Pope Benedict Peace Message Calls For Wealth Redistribution

By on December 18, 2011 in News 36

Pope BenedictWait a second — does this make Paul Ryan and Newt Gingrich a couple o’ them “Cafeteria Catholics”? From Francis X. Rocca at the Huffington Post:

VATICAN CITY (RNS)— Noting a “rising sense of frustration” at the worldwide economic recession, Pope Benedict XVI said that a more just and peaceful world requires “adequate mechanisms for the redistribution of wealth.”

The pope’s words appeared in his message for the World Day of Peace 2012, released on Friday (Dec. 16) at the Vatican.

The message laments that “some currents of modern culture, built upon rationalist and individualist economic principles, have cut off the concept of justice from its transcendent roots, detaching it from charity and solidarity.”

Authentic education, Benedict writes, teaches the proper use of freedom with “respect for oneself and others, including those whose way of being and living differs greatly from one’s own.”

Read More: Huffington Post

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  • Uck

    How will they pay for legal settlements then? ” Bankers’ best guesses about the
    Vatican’s wealth put it at $10 billion to $15 billion. Of this wealth,
    Italian stockholdings alone run to $1.6 billion, 15% of the value of
    listed shares on the Italian market. The Vatican has big investments
    in banking, insurance, chemicals, steel, construction, real estate.
    Dividends help pay for Vatican expenses and charities such as assisting
    1,500,000 children and providing some measure of food and clothing to
    7,000,000 needy Italians. Unlike ordinary stockholders, the Vatican
    pays no taxes on this income, which led the leftist Rome weekly
    L’Espresso last week to call it “Read more: http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,833509,00.html#ixzz1grW9leNe

  • Azathoth

    They don’t care because they’re just words anyway. It’s not like he’s doing anything meaningful to put what he said into action, the only role of the pope is talk like he’s charitable, compassionate and empathetic, without doing anything to actually back it up. And he gets away with it because his followers are the same way too.

    He’s basically the town drunk rambling in the streets. But less honest.

  • truth hurts

    who’d a thought an ex nazi would quote a communist…lol

  • Dr K

    Hahahahaha oh that’s a good one … the vatican, redistribution of wealth … hahahahaha!

  • Azathoth

    Although it is a good disguise for him to conceal his true nature

  • Azathoth

    Although it is a good disguise for him to conceal his true nature

  • guest

    i guess it is according to how many catholics are in america, because that is apparently, to whom he is speaking.  you know, america being the sum total of the world, as far as americans are concerned.  

  • guest

    at least he is not excommunicating people for not voting for w. bush, like that other guy.  Maybe that was his american spokesperson

  • Azathoth

    Born and raised in Rome, actually.
    You know, distancing yourself from the true spirit of your religion, and instead using it as a way to justify your behaviours and judge others is a common phenomenon in all countries, cultures, and religions, sadly. And from my experience, the more a person identifies theirselves with their religion, the further they are from actually living it. Most famous public religious figures are the same way.. Which is probably one of the reasons.

  • guest

    i was speaking of the new pope, actually. He is German, I believe, with certain baggage regarding his youth. I was thinking he was addressing the american catholics.  maybe not.  there are a lot of gullible people, with regards to, their religion over here, as everywhere.  it is based on faith and a post-death future, as opposed to tangible facts, you know.  his position, recently, is more liberal than most protestants over here.  Namely, the ones who are trying to garner votes.  newt gingrich hasn’t been catholic for very long.  I would think that a futurist would be “post-religion” anyway.

  • Azathoth

    america

  • Taisto

    The sheer hypocrisy of it. Never trust religious people.

  • http://buzzcoastin.posterous.com BuzzCoastin

    > Pope Benedict Peace Message Calls For Wealth Redistribution

    i didn’t read the whole thing
    is he liquidating the Vatican’s treasure
    and giving it to pedophile victims and the poor? 

    good for him
    Jebus would be proud

  • Ronniedobbs

    is it just me or does he look like the emperor from star wars, kinda sorta?

  • Jack Whiskey

    Yeah how about those scumbags start selling off some of The Vatican’s wealth

  • Rick Blaine

    The Pope could start by unloading the Vatican of the billions in gold and booty stolen and collected over centuries of invasion, conquest, and genocide. The very idea of this pedophile protecting demon calling for wealth redistribution shows a total lack of self awareness and a callousness usually reserved for psychopaths.

