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Pope denounces sovereignty movement, says it causes wars

August 09, 2019

Pope Francis denounced “sovereignism,” and called for the preservation of the European Union, in a new interview with La Stampa.

The Pope said that the European Union should be strengthened through dialogue. He said that “we must talk to each other, confront each other, know each other,” in order to strengthen bonds.

European society has both secular and Christian roots, the Pope said. “And when I say this,” he continued, “I don’t separate Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants. The Orthodox have a very precious role for Europe. We all have the same founding values.” He insisted that this shared identity “cannot and must not be dissolved.”

In contrast with the path of dialogue, the Pope condemned a growing tendency toward insistence on national sovereignty. He said that some national leaders’ speeches recently have been similar to those of Adolf Hitler. The exaggerated appeal of “sovereignism,” he said, “leads to wars.”

On another topic, the Pontiff denied that the prospect of ordaining married men was the top item on the agenda for the Amazon Synod. The main issues, he told La Stampa, will be “ministries of evangelization and different ways of evangelizing.”

 


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  • Posted by: [email protected] - Aug. 11, 2019 10:18 PM ET USA

    European Union is made up a group of unelected bureaucrats who are pro-abortion and stands against most what the Church stands for religion wise. Again the Pope is really on the wrong side of the fence. Sovereignty does not lead to war. This is more mouth twisting by the Pope who has shown himself to be a very leftist Pope. He is a globalist who will see individual countries destroyed to satisfy that appetite.

  • Posted by: Art Kelly - Aug. 09, 2019 10:36 PM ET USA

    I wonder exactly what Pope Francis meant when he said, "I don’t separate Catholics, Orthodox, and Protestants."

  • Posted by: Randal Mandock - Aug. 09, 2019 5:29 PM ET USA

    The title of your article missed the mark. From the cited article itself: "While 'sovereignism' involves closing in upon oneself, sovereignty is not, the Pope explains. Sovereignty must be defended and relations with other countries, with the European Community, must also be protected and promoted."