Pope Francis’ hypocrisy on migrants and wealth
Portrait of Pope Francis
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The media tends to cover Pope Francis as a friend of the poor and an advocate for migrants. But is he really?
Here is a news piece related to his comments on migrants this week:
30 August 2024
Pope Francis on Wednesday criticized migration policies based on rejection, stating at his general audience in the Vatican that pushing migrants back is “a serious sin.” He argued that restrictive laws do not save lives and praised NGOs committed to rescuing migrants.
Pope Francis spoke about “people who, even as we speak, are crossing the seas and deserts to reach a land where they hope to live in peace and safety.” …
The Pope condemned those who knowingly work to push migrants back, calling it a “serious sin.” …
He stressed that stricter laws, militarized borders, and rejections are not the solution. https://www.infomigrants.net/en/post/59491/restrictive-laws-dont-save-migrants-says-pope-francis
Well, as far as militarized borders go, I have been to Vatican City many times. It has giant walls surrounding it. And the one place one can enter (other than visiting St. Peter’s Cathedral or the Sistine Chapel) has military guards that do not allow anyone not pre-approved to enter.
Furthermore, the Vatican has some of the world’s most restrictive immigrant laws.
Interestingly, the pro-Vatican Zenit.org news site posted the following:
Vatican City’s immigration law, one of the strictest in Europe
(ZENIT News / Rome, 08.30.2024).- The Vatican City, though best known as the spiritual and administrative heart of the Roman Catholic Church, is also a unique sovereign state governed by its own civil laws. Despite its small size and population, this city-state is rigorously safeguarded, both physically and legally, under a set of stringent regulations that define its borders, citizenship, and residency. A Fortress City Protected by Ancient Walls Encircled by the imposing Leonine Walls, the Vatican City’s borders stretch approximately 3.2 kilometers, marking the boundary between the state and Italy. These walls, dating back to the 9th century, rise 14 meters high, serving as a formidable defense for the world’s smallest independent nation. Despite its size, the Vatican maintains a strong sense of sovereignty, with these ancient fortifications symbolizing its enduring independence.
An Army and Police Force in a Tiny Nation
The Vatican’s military might may be modest, but it is not without defense. The Swiss Guard, with its 104 soldiers, stands as the smallest and one of the most iconic armies in the world. Armed not just with their traditional halberds but also with modern firearms, these guards are responsible for the protection of the Pope and the Vatican’s borders. Alongside them, the 130-strong Vatican Gendarmerie handles internal security, maintaining public order and even functioning as the judicial police. Given the Vatican’s population of just 764 people as of the 2023 census, this means the state boasts an unparalleled ratio of security personnel to citizens.
A Highly Exclusive Citizenship
Vatican citizenship is a rare status, tightly controlled and highly coveted. According to official records, only 618 individuals hold Vatican citizenship, making it the most exclusive in the world. Even fewer—just 64—possess the state’s official passports. The majority of these citizens do not reside within the Vatican’s walls but are instead dispersed globally, often in diplomatic service. Only 264 people actually live within the Vatican, including the Pope, a handful of cardinals, and the Swiss Guard. Stringent Rules Governing Residency and Citizenship
In May 2023, Pope Francis approved a new Fundamental Law for the Vatican City State, reinforcing strict criteria for citizenship and residency. https://zenit.org/2024/08/29/vatican-citys-immigration-law-one-of-the-strictest-in-europe/
So, only 264 people live in Vatican City and it has 234 soldiers and security officials. Also note that Pope Francis himself approved a law basically preventing Vatican City from taking migrants. Vatican City has militarized borders that Pope Francis condemned.
That certainly looks to be hypocritical.
But that is not the only thing Pope Francis has been hypocritical about.
Ecumenical News posted the following last Fall:
Before sharing lunch with 1,200 destitute people, Pope Francis decries scandal of material poverty
November 21, 2023
The Pope had lunch with people from Rome’s poor and economically disadvantaged for the World Day of the Poor on Nov. 19, 2023, Catholic News Agency reported.
