In an alternative headline story:
Rabbi Obama wants America to be poor and for the poor. Rabbi Obama, speaking off the cuff after a grueling 18 holes of golf on Maui told eager reporters that he would do all he could to make sure every American was poor and that the country would be poor and all people would lead lives of austerity and humility. He took the title of Rabbi so he could be the ecxample and teach people that poverty is a divine way of life. After his round, he took his 747 to Marthas Vineyard where another 18 holes of golf and dined on Maine lobsters, filet mignon, coconut crusted shrimp and Caesar salas and several bottles of estate wines, ending the evening on tiramisou and creme brulet with 100 year old sherry and a Cuban cigar.

Heard one comment that Francis was an exponent of "liberation theology".

If that means what it sounds like, he is the anti-John-Paul-II, ready to take a giant step backwards.

Well,the Pope is now speaking the language of the left after they´ve been badgering him since he´s been on the job.I´m sure they´re hoping he liquidates the church´s assets and drops $20 bills on the poor.

I hope someone tells the Pope the only way for the poor to get ahead is through economic development,otherwise both them and the church will be poor.

#1 is tragically funny. Only thing... Raher than Rabbi I would have used Imam.

From what I´ve read, he was not a proponent of liberation theology at all. He was a proponent of communion theology, which placed Jesus Christ at the heart of helping the poor. In fact, his efforts to rid the Jesuit province of the liberation theology Jesuits may be what cost him his post as the head of the province and may have resulted in the Jesuits sending him to teach math and science in a small town in the mountains, effectively exiling him. He also has crossed swords with the the socialist/communist government of Argentina for the last 20 yrs. It was Pope John Paul II that "rescued" him and appointed him auxillary bishop of Buenos Aires, later as Archbishop, and finally as Cardinal in 2001. Do you really think that the anti-communist Pope John Paul II, who fought the communist government would have done any of that if Jorge Mario Cardinal Bergoglio was a marxist, which is what liberation theology is at heart? But if you want to believe the liberal media that will be trying really hard to besmirch Pope Francis as they tried to besmirch Pope Benedict XVI, go ahead, play into their hands.

I could not agree more, Francis I is on to something. Why, pray tell that the Vatican and the Catholic Church can sit on unimaginable wealth and yet extract contributions from it´s poorest members.

I am a Catholic.

Go get ´em Francis One....you are the one we have been waiting for.

I apologize if I sounded a tad bit abrupt. I just know that the liberal media, especially the far left will be doing everything to attack Pope Francis. He is orthodox in his teachings of the teachings of the Church. He´s against the evils of abortion, birth control, same sex "marriage", and euthanasia. He´s against women´s ordination. Basically, he´s CATHOLIC and will adhere to and teach the doctrines and dogmas of the Church. So, although he´s a proponent of helping the poor (which the Church is FOR), the fact that he thinks that Catholics who don´t adhere to the teachings of the Church shouldn´t receive the Eucharist. That alone will anger Pelosi and Biden. It´s already upset Tim Russet´s spawn.

Oh Spidey,

Read up some on South American history, our present Pope has demonstrated not just anti-communism, but free speech and freedom of religion--and historically at I might add at great personal danger to himself and associates.

And what Spidey, pray tell, have you sacrificed or learned in the last thirty+ years that qualifies you as an expert on anything?

This, I´m afraid, is a bad sign. Why would anyone want to elevate poverty into an ideal for everyone? Isn´t that exactly the opposite of everything Americans should stand for? That is what the Left does, since socialism creates poverty. Making poverty into a moral good with religious overtones only facilitates the Left´s anti-prosperity, collectivist agenda. People can and should live humbly if they so choose, but a Thou Shalt Be Poor attitude from the Vatican will only have the Left licking its jaws.

Perhaps he just thinks acquiring wealth unto itself is not the real function of the church.

Everyone should re-read posts #5 and #7. "Mom" is correct.

Well, we waited with baited breath to see which way he would swing and now we know.
This Pope has spoken his first message and it sounds an awful lot like one coming from the liberation philosophy camp.
Perhaps that is why while this man was Cardinal in Argentina, it turned from Catholicism to secular.

