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WHY POPE FRANCIS USED THE 'G' WORD
CNN Wire
April 13, 2015 Monday 8:21 PM GMT
By Daniel Burke, CNN Religion Editor
(CNN) -- It's not easy being the Pope. Not only does he shepherd
nearly 1 billion Catholic souls, he also leads a small but morally
significant state with envoys and interests in nearly every country.
As scholars like to say, the Vatican has walked that line between
spiritual and worldly roles for centuries. Sometimes, as when St. John
Paul II stood up to Communist Poland, the church's moral and political
clout have combined to pack a powerful punch. At other times, popes
have to make a hard choice: Adopt the sharp tongue of a prophet or
the discretion of a diplomat?
This Sunday in Rome, Pope Francis faced just such a dilemma.
First, the back story:
One hundred years ago, more than 1 million Armenians (some estimates
run as high as 1.5 million) died at the hand of the Turks. Many of
the victims were part of a branch of Christianity closely aligned
with Catholicism.
Many historians and at least 20 countries call Armenian killings a
"genocide." (A U.S. resolution to do the same has languished in
Congress.)
Turkish officials disagree about the killings, arguing that the deaths,
while unfortunate, were part of a long-running war that witnessed
casualties on all sides.
For their part, previous popes had finessed the genocide question.
John Paul II used the "g" word in 2001, but didn't dare speak it
out loud. Instead, it was tucked into a joint document signed by the
former pontiff and the head of the Armenian church, after they had
celebrated Mass together.
In 2006, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, in a public speech called
the killings "a great evil" and "terrible persecution" but avoided
labeling them genocide. (Benedict found other ways to tick off the
Turks, initially opposing their entry into the European Union.)
So, as Pope Francis prepared to celebrate a special Mass Sunday at St.
Peter's Basilica to commemorate a century since the slaughter, veteran
Vatican watchers were divided about whether he would use the "g" word.
Spoiler alert: He did, but in very Francis way, by quoting John
Paul's document.
"In the past century, our human family has lived through three
massive and unprecedented tragedies," Francis said. "The first,
which is widely considered 'the first genocide of the 20th century,'
struck your own Armenian people."
That middle phrase, the part with the "g" word, comes directly from the
document issued 14 years ago by John Paul. In citing his predecessor,
Francis highlighted one of the Vatican's highest concerns, especially
on matters of great moral import: continuity.
Whether holding the line against artificial birth control, declining
to ordain female priests or dealing with diplomatic tensions, it
sometimes seems as if the church considers inconsistency the most
unforgivable of sins.
"The Vatican and the papacy love continuity," said the Rev. Thomas
Reese, a Vatican analyst for National Catholic Reporter.
If Francis had not called the Armenian killings a genocide,
particularly at such a high-profile event -- the audience included
Armenia's President -- it might have been interpreted as a change in
church policy, Reese said.
At the same time, Francis didn't want to anger the Turks more than
necessary, especially since they have become a key ally against the
persecution of Christians by ISIS in the Middle East, which the Pope
alluded to in his speech on Sunday.
"The fact that he quoted John Paul is a sign that he's downplaying it.
He's telling people: There's nothing new here," Reese said.
New or not, Turkey was not happy.
The nation summoned its ambassador to the Vatican for "consultations"
just hours after Francis' comments, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
Turkey also promptly summoned the Vatican ambassador for a meeting,
Turkish state broadcaster TRT reported.
In a tweet Sunday on his official account, Turkey's Foreign Minister
Mevlut Cavusoglu called the Pope's use of the word "unacceptable"
and "out of touch with both historical facts and legal basis."
"Religious authorities are not places through which hatred and
animosity are fueled by unfounded allegations," the tweet reads.
"Hatred" and "animosity" are not words often used to describe Pope
Francis.
Because he often shines such a smiley face on the world, emphasizing
mercy over judgment, it can be easy to forget the bluntness he
sometimes brings to the bully pulpit. On matters of doctrine and
diplomacy, he may be carrying on Catholic traditions, but in his
willingness to engage in geopolitics and the tone that engagement
often takes, this pope is decidedly different.
He has helped broker a backroom detente between the United States and
Cuba, and invited Israeli and Palestinian leaders for an unprecedented
prayer service at the Vatican (after annoying some Israelis with
an impromptu prayer at the wall that separates the West Bank from
Jerusalem.)
But he has also suggested that force may be justified to stop ISIS'
slaughter of Christians, warned of the "Mexicanization" of Argentina
and said that satirists who insult religion can expect a retaliatory
punch.
On Monday, the Pope addressed a roomful of priests at morning
Mass. He must have heard the hubbub about his "genocide" remark,
but he encouraged his charges to speak frankly, without fear, and to
keep the courage of their convictions, just as the early apostles had.
"We cannot keep silent about what we have seen and heard," Francis
said.
