In a message to participants in the European Alpbach Forum, an Austrian nonprofit foundation advocating a strong and democratic Europe, the pontiff said that Europe is “experiencing a time of crisis,” a time “in which various populist movements are enjoying great popularity.”
In Europe, “as a result of this ‘wave’ of populism, some ideals have vanished and some principles, with regard to behavior towards the weaker members of society, have been sidelined,” he added.
The pope was no doubt referring to the many conservative populist movements enjoying increased favor in European nations such as Italy, France, Poland, Sweden, Germany, the Netherlands, and Hungary.
Francis has never attempted to disguise his contempt for right-leaning populism, and in 2019 famously said that citizens of European nations should put the good of Europe before that of their own countries.
“The thinking must be ‘Europe first, then each one of us,’” the pope said in a wide-ranging interview with the Italian daily La Stampa. “‘Each one of us’ is not secondary, it is important, but Europe counts more.”
“Never forget that ‘the whole is greater than the parts.’ Globalization, unity, should not be conceived as a sphere, but as a polyhedron: each people retains its identity in unity with others,” he said.
At the time, Italy’s interior minister, Matteo Salvini, had adopted the motto “Italians first,” and the pope went so far as to compare Salvini’s speeches to those of Adolph Hitler.
Go here to read the rest. The Pope has no problem with Populist groups if they are Leftist. As ever, he sees enemies only on the Right. Our Pope who has repeatedly decried ideologues, is the most resolutely ideological pope in the history of the Church.
“Subsidiarity (Catholic Teaching) is an organizing principle that matters ought to be handled by the smallest, lowest or least centralized competent authority. Political decisions should be taken at a local level if possible, rather than by a central authority.”
!!
Chuckles. We’re told by the Peronist on the Chair of Peter to eschew populism. He only favors populism which causes three generations worth of economic ruin.
Francis seems to be in opposition to long established Catholic teaching?
Just another Monday in the tatters of Christendom.
But, really, isn’t Populism just political Synodality? Or should I ask?
Synodality was never about grassroots.
Populism (sometimes) is.
But, really, isn’t Populism just political Synodality?
An excellent question, SouthCoast, and one for which neither Francis nor his cronies would ever give a straight answer.
For all his endless platitudes about being a ‘listening Church’ and reaching out to the peripheries, Francis has no problem pulling rank and dropping decrees that no one besides his cronies either wanted or asked for. Traditiones Custodes and Fiducia Supplicans are both excellent examples of this.
“The thinking must be ‘Europe first, then each one of us’”
And if populism is good for Europe…?
It’s always struck me as amusing how much the people who champion “democracy” will also decry “populism.”
Of course, modernity naturally runs towards the sophistic style of rhetoric, so it’s not exactly surprising that people do that.
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