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Pope Francis Says He’s Overlooked the World’s Middle Class Pope Francis Says He’s Overlooked the World’s Middle Class
(about 1 hour later)
ABOARD THE PAPAL AIRPLANE — Pope Francis has dedicated his papacy to the plight of the poor and delivered severe critiques of the economic system that benefits the rich. But flying back from his eight-day visit to Latin America, Francis admitted he had overlooked a group. ABOARD THE PAPAL AIRPLANE — Pope Francis has dedicated his papacy to the plight of the poor and delivered severe critiques of the economic system that benefits the rich. But flying back to Rome from his eight-day visit to Latin America, Francis admitted he had overlooked a group.
He has delivered few messages for the global middle class.He has delivered few messages for the global middle class.
“Thank you,” he replied, after a German journalist, Ludwig Ring-Eifel, asked about the omission. “It’s a good correction, thanks. You are right. It’s an error of mine not to think about this.”“Thank you,” he replied, after a German journalist, Ludwig Ring-Eifel, asked about the omission. “It’s a good correction, thanks. You are right. It’s an error of mine not to think about this.”
The pope made the concession on Sunday night aboard his Alitalia papal jet while returning from his Latin American trip, which included stops in Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay.The pope made the concession on Sunday night aboard his Alitalia papal jet while returning from his Latin American trip, which included stops in Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay.
The end-of-trip, midair news conference has become a staple of the Francis papacy, and at times it has produced big news. When asked about homosexuality while returning from his first international trip in 2013, the pope responded, “Who am I to judge?”The end-of-trip, midair news conference has become a staple of the Francis papacy, and at times it has produced big news. When asked about homosexuality while returning from his first international trip in 2013, the pope responded, “Who am I to judge?”
But while a range of topics were covered Sunday night, Francis seemed determined to accomplish two things: to avoid saying anything that would overshadow a successful Latin American tour, and to avoid saying anything that might stir controversy about his trip to Cuba and the United States in September. But while a range of topics were covered Sunday night, Francis seemed determined to accomplish two things: to avoid saying anything that would overshadow a successful Latin American tour, and to avoid saying anything that might stir contention about his trip to Cuba and the United States in September.
He did address the situation in Greece, however, noting that the country had a responsibility for its debt but that a new solution was needed because similar problems could befall other countries and the “road of loans and debts, in the end, it never ends.” He said he had heard about a proposal that would allow a country to declare itself bankrupt rather than defaulting on its debt. He did address the situation in Greece, noting that the country had a responsibility for its debt but that a new solution was needed because similar problems could befall other countries. He added that the “road of loans and debts, in the end, it never ends.” The pope said he had heard about a proposal that would allow a country to declare itself bankrupt rather than defaulting on its debt.
“If a company can declare bankruptcy, why can’t a country do it?” he asked, admitting he had only heard broad descriptions of such a proposal and did not know if it was possible. “If a company can declare bankruptcy, why can’t a country do it?” he asked, admitting that he had only heard broad descriptions of such a proposal and did not know if it was possible.
In fact, the pope expressed “a great allergy to economic things,” explaining that his father had been an accountant who often brought work home on weekends.In fact, the pope expressed “a great allergy to economic things,” explaining that his father had been an accountant who often brought work home on weekends.
“I don’t understand it very well,” he said of economics, even though the issue of economic justice has become central to his papacy.“I don’t understand it very well,” he said of economics, even though the issue of economic justice has become central to his papacy.
Asked about his coming Cuba visit, he played down his role in brokering the country’s diplomatic breakthrough with the United States — even though President Obama has thanked him for playing a crucial part. Asked about his planned Cuba visit, he played down his role in brokering the country’s diplomatic breakthrough with the United States — even though President Obama has thanked him for playing a crucial part.
Pope Francis credited the deal to mutual desire by the two countries, and defined his role as offering prayer and designating an unnamed cardinal to act as a liaison. He said months passed before Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, informed him that a second secret meeting was being held between diplomats of the two nations at the Vatican. (The meeting took place in October, less than two months before the breakthrough was announced in December.) The pope credited the accord to a mutual desire by the two countries, and he defined his role as offering prayer and designating an unidentified cardinal to act as a liaison. He said months had passed before Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s secretary of state, informed him that a second secret meeting was being held between diplomats of the two nations at the Vatican. (The meeting took place in October, less than two months before the breakthrough was announced in December.)
