Comments for What’s Wrong in the Vatican Press Office? at http://www.thecatholicthing.org , comment 1 to 23 out of 20 comments http://www.thecatholicthing.org Wed, 19 Jun 2013 16:02:28 +0100 FeedCreator 1.7.3 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13478 The current administration prefers some bigots over others: it would never council dialog with a White Supremacist like David Duke...it would simply declare him (and rightly so) illegitimate. But it will dialog with The Nation of Islam (Farrakhan) and The Muslim Brotherhood (Morsi) and 'moderate Taliban,' even though they are racists, bigots, assasins and Islamic supremacists. - Chris in Maryland Fri, 21 Sep 2012 06:38:25 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13467 I don't offer any better understanding than Fr. Schall's about what's wrong, but it seems like the "dialog" that some folks seek is for its own sake. Dialog, almost by definition, must lead to greater understanding. But the understanding may be that they hate us for reasons belonging to themselves and has nothing to do with anything we have done. - leonard Thu, 20 Sep 2012 13:01:01 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13456 John Sobieski: While I believe that "The Vatican" (i.e., the progressive bureaucrats populating commitees inside The Holy See) is incapable of "telling the truth about Mohammed," you are flat out wrong to that claim against Pope Benedict. Please obtain and read Pope Benedict's Regensburg lecture (commended to us here by our own Fr. James Schall). In this amazing address, he bravely and openly challenged the political, philosophical and theological failures of Islam, linking its defects to same rejection of reason that emerged in Protestant theology, and subsequently in secular ideology in The West. After he delivered the address, the liberals in The Church went wild with invective and ridicule against Pope B. The pastor of my (former) parish publicly mocked Pope B from the pulpit at Mass. "The Vatican" is composed of people who are like my former pastor - college educated, but not very smart; well-positioned in the ranks of The Church, but not of one heart with The Church; clever, but not very wise. Pray for Pope Benedict, as he has begged us to do for him, as he is surrounded by these wolves. - Chris in Maryland Wed, 19 Sep 2012 19:13:37 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13445 I pray for the Holy Father often. All Catholics should. He needs our prayers. He has many people around him who don't necessarily want the Church to flourish & to continue. The chaos in the Middle East and around the world is the result of forces (mainly unseen) which maintain the hegelican dialectic. All countries, at the top, are run by those forces. Normal people want to live their lives in peace and tranquility. Those change agents who want "order" from chaos continually stir the pot to get the results they want. Watch the movie 'Brazil' (1985, written by Terry Gilliam) --start removing the cobwebs. Most people, most everywhere are being farmed and used for ends they don't know about, let alone understand. - ponerology Wed, 19 Sep 2012 05:37:02 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13436 Ibn Warraq speaks the truth: Nearly ten years ago, I was the guest of the Pontifical Institute for Arabic and Islamic Studies (PISAI) of Rome. PISAI is dedicated to interfaith dialogue between Christians and Muslims. But as the director at the time said to me, “There is no real dialogue, since Muslims never reciprocate the goodwill gestures made by the Christians. The result is we sit down together, and the Christians say what a wonderful religion Islam is, and the Muslims say what a wonderful religion Islam is.” - I am not Spartacus Tue, 18 Sep 2012 13:04:33 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13435 While we must always be open to peaceful means, the enemies we face today seek the complete destruction of all non-believers as well as their governments and religions. They say there is one God, Allah and one religion, Islam. Islam is also their government. It is very simple, folks. No need for apologetics...convert or die. The only way to coexist with them is with a gun pointed at them. As far as they are concerned, the Crusades / Holy War has never ended. We are at war with evil, period. The biggest problem we have, as a country, is an enslavement to the Seven Deadly Sins. How can we fight evil when we are so enamored with it? - Dan Bernard Tue, 18 Sep 2012 12:55:42 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13434 Marky, you've jumped to an unwarranted conclusion, which is also detraction. Greg Burke is know to me and others personally and he's as sound a man as you will find in journalism anywhere. - Robert Royal Tue, 18 Sep 2012 11:05:43 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13433 It amazes me how poorly our leaders confront evil. They use confusing compound - complex sentences where simple words would be infinitely more effective. Jesus was not a flowery orator; He told it straight. Both east and west have made a hash out of the concept of nation, individual, religion, personal responsibility, and speaking the truth. America's leaders should state simple policy: if you demonstrate peacefully, we welcome your views. If you attack our embassies, we will kill you. If you attack our military, we will follow you back to the mountain valley you hide in, and kill you. If you hide among innocents, we will try to only kill you. They should flee you like death. If your nation lies to us, we will call you a liar. If you explode a nuke over Israel, we will melt the dirt in your capital. There is enough land, water, technology, and capital, to raise all Palestinians' standard of living. If Muslims seek real peace, we will work with you to obtain it. If Muslims seek forced conversion and conquest, through Salafi, instead of peace, we will kill you. We respect Islam, but will carry our guns, Bibles and Star of David where ever we go. In the Catholic religion it is a sin to kill an innocent, but a virtuous act to kill a killer. Americans recognize two kinds of peace: the cooperation, and dialog between neighbors, or standing over the grave of our enemy. Islam must choose, life or death. - R. L. Hails Sr. P. E. Tue, 18 Sep 2012 09:43:58 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13432 The answer to the question posed in the title is in the very first sentence of the story: "The Vatican hired Greg Burke in June, an experienced journalist at Catholic and secular outlets, as a special consultant to help with press communications" "Experience journalist" amounts to "Leftist ideologue" as journalism is full of Leftists who do not want to criticize Muslims. These Leftist ideologues masquerading as journalist will say there's a "war against women" if employers don't provide women