CAUTION!!! Drunk driver in Post #6! Move out of his way and allow him to self-destruct.

The Church ideals is to be poor in spirit not really poor. This is a difficult topic because there will always be marxists ( materialists ) there to confuse the issue. The first marxist who is on the record with Our Lord on this topic is Judas. He objected to the precious purfume worth 600 days pay, roughly two years income, being used to honour Our Lord for his burial. Yes splurging is sometimes permitted while being poor in spirit. Judas wanted it sold and used to help the poor. The gospel notes that he held the purse and could use the money for himself not the poor. When has Obama wanted to help the poor when it is a question of diverting money from a green energy project. The marxists always invoke this worthy cause against the spending others propose. Real charity is using your own money to help the poor. Anything using others money ( socialism ) is counterfeit charity. Our Lord replies "the poor you will have always with you." He wants us to be charitable but he doesn´t join the war on poverty. The war on poverty is truly a quagmire, it´s goal will never be achieved. We have the wisdome of Our Lord on that point. To be poor in spirit is to never make an idol of money or wealth believing it can fulfill your spirit or life. No material thing as much as we need it can take the place of God. Man does not live on bread alone but on every word from the mouth of God.

Shouldn´t the church´s mission be to worship God and reach and disciple people for Jesus Christ?

Pope Francis is an opponent of Liberation Theology. As Pope JPII helped the fall of communism in Europe, I have hope that Francis will do the same in South America. The Church doesn´t teach that everyone should be poor, it teaches that material riches don´t ensure happiness or salvation. It isn´t the job of the Church to teach people capitalism - too much confusion of religion with economics and politics going on here. Christ ministered to the poor and loved them. If we want to follow in his footsteps, we will remember that and emulate him. Feeding a hungry man from your own pantry is social justice, feeding him because the government tells you to is socialism.

Don´t worry, Pope Francis.
When those ambulance-chasing, bottom feeder lawyers get through claiming $millions in damages for sexual abuse claims that in many, many cases never occurred, the Church will be poor. But the lawyers will be rich!

Thank you to #5, #7, #14, and #16. Real information is always welcome.

"Spidey sense?" Pas moi.

#13, your post is an embarrassment.

If the church is to be ´´for the poor´´, where do middle class and rich people go? Shouldn´t the church be for everyone? If the Pope is just talking about who gets charity, fine.

I hope that Pope Francis means by being ´for the poor´ that he will show them how to lift themselves out of poverty. God helps those that help themselves. The church is better suited for this than the government. The government doesn´t take the time to do that. They just throw money at the situtation and it creates poverty and dependence. Let us hope that the Pope has better plans than the government.

First of all, someone tell me why many of the poor countries dominant religion is "Catholic". Secondly, this country and other countries have given billions already and these countries and the people in them are still poor. Maybe they need to stop breeding like rabbits. No wait, that may include contraception which is against church policy. Haiti is a prime example. As a spec ops told me recently, "Their lot would improve immediately if they stopped crapping in the streets."

Get a clue, the Catholic Church is extremely wealthy...taken from the poor over centuries.

#23, you´re not a Catholic and have not got the slightest idea of how the church works.

You´re merely some devil inspired crank.

Not a RC but my Father was and members of my family/DH family are. Right or wrong, I truly believe THIS is the Pope we need at this time. Our Lord chose well. This is the leader we have been waiting for and I thank God he has been chosen.

Why, rinohunter, pray tell can you cast an opinion on my sobriety????? But, then we all know that those individuals with limited cerebral abilities will always seek a defense using a personal attack.

My grandson is more verbose...His response to such an attack would be...eat **** and ***.

I heard a discussion that the translation into English wasn´t entirely accurate and that the reference to the Church - the word translates closer to humble than to poor.

Mitzi, I would agree that, "poor in spirit" is much closer to humble.

And for those people on this website who have NO imagination--it´s really, really hard to pull yourself up by your bootstraps when you have no bootstraps.

Wake up and smell the horchata.