London Indymedia

London Social Struggles Newswire Archive

04-04-2005 21:35

Arch Bishop Romero Should Be Pope and John Paul Condemned

The Tomb of Latin America's Great Hero Oscar Romero - Ignored by the Pope
I saw atrocities committed by the US financed Death Squads of Central America in 1998 and 1989...to understand the crisis of the church and of politics in Latin America we need to identify the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the church and its Pope (s) ... !

Special on Pope John Paul

[Titled: Pope a War Criminal and Hypocrite for Bush ]

 http://publish.nyc.indymedia.org/newswire/update/i ndex.php

Martyred Archbishop Oscar Romero to Become a Saint - John Paul to Be Tried for War Crimes and Genocide;



Having watched the Pbs Special on the Pope - and Knowing (seeing) the atrocities committed by the US financed Death Squads of Central America (during my visits in 1998 and 1989) - I copied the transcript for the show and was searching around the internet when i found this report on indymedia - Wow - It is true...

I believe that in order to understand the cirisis of the church and of politics in Latin america that we need to identifiy the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of the church and its Pope (s) ... !

Special on Pope John Paul

[Titled: Pope a War Criminal and Hypocrite for Bush ]


Martyred Archbishop Oscar Romero to Become a Saint - John Paul to Be Tried for War Crimes and Genocide;

a Report by Enrique Munoz, CNI correspondent in Mexico City

The defining moment in John Paul's legacy was his unjust and disrespectful treatment of Arch Bishop Oscar Romero in 1980. Romero thought that the church's place was with the poor and to back radical social change to end the suffering and repression.

After meeting with the Pope, Romero said to an aide: " Help me to understand why I have been treated so badly by the Holy Father." The Pope had told Romero to get along with the government of El Salvador that with US money training and moral support was frantically killing priests, peasants and organizers by the tens of thousands yearly.

Romero himself called the Pope's response to his pleas and the situation in El Salvador as "Unjust." One month later the Arch Bishop was assassinated while saying mass. Romero's funeral turned into a bloody riot as the US-backed death squads (the Salvadoran Government) opened fire on the crowds.

From a letter to President Carter by Oscar Romero:
"You say that you are Christian. If you are really Christian, please stop sending military aid to the military here, because they use it only to kill my people."
 http://www.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/rom ero.html

The Pope made similar statements to GW Bush before the illegal and criminal invasion of Iraq.

Millions of people all across Latin America call for sainthood for Oscar Romero.

Next the Pope turned his attention to destroying the Sandinista Revolution in Nicaragua and the many priests who supported the revolution in the sprit of Romero, particularly Ernesto Cardinal. The Pope put the unity of the church ahead of the salvation of the world and its role to defend the poor.

As a US PBS television special on the Pope stated: "It was a tragedy what the Pope did in Central America and Latin America in the 1980's." The show goes on to cite a number of observers who question whether the pontiff's judgment was clouded by his personal experience with communism in Poland.

The Pope continued his right wing purge of Church officials, seminaries and Liberation theology activists throughout Latin America until his death, though he also increased his attacks on capitalism and the imperialist designs of the US and its hero GW Bush.

Since 1990 the Pope intervened in Mexico - especially in Chiapas - installing conservative Bishops and seeking to discredit or silence Bishop Ruiz and others who supported the Zapatista revolution and called for an end to oppression and oppressive structures in Mexico..

The torment of the Pope - or a grand act of hypocrisy - can be seen in the pope's focus on the Culture of Death: Modernity. He opposed birth control, abortion, homosexuality and women in the church because he ( Unlike anyone we know of on the left or right) understood that these were band-aids seeking to cover up or justify a sick and evil society promoted by the US of materialism and self-centeredness. He said that a self-centered concept of unlimited freedom allowed no place for solidarity and that this drew attention away from the violence done to millions forced into poverty. This freedom top him became a Culture of Death... a new holocaust. He rightfully saw only darkness in modernity and he was appalled at the betrayal of humanity exhibited in his native Poland with their sex shops, McDonalds and materialism.

The Pope changed Eastern Europe and single handedly destroyed the Stalinist Communist system and yet he ultimately saw this as a terrible failure as he witnessed materialism grow there.

In Latin America he stopped the change that was so necessary and surely went to his death knowing the evils that he spawned.

"We agree with almost every single thing that that John Paul wrote or said. He was the greatest and most powerful person to live in at least 100 years and probably ever again given the weakness and disrepute of the Catholic Church today due to the sex scandals.

