he walked out, while many worshippers tried to shake his hand or touch his robes.

A number of lawmakers who support abortion rights attended the Mass, including House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Sen. John Kerry, the former Democratic presidential candidate. During the 2004 campaign, several bishops questioned whether Kerry should receive Communion because of his stand on abortion. The Massachusetts Democrat who took Communion from a priest far from the papal altar.

For some, the experience of Mass with Benedict was overwhelming. It made Barbara Loh of Williamsburg, Va., tear up.

"I've been Catholic all my life," she said. "My dream has always been to see the pope."

http://tinyurl.com/5zunwk

I wonder if La Raza and the like paid the Pope's way here to preach the open borders propaganda?

I am so sick of this crap. As a former Catholic, my feeling is that the Catholic Church needs to sort out its own problems and butt out of US politics.

I have not heard himoffer to pay the governments budgetary short falls or provide jobs to the displaced American workers.
He can use his mouth to go drink some of his brothers beer since he is giving away our money and our jobs.

Of course we must welcome Immigrants... those who come here legally and who want to become citizens and who want to assimilate!

We do, however, have to stand up to those Illegal Aliens who do not want to come here legally, who do not want to become citizens and who do not want to assimilate but who want, instead, to drain us of our resources; both operative resources such as our medical facilities and our educational facilities such as schools and colleges; those who wish to drain our total economic resources such as Social Security; those who threaten our freedoms and our way of life by marching with Socialist and Communist supporters; and those who wish to jeopardize our safety through the proliferation of violent street gangs and other criminals.

If the Pope wants the U.S. Taxpayers to foot the bill for all the expenses that the Illegal Aliens are causing us, then I am certain that he would be most amenable to having the Roman Catholic Church's non-profit status revoked so that the Roman Catholic Church may become a taxpayer itself and contribute to the burden that is being heaped upon us. Right? Yeah, Right!!

it is so generous of him to give away our money, homes, culture , language and the many American's lives that are lost to these invaders. he needs to butt out of politics and stick with religion. that said i also am a former catholic who is disgusted with the church, i agree he needs to clean his own house before he points a finger at us.

Originally Posted by Richard

I have not heard himoffer to pay the governments budgetary short falls or provide jobs to the displaced American workers.
He can use his mouth to go drink some of his brothers beer since he is giving away our money and our jobs.

He can turn Vatician City into apartment and Condo for the illegals! There problem solved.
You feed them, school them, medically take care of them, and call the kids little poppy's for all I care. Keep your nose out of Americian tax payers money and give them your home and money.
Lots of the guys are pedophiles so they should fit in. (I'm a reformed Catholic and was molested by a Catholic, so I can say this! I was 5 when it stopped..... all my cousins weren't so lucky)

No, no we don't. We are a sovereign nation and not responsible for the way other countries treat their citizens.

Maybe the Vatican can support the poor of the world, they certainly have the funds.

Looks like His Holiness didn't get a chance to read this headline!!! What hypocrisy!!!!!!!!!

Illegals Called An 'Army of Evil' By Berlusconi

By MALCOLM MOORE
The Daily Telegraph
April 16, 2008


ROME — Silvio Berlusconi branded illegal immigrants an "army of evil" on yesterday in his first day in office after winning Italy's general election.

Mr. Berlusconi, 71, who was elected on Monday to serve a third term as prime minister, said that he would "step up neighborhood police, who can be an army of good, placing themselves between the Italian people and the army of evil."

He vowed to deport non-European Union citizens who "do not have work or home and are forced into crime in order to live."

His comments will have pleased his "post-fascist" allies and the Northern League, which declared four years ago that immigrants should be shot in their boats.

Mr. Berlusconi's coalition drew up a harsh anti-immigration law in its last term in office, which was repealed by Romano Prodi's short-lived socialist government.

However, Italy has cracked down on the communities of illegal immigrants that have sprung up on the edges of its major towns, repatriating many Eastern Europeans.

Walter Veltroni, who lost the election to Mr. Berlusconi, said he was shocked by the new prime minister's immediate plunge into polemic. "I have been badly struck by his statements so far, words which do not add up to a good start," he said.

BRAVO Berlusconi!