With one statement a Catholic priest has tarnished both the Catholic Church and the United Nations. Pretty amazing, huh?
Fr. Miguel D’Escoto, a Catholic priest who was born in America but later joined the communist Sandanistas in Niceragua, is now the current president of the UN General Assembly. Yesterday, D’Escoto called Fidel Castro “the closest thing we have to a saint.”
In case you might think I’m taking this out of context, here’s what he said yesterday at the UN, according to The Real Cuba: “I’m still in debt – and I think all of humanity is – with Fidel Castro, who has dedicated all his life to support and promote solidarity with all the oppressed people of the world. More than a hero, Fidel is the closest thing that we have to a saint in this troubled world.”
Now, according to “The Black Book of Communism,” Castro is responsible for the firing squad murder of at least 14,000 people, tyrannical oppression, and torture.
D’Escoto, whose senior advisers are Noam Chomsky and Howard Zinn, has not been excoriated publicly for these comments at all as far as I can see.
I can’t help but compare the dramatic reactions our cultural elite have had to Bishop Williamson’s outrageous denying of the Holocaust to their non-reaction to a priest who is head of the U.N. General Assembly who is not only ignoring the actions of a murderous regime but in fact praising the leader of that regime. And not only is he calling Castro ‘a swell guy’ like every celebrity who goes over there but D’Escoto is calling him a saint that we are indebted to.
Will there be calls for him to step down from the U.N., be excommunicated from the Church, travel to Cuba on a listening tour? Well, let’s just say I haven’t heard anything yet.
Well maybe within U.N. General Assembly UN General Assembly, Fidel Castro is “the closest thing we have to a saint.” Seriously though, or as seriously I can take such a profoundly stupid statement, it is amazing how many murderous dictators and their murderous assistants get praised by those on the left. I guess maybe it is just me, but I doubt the Diocese of Havana will be petitioning the Vatican five years after Castro death for sainthood. Though maybe they will declare the first miracle of converting his murderous henchmen Che to a darling of the left with his iconic presence. Che has become Veronica’s veil for the left.
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Is this man still an active priest or is he under some kind of suspension?
Usually, when a priest accepts a political office, elective or appointive, he is supposed to get approval of his bishop or higher authority.
Fidel Castro, a saint?
On the other hand, I noticed that one of the “independent Catholic churches” has declared
slain Latin American Bishop Romero a saint. No word on this from Rome.
“Fidel Castro, who has dedicated all his life to support and promote solidarity with all the oppressed people of the world.”
Yes, this is deliciouly true. However he did so by oppressing everyone he could and embracing those who were oppressing others!
Che is posterable…he looks good on a poster…Keith Oberman does not, thank God. Human nature can so choose shallow as a way of life that it sees looks as paramount and Che looks perfectly Hollywood on a poster. No one on the left wears a picture of Jean Paul Sartre on their tee shirt because his two eyes did not work in coordination…he did not look good as he himself noted. Had Che been a balding guy with a hair lip and one dead eye, his career on posters and in minds would have never begun.
“On the other hand, I noticed that one of the “independent Catholic churches” has declared
slain Latin American Bishop Romero a saint.”
Unless there are reasons why not, I was hoping that Archbishop Romero would be declared a saint someday. Thomas Merton, too. But it’s very early. Makes me wonder if some of the reasons for the prudent wait have to do with political issues that need to be forgotten somewhat in order that the faithful will not be confused as to the reason for a saint’s canonization. Otherwise, they might follow the political example rather than the saintly one.
Does arming and organizing poor people to kill rich people (liberation theology) constitute cause for sainthood?
I’ll play “Devil’s Advocate” here:
Excerpted from:
“Cuba and the Vatican”
By Armando Valladares
18 April 2008, The Wall Street Journal
“In one especially shameful episode in the 1980s, Ventura, Cipriano and Eugenio Garcia Marin and their mother entered the nunciature in Havana to ask for political asylum. Two days later they saw several priests get out of a black limousine. They were special troops from Castro’s political police who entered the Holy See’s diplomatic mission with the authorization and complicity of the pope’s diplomats in Havana. The THREE BROTHERS WERE EXECUTED, and their mother was sentenced to 20 YEARS IN PRISON.
