Thursday, March 28, AD 2024 7:20am

Of Walls and Glass Houses

vatican-city-map

And then, a person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian. This is not in the Gospel. As far as what you said about whether I would advise to vote or not to vote, I am not going to get involved in that. I say only that this man is not Christian if he has said things like that.

Pope Francis, in response to a question about the immigration policy espoused by Donald Trump.

In light of the Pope’s above comments, perhaps US immigration policy needs to be reformed.  Maybe we should emulate the immigration policy of the Vatican State, which, presumably, must be Christian, even though it is a very strict immigration policy?

 

 

Under the new legal regimen, citizenship can be acquired by law (ex iure) or by administrative decision. Ex iure citizenship is granted to only three classes of persons: (a) the Cardinals resident in the Vatican City State or in Rome; (b) the Holy See’s diplomats; and (c) the persons who reside in Vatican City State by reason of their office or service. This last class includes the members of the Swiss Guard.

Pursuant to Law n. CXXXI, the acquisition of citizenship by administrative decision can only be requested in three situations: (a) by residents of the Vatican City State when they are authorized by reason of their office or service; (b) by the persons who have obtained papal authorization to reside in the State, independently of any other conditions; and (c) by the spouses and children of current citizens, who are also residents, of the Vatican City State.

Due to the special nature of the Vatican City State, the traditional factors utilized to acquire citizenship (ius sanguinis, ius loci, or ius soli) are not applicable and are not found in its regulations. In lieu of them, the Vatican City State has opted for other factors that are more appropriate for its structure and political organization.

Go here to read the rest.  Of course an immigration policy that is proper for a postage stamp principality may not be proper for a nation stretching across a continent.  What this implies is that many factors go into determining the immigration policy of any country and that interview sound bites are a poor basis for determining whether an immigration policy is Christian.

 

 

 

Saint Pope Leo IV, pray for us:

 

A Roman and the son of Radoald, was unanimously elected to succeed Sergius II, and as the alarming attack of the Saracens on Rome in 846 caused the people to fear for the safety of the city, he was consecrated (10 April, 847) without the consent of the emperor. Leo received his early education at Rome in the monastery of St. Martin, near St. Peter’s. His pious behaviour attracted the notice of Gregory IV, who made him a subdeacon; and he was created Cardinal-Priest of the church of the Quatuor Coronati by Sergius II. As soon as Leo, much against his will, became pope, he began to take precautions against a repetition of the Saracen raid of 846. He put the walls of the city into a thorough state of repair, entirely rebuilding fifteen of the great towers. He was the first to enclose the Vatican hill by a wall. To do this, he received money from the emperor, and help from all the cities and agricultural colonies (domus cultae) of the Duchy of Rome. The work took him four years to accomplish, and the newly fortified portion was called the Leonine City, after him. In 852 the fortifications were completed, and were blessed by the pope with great solemnity.

0 0 votes
Article Rating
6 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Greg Mockeridge
Greg Mockeridge
Friday, February 19, AD 2016 4:14am

Sometimes I wish the Holy Father would spend the rest of his pontificate on silent retreat.

Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus
Friday, February 19, AD 2016 6:21am

Pope Francis – typical Latin American politician

Michael Paterson-Seymour
Michael Paterson-Seymour
Friday, February 19, AD 2016 12:23pm

The outer wall of Rome is the Aurelian Wall.

This is the wall that was breached by General Raffaele Cardona’s artillary at the Porta Pia on 20 September 1870 and the Bersaglieri entered through the breach.

It was a century later, on 20 September 1970, that Bl Paul Vi became the first pope to send a reresentative ( Cardinal Angelo Dell’Acqua, Vicar of Rome) to the annual celebration of the Unification of Italy, held there annually outside the Bersaglieri Regimental Museum that marks the breach.

Kevin
Kevin
Saturday, February 20, AD 2016 10:56am

Donald, while this indiscretion of the Pope seems to be another inappropriate remark, I am more concerned on what was reportedly said by him about contraception. Might you cover that? Thanks for the consideration.

Penguins Fan
Penguins Fan
Sunday, February 21, AD 2016 9:43am

The Roman Pontiff knows not of what he speaks. He’s too arrogant to understand that.

Discover more from The American Catholic

Subscribe now to keep reading and get access to the full archive.

Continue reading

Scroll to Top