But what the Pope did was one of the greatest evils in all of history. His systematic destruction of the popular church and Liberation Theologists constitutes a war crime, a crime against humanity and genocide. he should be tried in absentia and all of the church's property and wealth should be transferred to the poor people of Latin America that he persecuted and betrayed so utterly.

Only by acknowledging these crimes - crimes that the Pope did admit to some degree in his trip to Mexico, can the church reclaim its mission and that of Christ for a preferential option for the poor. If the church does not move immediately to recognize Oscar Romero as a saint and the true leader of the church then all Catholics, and all people should boycott and attack this decrepit and evil institution."

Anamaria Salvedra, speaking for the underground remnants of Liberation Theology in Central America.

Remembering Oscar A Romero
 http://www.stpetersnottingham.org/saints/romero.ht ml

One priest, Fr. Rutilio Grande, was particularly outspoken in denouncing the injustices against the 30,000 peasants working thirty-five sugar-cane farms in his area. Archbishop Romero defended Fr. Grande against official criticism: "The government should not consider a priest who takes a stand for social justice, as a politician, or a subversive element, when he is fulfilling his mission in the politics of the common good". In March 1977, Fr. Grande and two companions were murdered. Archbishop Romero was summoned to view the bodies - a hint of what happens to meddlesome priests. This and the lack of any official enquiry convinced him that the government employed - or at least supported - people who killed for political convenience. He responded by prohibiting the celebration of Mass anywhere in the country on the following Sunday except at his own Cathedral, a celebration to which all the faithful were invited - and came - overflowing in their thousands into the plaza outside. The event served to unite the faithful and remove any doubts about Romero's commitment to justice. The government of course was furious, even more so as the church began to document civil rights abuses and seek the truth in a country governed by lies. Visiting the Pope in 1979, Archbishop Romero presented him with seven dossiers filled with reports and documents describing injustices in El Salvador.

New pastoral letter blasts economy

Meanwhile, despite the conservative turn of the Mexican hierarchy ecclesiastically, the bishops just recently released a new pastoral letter which denounces the structures of the Mexican economy for being "poverty-generating."

The letter, entitled, "From the encounter with Jesus Christ to solidarity for all," calls on all the people of Mexico to engage the struggle "to build a more just society" (IPS, Mar. 24).

The product of a year's worth of dialogue, input from many social sectors, sharply divided debate, writing and re-writing, it is said to be the broadest and most "consensus-driven document in the last 30 years, [according] to Archbishop Luis Morales, president of the [Mexican] Conference of Bishops."

With Ruiz's departure, Mexico loses one of its last remaining exponents of liberation theology. Bishop Arturo Lona of the Diocese of Tehauntepec in Oaxaca, the last of this line of bishops, turns 75 later this year.

In a recent interview, Lona said that the impact of liberation theology will remain at the grassroots, in base communities and among the poor. It is the poor, he said, who "evangelize us and help us awaken the message of Jesus" (IPS).

He also criticized the "official" church and "my superiors" for their "obsession...with obedience andauthority, which I believe is authoritarian at times. The church is hierarchical, but it really must be democratic, which is not a contradiction."

Former nuncio Prigione, who retired in 1997, has left a staunchly conservative imprint on the hierarchy in Mexico, having overseen the replacement of 86 of Mexico's 100 bishops over his 19 year tenure.

The country's newest nuncio, the recently-named Leonardo Sandri, is also a staunch conservative, opposed to the liberationist line.

The bishops, responding to these economic realities, proclaim that an economic model that prioritizes the market as "the central factor in development," "is unstable and immoral."

The bishops also critique the problems of democracy in Mexico, saying the country must develop alternatives to "anti-democratic and fraudulent structures that are obsolete and unjust, and deteriorated by corruption, impunity and authoritarianism."
 http://www.rtfcam.org/report/volume_20/No_2/articl e_12.htm

-- IRENA ALBERTI, Editor, "La Pensee Rousse," Friend: The Pope believes that the 20th century is the most evil of all of mankind's history.

