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Argentine Church backs Pope Francis amid Trump criticism
🇦🇷 Argentina /Elections & Politics

Argentine Church backs Pope Francis amid Trump criticism

From La Nación · (2d ago) Spanish

Translated from Spanish, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • The Argentine Church has reaffirmed its alignment with Pope Francis following criticism from former US President Donald Trump.
  • Church officials emphasized the Pope's role as a promoter of peace, contrasting his message with Trump's accusations of weakness.
  • The situation arises as Argentine President Javier Milei also aligns with Trump, potentially impacting his attendance at a papal anniversary mass.

The Argentine Church has firmly stood by Pope Francis, underscoring his unwavering commitment to peace in the face of harsh criticism from former US President Donald Trump. Archbishop Marcelo Colombo, president of the Argentine Episcopal Conference, highlighted the Pope's crucial role as a "servant of peace" during a time of global conflict, directly countering Trump's assertions that the pontiff is "weak on crime and terrible on foreign policy."

We are really at a very critical moment for humanity. The escalation of violence reveals to us that the imposition of the interests of the different actors prevails over the search for a solution that silences weapons and paves the way to peace. The Pope is a servant of peace, his gestures and words go in that direction.

— Monseñor Marcelo ColomboArchbishop of Mendoza and president of the Argentine Episcopal Conference, explaining the Church's stance on the Pope's role in promoting peace amidst global conflict.

Colombo emphasized that Pope Francis's passionate advocacy for peace is a direct manifestation of the Gospel and his duty as a "good shepherd." He pointed to the Pope's recent message for the World Day of Peace, urging for "disarmed and disarming peace." This strong affirmation from the Argentine Church positions them as staunch defenders of the Pope's message, aligning with his spiritual mission rather than succumbing to political pressures.

How many times have we heard Pope Francis talk about the business of war. That Pope Francis expresses himself with passion for peace is a concretization of the gospel and testifies to his service as a good shepherd.

— Monseñor Marcelo ColomboArchbishop of Mendoza, reinforcing the Church's view of the Pope's peace advocacy as a core tenet of his ministry.

The Church's solidarity with Pope Francis gains particular significance given the current political landscape in Argentina. President Javier Milei, who has expressed alignment with Trump, is scheduled to travel to Israel, potentially missing a mass commemorating the anniversary of Pope Francis's passing. This divergence highlights the distinct paths taken by the Argentine government and its Church, with the latter prioritizing its spiritual allegiance and the Pope's message of peace.

With the freedom of the children of God and in fulfillment of his pastoral mission, the Pope prays for peace and urges world leaders to work for it.

— Monseñor Marcelo ColomboArchbishop of Mendoza, further elaborating on the Pope's role and the Church's support for his peace initiatives.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by La Nación in Spanish. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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