Rep. Tom Tancredo blasted the pro-immigrant message of visiting Pope Benedict XVI on Thursday, accusing the pontiff of using "faith-based marketing" to boost foreign-born attendance at parishes in the United States.
"I suspect the pope's immigration comments may have less to do with spreading the gospel than they do about recruiting new members of the church," said Tancredo, a former Catholic who now attends an Evangelical Presbyterian Church.
Tancredo, a vocal critic of illegal immigration and guest-worker proposals because he considers them to be "amnesty," has criticized the Catholic church in the past for social programs and advocacy geared toward helping illegal immigrants.
Benedict urged the United States "to continue to welcome the immigrants who join your ranks today, to share their joys and hopes, to support them in their sorrows and trials and to help them flourish in their new home."
Tancredo interpreted that as a call for lessening restrictions on illegal immigration and said intruding in American politics is not part of the pope's job description.
1 comment:
Ever read the Social Compendium of the Catholic Church?!? I'm sure many of my conservative Catholic friends haven't (and don't want to). Jesus was pretty clear about welcoming the foreigner...
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