The Papal Trip to Korea: An Anguished Catholic’s Perspective

From the Remnant

In departing for Seoul, Pope Francis flew in a personal helicopter to a chartered jet embossed with a Vatican logo for the trip. During the flight an Alitalia crew provided first-class treatment to the Pope, who occupied “the first seat in business class with no one next to him,” and his large entourage. The service included a four-course Italian dinner: sparkling wine and salsiccie (diced sausage and olives), fresh cannelloni with ricotta cheese, rocket salad, Italian prosciutto ham and cantaloupe, and “a hearty beef stew.”  On arrival, the Pope walked down a long, red-carpeted airstair, and then a red carpet that appeared to be at least 200-feet-long, at the end of which he was greeted by leading South Korean dignitaries.

But then, at the end of the red carpet, Francis squeezed into the back seat of a Kia Soul, the kind of car a high school student might drive, provided upon his specific request for the “the smallest South Korean car during his visit” (that model is actually the second-smallest). This was supposed to demonstrate the Pope’s humility and frugality—after a chartered flight with first-class dining that must have cost more than a million dollars for the Pope and his entourage.

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Islam, the Pope, and the End of Christianity in the Middle East

by  Vincent Chiarello | Remnant Columnist

Full disclosure: for more than two years, I have written about the attempts by jihadi Muslims who wage "holy war against the infidel," in both Syria and Iraq, and who seek to destroy completely the remnants of the remaining Christian culture in those two countries. Recall that in Syria areas of remaining Christians still speak Aramaic, the language spoken by Christ, but they can no longer openly worship, and they are not alone. 

In the past two years or longer, the U.N. and other world bodies have stood idly by and done next to nothing to aid these people who are currently the targets of genocidal ragtag armies whose strength has increased over the past several years primarily due to the combination of indifference by the West, and strong financial support by other Muslim countries, such as Saudi Arabia and Qatar. 

Christianity has not been so endangered as it is today in the Middle East since the time of the Crusades. But if the U.S., the U.N., and other world bodies appear reluctant to aid the embattled Christians, what can be said of the Vatican's efforts? The answer to that question is both perplexing and disturbing at the same time, for much of the information about the Christians' horrific plight has been noted on the Vatican website, Fides.

More than two years ago, a Greek Melchite Archimandrite (a prior of a monastery), Rev. Philip Tournyol Clos, described the perilous situation for Christians in Syria who, fearing for their lives, were fleeing to Lebanon. In June of 2012, Mother Agnes Miriam de la Croix, Mother Superior of the Carmelite Convent in Homs, Syria, provided additional details at a talk at a church in Rome. Part of her (recorded) talk included this: "I've lived in Syria since 1994 under the regime of Assad, in which there was an enviable security (for Christians), but also a social fabric in which there was a form of peace among the groups." It should be added that Mother Superior spoke in a Methodist church in Rome, for not one Catholic parish would receive her!(Emphasis mine) The Melkite priest and Mother Superior's descriptions were confirmed by the American journalist, Michael Carl, and Martin Janssen, a Dutch journalist and human rights analyst. 

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"Do you ever have the feeling that we are all puppets whose strings are being pulled by some sinister, anonymous, unseen puppeteer?"

AM I MISSING SOMETHING AGAIN?  Can anyone give me a logical reason why the West, edged on by America, is currently teaming up to demonize Putin and Russia?

The West first helped overthrow the democratically elected government of the Ukraine for no better reason than said government was pro-Russian and not over enthusiastic about the EEC - an unsurprising fact given that the majority of Ukrainians were pro-Russian (is it only silly old me who had this dopey idea that democracy was supposed to be all about electing governments reflecting the will of the majority).  In the meantime, the media in general and the odious BBC in particular, had been busy duping us into believing that a series of violent localised riots that took place in the capital Kiev was some sort of national popular uprising.

Having deliberately destabilised the country, we then blamed Russia for the fact that it inevitable, and entirely predictably, broke up into warring factions. Putin and Russia, then became pariahs who needed to be punished for supporting the pro-Russian majority! This, despite the fact that Britain actively supports pro-British majorities and pro-British separatists in Gibraltar, the Channel Island, the Falklands and, nearer home, Ulster - even maintaining large armies in most of these places to defend the pro-British majorities - pro-British majorities that in many cases had been artificially created.

Then of course came the tragic shooting out of the sky of the civilian airliner, with the massive loss of innocent life. Again the West and its poodles in the media portray Russia as the sinister hand responsible, notwithstanding the fact that Putin obviously needed this tragedy like a hole in the head, as it provided a massive propaganda coup to the West.

Apparently more sabre rattling by the West in needed because it is alleged that it was shot down by Russian separatists with weapons that are alleged to have been supplied by Russia, notwithstanding that fact that there is as yet no hard evidence for any of this. Which is like a rogue policeman in Northern Island running amok and killing a dozen innocent people with his service revolver, and the EEC and America blaming David Cameron and the British government for having financed the supply of the revolver.

If the cretin or cretins responsible for shooting down the plane can be positively identified, and the possibility that it was not a tragic accident can be positively excluded, then I for one would be happy to see those responsible dangling on the end of a hangman's noose. In the meantime, am I alone in being reluctant to launch World War III, on the basis of mere allegations of Western leaders and their lapdogs in the media?

Do you ever have the feeling that we are all puppets whose strings are being pulled by some sinister, anonymous, unseen puppeteer?