See also:
 http://pbs.org
Read more >>

04-04-2005 20:30

Pope J Paul - PBS Documents his Evils in LAtin America

No denying hypocracy - the Pope Put the CHurch above helping the Poor and oppres
There was an opportunity there. There was a moment in the history of Latin America. There was a moment in the history of the church. He decided not to go down the route of change. Instead he chose another route. He chose to end the experimentation, to throttle that initiative. That was his choice, and that's what he'll live with…
Read more >>

04-04-2005 15:10

Lewisham - a failing borough

Canary Wharf from Pepys Estate
The Rotten Borough of Lewisham is failing its local community with its planning policy, with its housing policy. It is though the developers best friend, providing ideal development opportunities. In practice it is no different to many other Councils that fail to act in the best interests of the local community but are quick to provide development and get rich quick opportunities for property developers. Read more >>

04-04-2005 13:03

Pope opposed gay and women's rights - Condom ban killed millions

While the Pope's opposition to war and poverty was commendable, his attacks on the human rights of women and gay people were gravely immoral. Read more >>

04-04-2005 00:01

this day in san francisco

history Read more >>

03-04-2005 10:48

Massive Trade Justice Protest 15 April - Programme Announced

15 April sees a massive all night anti-poverty and environmental Trade Justice protest in Westminster and Whitehall - organisers have now released full programme and a call for mass participation (ahead of the G8 Summit). Read more >>

02-04-2005 21:20

Psychiatrie Central europe

Psychiatrie central europe Read more >>

02-04-2005 17:14

Hackney No Borders demo.

The demo.
Hundreds turn out to protest against racist immigration controls. Read more >>

02-04-2005 02:42

National Walkout for US ignorance regarding Native American issues and non-issue

Letter seeking support abroad for Native American recognition via a national holiday in appreciation of tribes.

Read more >>

01-04-2005 13:54

***APRIL FOOLS DAY PRO PRIVATISATION PARTY***

Over 80 anti-war activists pulled an April fools day hoax outside the offices of British company, Windrush Communications Ltd today. The protestors dressed as pirates for an April Fools Day Pro-Privatisation Party. The aim of which was to highlight the role of Windrush in promoting the illegal plunder of Iraq’s assets. Read more >>

01-04-2005 10:25

Zimbabwe exiles call for people’s uprising

Archbishop’s appeal for anti-Mugabe rebellion praised - Elections condemned as “rigged” and “not free, not fair”.
Zimbabwean exiles and UK supporters urged a “general strike and people’s uprising to overthrow President Mugabe’s tyranny”, today Thursday 31 March 2005. Read more >>

31-03-2005 08:31

Equality Bill excludes gay rights

Protection from discrimination on the grounds of sexual orientation has been excluded from five key provisions of the government’s new Equality Bill. Read more >>

30-03-2005 22:22

Bloomsbury, MSN fear TV/web "war" over "gay bowel syndrome"

"Gay Bowel Syndrome" must be deleted from MSN Encarta Read more >>

30-03-2005 15:38

St Modwens the destroyer

St Modwens the destroyer, through a front company KPI and in collusion with the local council, has managed to trash Farnborough town centre. St Modwens is now proposing to do the same in collusion with the local council to the century old Queens Market at Upton Park in East London. Read more >>

30-03-2005 10:21

***WEEK OF ACTION AGAINST CORPORATE PLUNDER OF IRAQ*** 1st - 6th APRIL

Join us, the corporate pirates, in a week of action on 1 - 6 April to oppose the corporate plunder of Iraq. We have a series of events planned for this week and anyone who believes in justice for the people of Iraq should come along and join the protests Read more >>

30-03-2005 10:18

My escape from homophobic hell in Algeria

Algerian homosexuals are caught between the twin barbarisms of a totalitarian state and a clerical fascist opposition. Everyone is against us. Human rights groups in Algiers do nothing to defend ‘sodomites’. In their view, there is no such thing as gay human rights. Read more >>

29-03-2005 20:59

hip hop summit postponed

this sounded really cool earlier.. maybe it will be really cool later.. : )

peace Read more >>

27-03-2005 17:41

EURO MAYDAY - LONDON LAUNCH

EURO MAYDAY – LONDON LAUNCH NIGHT - Friday 1st April – 7pm
The Institute for Autonomy, 76-78 Gower Street, London WC1E
Cinema, Discussion & Cafe Read more >>

27-03-2005 01:08

Bank of Scotland HBOS: Evicted Family – Call for Right of ‘Right of Respect'

Bank of Scotland Chief Office London
The Shalom Family Campaign for Justice, from Wales, recently targeted the Bank of Scotland, (a Crest Plc major shareholder, via HBOS), at the Birmingham NEC National Boat Caravan and Outdoor Show 2005. Read more >>

25-03-2005 13:15

Unions to strike over BBC job cuts

NUJ members working for oppressive management
Back in Medaevaltimes governments put out the eyes and ears of politicalprisoners. Now,all they think they have to do is to put out the eyes and ears of the British public: BBC programme makers. Read more >>

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