free contraceptives. But in the name of multiculturalism these same "journalists" will support sharia laws that treat women as little more than dogs. - Marky Tue, 18 Sep 2012 08:38:35 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13431 I think the article misunderstands the position the Vatican is in and the American administration for that matter. We do not need to repulicate what Mitt Romney has done. - pat samson Tue, 18 Sep 2012 07:26:53 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13422 What Gian said, I second that. - Gabe Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:54:43 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13421 I admit to a bias in favor of the Holy Father -- his blunt and plain-spoken sermon on the corrupt subculture in the priesthood among other things was welcomed by many of us. Blessed John Paul II was a great communicator; Pope Benedict XVI is a great teacher. My point regarding the above situation. As UN and other "peacemakers" and emissaries fled, the Holy Father arrived. The symbolism of that cannot be overstated. And don't underestimate the courage of an old man. - Graham Combs Mon, 17 Sep 2012 14:03:23 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13420 The article states: " On Wednesday, WELL AFTER THE BASIC FACTS WERE KNOWN, Fr. Federico Lombardi, director of the press office, issued the following..." Is that actually true? Were even the basic facts about the murders known at that point? I don't think that it is clear that they were (or in fact still are!) There was a time when the original statement may not have been updated, so I see this as an improvement. You are correct...the Pope said and did some extraordinary and important things in Lebanon that need to be highlighted by the press office.. Thank you for taking the initiative! - Anna B Mon, 17 Sep 2012 10:31:30 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13419 This press statement by the Vatican, my Church, is incredibly disappointing on so many levels. It's no better than the statement made by the Ambassador in Cairo that came out apologizing for the Muslims having their feelings hurt. What has happened to our glorious Church? This is simply outrageous and I'm sickened by it. - Elizabeth Mon, 17 Sep 2012 08:57:22 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13418 There's a sense of myopia here in the comments (not in the article though, Robert Royal as usual does a good job of making his distinctions fine; he never criticizes the Holy Father, just his press team). It is important to recall that the Pope has to think in a pastoral way about the millions of Roman Catholics and other Christians throughout these Muslim countries. By simply speaking about those portions of the events most important to us in the U.S.A., the Holy Father would increase the peril of thousands of Roman Catholics in Muslim countries. He cannot put their lives at risk by speaking as an American writer might. Being impatient with the Successor to St Peter seems short sighted, myopically unaware of the bigger reality that the Papacy must attend to in caring for the Universal Church. To get a sense of this there are two websites worth watching: Pontifical Mission Lebanon (it's found by searching for pontifical mission lebanon) Vatican Asia News (found by searching for Pontificio Istituto Missioni Estere Asia News) I can't give the actual links due to the policy of The Catholic Thing blog. I hope this helps mute some of the criticism of the Holy Father that seems to be emerging in the comments. - G.K. Thursday Mon, 17 Sep 2012 07:41:07 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13417 What kind of dialogue with Muslims is possible if it is impossible for Christians to say the truth about Mohammed? Even the Pope discourages Christians from telling the truth about Mohammed. - John Sobieski Mon, 17 Sep 2012 05:59:21 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13415 "Profound respect for the beliefs, texts, outstanding figures and symbols of the various religions is an essential precondition for the peaceful coexistence of peoples." Right off the bat, such a statement sends the wrong signal. I may be an unbeliever, although I think Christianity is the most appealing religion, but to extend "profound respect" to Islam, which clearly expresses violence and intolerable towards non-adherents and especially Jews, is the worst of messages to send. Does Rome forget that for nearly 200 years, crusaders fought against the attacking Muslim hordes in the Levant and for 400 more years outside? Advancing Moslem armies sought to force captives to leave, convert or die -- which a thousand years later continues to be their common quest. Does Rome forget Sharia Law, which is antithetical to Western concepts of individual freedom and which seeks to control and restrict behavior in ways that are brutal and oppressive? Actually, one can trace the roots of Moslem hatred toward Jews back to when Jacob cheated Esau out of his birthright. The hatred that Esau had for Israel has been passed on down to successive generations of Edomites. The biblical prophets discuss this murderous antagonism on Edom’s part as being carried down generation to generation to the very end times, as narrated in the Book of Ezekiel (Chapters 35 and 36). Does Rome forget the countless suicide bombings, a type of Fatwa issued by Muslim leaders, to kill and maim the innocent? Profound respect? I daresay no religion is less deserving of respect than Islam. - Joe Mon, 17 Sep 2012 04:37:35 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13414 When the head of the Vatican Press Office is too fearful or too wishy-washy to call evil by its proper name, he should be removed, immediately. The Vatican is in the business of teaching people to distinguish good from evil - not to blur the lines between them. - Laurie Morrow Mon, 17 Sep 2012 03:50:02 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13412 Where now are all the so-called "liberals" whose favorite retort was "I disapprove of what you say, but I will defend to death your right to say it?" It seems the safety of our embassies comes down to preventing private citizens from offending Islam? First this administration attacks the freedom of religion clause to the First Amendment. Now it attacks the freedom of speech clause to protect the tender feelings of Muslims? Freedom of the press? Most of the press is busy trying to ensure Obama's re-election. Mark Steyn is right: the end of this wonderful experiment in freedom and self government is nigh. Please pray for our country; only the Holy Spirit can save us now. - Francis Mon, 17 Sep 2012 02:57:55 +0100 http://www.thecatholicthing.org/columns/2012/whats-wrong-in-the-vatican-press-office.html#comment-13411 Mr Royal, I totally agree it is such a shame, thanks. Jack - Jack,CT Mon, 17 Sep 2012 01:32:21 +0100