“Cardinal Tarsicio Bertone’s visit to Cuba this February [2008] was a different kind of outrage. In statements by the Vatican secretary of state, published by L’Osservatore Romano shortly after the cardinal’s visit, the cardinal is quoted saying, contrary to historical fact, that Cuba’s Catholic Church is not a “persecuted Church.” He also described Cuba’s universities as “renowned centers of higher education.” In reality, they are sophisticated factories of atheism and apostasy.”
Pope John Paul II must have been too busy writing “Veritatis Splendor” to notice.
And, then there is the matter of Catholics that voted for Obama . . . I bet they thought they’d get jobs in the re-education camps . . .
T,
I can’t speak for the tone or the integrity of the Wall St Journal, but
“Pope John Paul II must have been too busy writing “Veritatis Splendor” to notice.” was unnecessary and unhelpful, except to Dan Brown, maybe. He might be looking for a new source of inspiration for his next novel.
I will say that in certain respects the commies were better at following the natural law than the West. Wasn’t Cuba basically a stinking whorehouse under the gangster regime of Batista? I’m not speaking in favor of Castro’s policies, but in some (not all) realms of morality the reds actually put the supposed Christians of the West to shame. At least various among them have had the guts to crack down on vice, whereas over here we have come to celebrate and lionize it.
Even in Russia there seems to have begun an explosion of sexual vice since the collapse of communism. Now, I don’t think that communists have real morality… Marxism is arguably the atheist version of Christianity so it possesses many of the moral commitments while at the same time denying morality and having no ability to coherently discuss it.
Just a thought. Cuba, along with every other country I can think of, would be better off with a confessing Catholic monarchy. But among dictators, a communist dictator is probably little worse than a whoremongering gangster dictator, if not overall slightly better for the promotion of natural law.
The Holocaust was a horrible occurrence, but it one even questions anything about such right away you are an anti-semite. And the liberal media and many in our church love to as well jump on the neo-cons and trads and always try to label them as an antisemite
I find it quite odd that the Pope I love and admire so much though cowers to these same rabiis who deny our Lord and savior. They may be our “elder brothers” but that is where it ends
Has anyone ever taken the time to read the Talmud and how they call Jesus a sorcerer and blaspheme our Lady? Where is our outrage as Jewish students learn and read from the Talmud and Torah (they dont even read the remainder of the OT, from my discussions with my Jewish friends)
I have gone head to head with them over this same subject and they agree themselves they wonder why no Pope has ever questioned the anti catholic rhetoric used by rabbis in their talks (what public access some evening with the rabbis making jokes about Catholics)
I heard that Castro was in favor of nuclear war, the Russians said no. The saint that wanted to destroy the world to protect his own power?
I loosely recall that Fulton Sheen once said that to know what an ideology is really about one need only consider the “saints” of that ideology.
That Fidel is a “saint” is quite true. That is why it pains the sane mind knowing this epitaph is but a diabolical inversion of its principal. (Gee know anybody in the Lowerarchy that has that nailed down?).
He is also “priest”, “prophet” and “king” – just not in the Line of Melchizedek but of Anti-Apostles Robespierre, St. Jus, Lenin, Mao and Che. “Saints” not of the Church Universal but of Death Eternal.
Its Universal Church is Communism its Prophet Marx.
To the degree that Mother Teresa was a true believer in Christ so too does Marxism have those who embody the “best” Communism has to offer.
Seeing how this is the “best” Old Scratch could come up with has left me completely underwhelmed.
I wondered if Hell could be likened to a Singularity. The soul weighted down by sin passes beyond a spiritual Schwartzchild radius – forever collapsing in upon itself.
I’m grateful, that for once, and so far, no one is feeding the troll.
Unless there are reasons why not, I was hoping that Archbishop Romero would be declared a saint someday.
I’m with you, Joanne. His gradual conversion from a bookish, fearful priest to an advocate for the rights of common people should be an inspiration to all those who are afraid of taking a stand for justice.
There is no reason why not. Oscar Romero is already a saint, whether he is recognized or not.
Outstanding Article , I thought it was special
I look ahead to more similar postings like this one. Does Your Blog have a subscription I can subscribe to for new postings?