  • Cardiffherne

    Wonder how much the cufflinks, cross and chain are worth on today’s gold market???

  • Cardiffherne

    OOPS and the ring…

  • Cardiffherne

    I’ve always thought this pope looks like a vampire, a fiend or a demon.  He gives me the creeps!

  • pasittu

    communist pope 

  • pasittu

    communist pope 

  • whatever

    Who gives a fuck what the poop thinks? He’s an expert in fairy tales. Why should anyone give a shit about his economic views? 

  • Anonymous

    The day I see the Pope wearing sack cloth and ashes instead of bling and cleaning the bed sores of a begger instead of accepting kisses on his ring, l’ll give some credence to his ‘holiness’.

  • Stumage

    How much do you figure that gold cross he has sported around his neck is worth? How much wealth could be redistributed from that?

  • scui

    While I understand the point of the Catholic Church giving away it all to be real followers of Christ, the fact is, that would temporarialy look good short term but it would have a disatrious effect long term on any philanthropic deeds it does and will continue to do. 

    Any organization, whether religious or secular, has some frills and expenses it uses that may not go to directly to the people they are trying to help, but are used to inspire and influence the people who donate to these organizations. 

    Whether you like or hate the Catholic Church, you must admit it does do a great deal to help people all over the world.  Like any organization there are people who do evil things.  If you are a true secularist, like I am, you realize the Catholic Church is no more immune to moral flaws than any other organization.

  • Andrew

    What would Bob Novak say?

  • Andrew

    What would Bob Novak say?

  • Yer Dad

    What IS great about this is the message it sends to the “True Believers”
    and others who don’t question the ‘reality narrative’ so perhaps now those
    who weren’t willing to seriously consider OWS, the 1%, corrupt govt etc
    are now having a change of perspective. Maybe. An unintended side effect,
    to be sure, but if it means that folks who weren’t seeing the problem, are now
    seeing it, then all the better.

  • Colonel Fahrtz
  • Suddenly Spam!

    Our world is finally so insane that the Catholic Church is making sense.

  • DeepCough

    Now where, oh where, did you get that idea?

    http://i572.photobucket.com/albums/ss167/batito/pope-benedict2.jpg

  • Bookofrevelations

    Again more propaganda.  Telling the masses want they want to hear to quell any potential uprisings.An attempt to show the masses that the church supposedly cares.  What a load of BS.  Guaranteed that the Pope had his pockets greased big time.  The only thing that guy cares about is his confession hour with the ‘boys’ and adding to the Vatican’s coffers. 

    Inspirational lyrics from the immortal band Genesis.  This is the real message of religion

    I’ll get you everything you wanted

    I’ll get you everything you need

    don’t need to believe in hereafter

    just believe in me

    Cause Jesus he knows me

    and he knows I’m right

    I’ve been talking to Jesus all my life

    oh yes he knows me

    and he knows I’m right

    and he’s been telling me

    everything is alright

    I believe in the family

    with my ever loving wife beside me

    but she don’t know about my girlfriend

    or the man I met last night

    Do you believe in God

    cos that’s what I’m selling

    and if you wanna get to heaven

    I’ll see you right

  • will

    Funny story, I had a little figurine of the dark lord stuck to the dash of my car to be funny. apparently one of saints wore black robes and people thought I was just another catholic

  • Llaviole

    I agree wholeheartedly. The Catholic Church thinks that it has dominion over all of the treasures, artifacts and religious icons that it has squirreled away in its vaults; and not to mention the millions of scrolls, books, documents that only THEY are entitled to keep. These things belong to the people, not just to a vile, depraved, pedophilic group of individuals who still think that they and only they have the rights to these items. I want to know what’s in those vaults and in their libraries, they were intended for the people not just a bunch of overfed, blinged out old men. I have the right to see these items, touch them, they belong to me, to you, and to not just the Roman Catholic Church. There needs to be some upheaval here, these items belong where everyone can access them. It just pisses me off, so i guess I’m a recovering Roman Catholic, eh?? And how exactly should the wealth be redistributed and from whom?? Is the Church going to participate, i think not.

  • Tuna Ghost

    Who gives a fuck?  Shit I dunno, maybe the 1.2 billion Catholics worldwide?  

    My god what a stupid question

  • http://www.facebook.com/people/Jai-Ankers/100000395755973 Jai Ankers

    No, what the world really needs is to rid itself of money and everybody to work for the good of the species. 

    One can only dream..