“We hardly did anything, only small things,” he said. “It went by itself.”“We hardly did anything, only small things,” he said. “It went by itself.”
Throughout his papacy, Francis has sharply condemned inequality and economies based solely on a profit mentality, unleashing broadsides that some have perceived as attacks on the model of capitalism rooted in the United States. In Bolivia, he described this global system as a “new colonialism.” Throughout his papacy, Francis has sharply condemned inequality and economies that are based solely on a profit mentality, unleashing broadsides that some have perceived as attacks on the model of capitalism rooted in the United States. In Bolivia, he described this global system as a “new colonialism.”
Asked if this perception was true, he said he had “heard that there were some criticism from the United States” but had not yet been able to address it. He said he had heard about “some criticism from the United States,” but had not yet been able to address it. “I haven’t had time to study this well, but every criticism must be received, studied and dialogue must follow,” he said.
“I haven’t had time to study this well, but every criticism must be received, studied and dialogue must follow,” he said. Perhaps the most contentious moment of the trip came when President Evo Morales of Bolivia, a hard-line leftist, gave Francis a wooden cross carved with the Communist symbol of a hammer and sickle. It turned out that the cross was a replica of one carved by a Jesuit activist, Luís Espinal, who was killed in 1980 for defending miners and opposing Bolivia’s military government. Last week, the pope stopped at the site of his killing to offer prayers.
Perhaps the most controversial moment of the trip came when President Evo Morales of Bolivia, a hard-core leftist, gave Francis a wooden cross carved with the Communist symbol of a hammer and sickle. It turned out that the cross was a replica of one carved by a Jesuit activist , Luís Espinal, who was killed in 1980 for defending miners and opposing Bolivia’s military government. Last week, the pope stopped at the site of his killing to offer prayers. Asked about the cross, Pope Francis confirmed that the gift had surprised him. He characterized it as “protest art” that, in some cases, “can be offensive,” but that was a product of its era.
Asked about the cross, Pope Francis confirmed that the gift had surprised him. He characterized it as “protest art” that, in some cases, “can be offensive” but that was a product of its era. The pope described the world as polarized, with a shrinking middle class and a growing divide between rich and poor. He said he speaks often of the poor because the Bible obligates him to do so, because “they’re at the heart of the Gospel.”
On the middle class, the pope described the world as polarized, with a shrinking middle class and a growing divide between rich and poor. He said he speaks often of the poor because the Bible obligates him to do so, as “they’re at the heart of the Gospel.”
“Then, on the middle class, there are some words that I’ve said — but a little in passing,” he said, musing. “But talking about the common people, the simple people, the workers, that is a great value, no? But I think you’re telling me about something I need to do. I need to delve further into this.”“Then, on the middle class, there are some words that I’ve said — but a little in passing,” he said, musing. “But talking about the common people, the simple people, the workers, that is a great value, no? But I think you’re telling me about something I need to do. I need to delve further into this.”
The pope also displayed a few flashes of humor. One journalist asked about the “secret” behind his energy at age 78. “ ‘What is your drug?’ is what he means,” Pope Francis answered, laughing. “That’s the question.”The pope also displayed a few flashes of humor. One journalist asked about the “secret” behind his energy at age 78. “ ‘What is your drug?’ is what he means,” Pope Francis answered, laughing. “That’s the question.”
And when asked what he thought of the many young people who ask him to pose for selfies, he replied: “What do I think of it?” he asked, smiling. “I feel like a great-grandfather! It’s another culture.” And when asked what he thought of the many young people who ask him to pose for selfies, he smiled, replying, “What do I think of it?”
He said a police officer in Asunción, Paraguay — a man in his 40s — has asked him to pose for a selfie. “I told him, ‘You’re a teenager! It’s another culture — I respect it.” “I feel like a great-grandfather!” he said. “It’s another culture.”
He said a police officer in Asunción, Paraguay, a man in his 40s, had asked him to pose for a selfie. “I told him, ‘You’re a teenager!’ It’s another culture — I respect it.”