CNN's Gul Tuysuz and Jethro Mullen contributed to this report.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
CNN Wire
April 13, 2015 Monday 8:21 PM GMT
By Daniel Burke, CNN Religion Editor
(CNN) -- It's not easy being the Pope. Not only does he shepherd
nearly 1 billion Catholic souls, he also leads a small but morally
significant state with envoys and interests in nearly every country.
As scholars like to say, the Vatican has walked that line between
spiritual and worldly roles for centuries. Sometimes, as when St. John
Paul II stood up to Communist Poland, the church's moral and political
clout have combined to pack a powerful punch. At other times, popes
have to make a hard choice: Adopt the sharp tongue of a prophet or
the discretion of a diplomat?
This Sunday in Rome, Pope Francis faced just such a dilemma.
First, the back story:
One hundred years ago, more than 1 million Armenians (some estimates
run as high as 1.5 million) died at the hand of the Turks. Many of
the victims were part of a branch of Christianity closely aligned
with Catholicism.
Many historians and at least 20 countries call Armenian killings a
"genocide." (A U.S. resolution to do the same has languished in
Congress.)
Turkish officials disagree about the killings, arguing that the deaths,
while unfortunate, were part of a long-running war that witnessed
casualties on all sides.
For their part, previous popes had finessed the genocide question.
John Paul II used the "g" word in 2001, but didn't dare speak it
out loud. Instead, it was tucked into a joint document signed by the
former pontiff and the head of the Armenian church, after they had
celebrated Mass together.
In 2006, Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, in a public speech called
the killings "a great evil" and "terrible persecution" but avoided
labeling them genocide. (Benedict found other ways to tick off the
Turks, initially opposing their entry into the European Union.)
So, as Pope Francis prepared to celebrate a special Mass Sunday at St.
Peter's Basilica to commemorate a century since the slaughter, veteran
Vatican watchers were divided about whether he would use the "g" word.
Spoiler alert: He did, but in very Francis way, by quoting John
Paul's document.
"In the past century, our human family has lived through three
massive and unprecedented tragedies," Francis said. "The first,
which is widely considered 'the first genocide of the 20th century,'
struck your own Armenian people."
That middle phrase, the part with the "g" word, comes directly from the
document issued 14 years ago by John Paul. In citing his predecessor,
Francis highlighted one of the Vatican's highest concerns, especially
on matters of great moral import: continuity.
Whether holding the line against artificial birth control, declining
to ordain female priests or dealing with diplomatic tensions, it
sometimes seems as if the church considers inconsistency the most
unforgivable of sins.
"The Vatican and the papacy love continuity," said the Rev. Thomas
Reese, a Vatican analyst for National Catholic Reporter.
If Francis had not called the Armenian killings a genocide,
particularly at such a high-profile event -- the audience included
Armenia's President -- it might have been interpreted as a change in
church policy, Reese said.
At the same time, Francis didn't want to anger the Turks more than
necessary, especially since they have become a key ally against the
persecution of Christians by ISIS in the Middle East, which the Pope
alluded to in his speech on Sunday.
"The fact that he quoted John Paul is a sign that he's downplaying it.
He's telling people: There's nothing new here," Reese said.
New or not, Turkey was not happy.
The nation summoned its ambassador to the Vatican for "consultations"
just hours after Francis' comments, the Turkish Foreign Ministry said.
Turkey also promptly summoned the Vatican ambassador for a meeting,
Turkish state broadcaster TRT reported.
In a tweet Sunday on his official account, Turkey's Foreign Minister
Mevlut Cavusoglu called the Pope's use of the word "unacceptable"
and "out of touch with both historical facts and legal basis."
"Religious authorities are not places through which hatred and
animosity are fueled by unfounded allegations," the tweet reads.
"Hatred" and "animosity" are not words often used to describe Pope
Francis.
Because he often shines such a smiley face on the world, emphasizing
mercy over judgment, it can be easy to forget the bluntness he
sometimes brings to the bully pulpit. On matters of doctrine and
diplomacy, he may be carrying on Catholic traditions, but in his
willingness to engage in geopolitics and the tone that engagement
often takes, this pope is decidedly different.
He has helped broker a backroom detente between the United States and
Cuba, and invited Israeli and Palestinian leaders for an unprecedented
prayer service at the Vatican (after annoying some Israelis with
an impromptu prayer at the wall that separates the West Bank from
Jerusalem.)
But he has also suggested that force may be justified to stop ISIS'
slaughter of Christians, warned of the "Mexicanization" of Argentina
and said that satirists who insult religion can expect a retaliatory
punch.
On Monday, the Pope addressed a roomful of priests at morning
Mass. He must have heard the hubbub about his "genocide" remark,
but he encouraged his charges to speak frankly, without fear, and to
keep the courage of their convictions, just as the early apostles had.
"We cannot keep silent about what we have seen and heard," Francis
said.
CNN's Gul Tuysuz and Jethro Mullen contributed to this report.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress