Ceuta bishops urge respect for migrants, warn against manipulation
The bishops of Ceuta call for respect for migrants and warn against exploiting the tragedy for political ends. Reactions have been sharply divided.
English · Original discussion in Spanish · Published
Ceuta bishops call for an end to the manipulation of the migration tragedy
What lies behind the appeal by the bishops of Ceuta for migrants to be treated with respect and for their situation not to be exploited? The statement, made public through Europa Press, calls for dignified treatment of migrants and warns against the political use of the humanitarian drama. The response has been a flood of criticism mixing economics, faith and politics.
The attacks focus on three fronts. The first: economic interest. One line of argument holds that the Catholic Church profits from immigration and "makes money off migrants". The second: the credibility of the Pope and of the institution, which are accused of being closer to atheism than to doctrine and of supporting a migratory "invasion". The third: calls for apostasy. Those who see Catholicism as incompatible with a pro-migration stance are urging people to leave the Church.
The contradiction between the humanitarian discourse and the Church's management of its assets fuels scepticism. If the bishops want to be heard, perhaps they should start by reviewing their own accounts. But that will not happen any time soon. Meanwhile, Ceuta remains a flashpoint where faith, politics and money mix about as well as oil and water. It is ironic that an institution with centuries of alliances with power should now call for respect for the most vulnerable. Coherence has never been its strong suit.
What lies behind the appeal by the bishops of Ceuta for migrants to be treated with respect and for their situation not to be exploited? The statement, made public through Europa Press, calls for dignified treatment of migrants and warns against the political use of the humanitarian drama. The response has been a flood of criticism mixing economics, faith and politics.
The attacks focus on three fronts. The first: economic interest. One line of argument holds that the Catholic Church profits from immigration and "makes money off migrants". The second: the credibility of the Pope and of the institution, which are accused of being closer to atheism than to doctrine and of supporting a migratory "invasion". The third: calls for apostasy. Those who see Catholicism as incompatible with a pro-migration stance are urging people to leave the Church.
The contradiction between the humanitarian discourse and the Church's management of its assets fuels scepticism. If the bishops want to be heard, perhaps they should start by reviewing their own accounts. But that will not happen any time soon. Meanwhile, Ceuta remains a flashpoint where faith, politics and money mix about as well as oil and water. It is ironic that an institution with centuries of alliances with power should now call for respect for the most vulnerable. Coherence has never been its strong suit.
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Summary of a discussion on Burbuja.info - Foro de economía, actualidad y política., translated from Spanish and reviewed before publication. Read the full discussion (11 replies).
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