The lunch was served in the Vatican’s Paul VI Hall and preceded by the Angelus and a special Mass reported CNA.
“We are living in times that are not particularly sensitive to the needs of the poor. The pressure to adopt an affluent lifestyle increases, while the voices of those dwelling in poverty tend to go unheard,” said the pontiff in his sermon at the mass.
“We are inclined to neglect anything that varies from the model of life set before the younger generation, those who are most vulnerable to the cultural changes now taking place.” …
“The parable of the Good Samaritan (cf. Lk 10:25-37) is not simply a story from the past; it continues to challenge each of us in the here and now of our daily lives. It is easy to delegate charity to others, yet the calling of every Christian is to become personally involved,” said Pope Francis. https://www.ecumenicalnews.com/article/before-sharing-lunch-with-1200-destitute-people-pope-francis-decries-scandal-of-material-poverty/61030.htm
Throughout his pontificate, Pope Francis has told others to give their wealth to the poor (e.g. Laudato Si: Pope’s Agenda or Kingdom of God? and Pope tells United Nations to push wealth redistribution–a sign of Revelation 13 & 17?).
And while Christians should help the poor (cf. Galatians 2:10, 6:7-10; James 2:15-17), Francis has tended to hold on to the wealth of the Vatican.
This is despite something he said shortly after becoming pontiff:
“Oh, how I would like a poor Church, and for the poor.” http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/03/16/us-pope-poor-idUSBRE92F05P20130316
In his 11+ years as pontiff, the Vatican still retains its vast wealth and has not loosened its own purse strings significantly beyond what previous pontiffs did. The one-time feeding of 1200 is nice, but it is a “drop in the bucket” compared to the Vatican’s vast wealth.
While on the surface the Pope’s words are what a ‘lamb’ may say, could it be part of the speech of a dragon (Revelation 13:11)?
The Bible tells about an unfaithful harlot church that wallows in wealth (Revelation 17:1-9, 18:7). Having been to Vatican City numerous times, I have seen some of that wealth on display.
As far as Pope Francis himself, on March 22, 2013 he stated:
As you know, there are various reasons why I chose the name of Francis of Assisi, a familiar figure far beyond the borders of Italy and Europe, even among those who do not profess the Catholic faith. One of the first reasons was Francis’ love for the poor. How many poor people there still are in the world! And what great suffering they have to endure! After the example of Francis of Assisi, the Church in every corner of the globe has always tried to care for and look after those who suffer from want, and I think that in many of your countries you can attest to the generous activity of Christians who dedicate themselves to helping the sick, orphans, the homeless and all the marginalized, thus striving to make society more humane and more just. http://www.zenit.org/en/articles/francis-address-to-diplomatic-corps
Will he take specific steps, such as the wealth redistribution he advocates, by emptying the Vatican’s coffers?
He has not yet.
Though he has repeatedly preached that others give more.
In English, there is an expression that one should, “Put your money where your mouth is.”
While we in the Continuing Church of God have done that when it comes to the poor (for some details, see our Donations page), So far, Pope Francis has not done this to any substantial degree in the years since his election to become pontiff.
Could that change?
What might happen if Pope Francis finally sells off some of the vast treasures (such as jewels and land) of the Vatican and/or gives significant amounts of money/land away to the poor?
Well, if he does that, it will likely greatly enhance the pedophile-damaged image of the Church of Rome for the media and many others around the world. This will enhance the appeal of the religion that Rome will promote. Even if it gives away only a quarter of its vast wealth.
The Bible warns that the whole world will profit financially from the final end time Babylon (Revelation 18:9, 15-19). And in addition to trade, giving away wealth and land–in conjunction with the final King of the North (Daniel 11:24, 39), that the final Antichrist will support–will be a factor in the temporal success of this condemned system.
Notice that financial pressures will be something that the Antichrist is associated with:
16 He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, 17 and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the mark or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. (Revelation 13:16-17)
The “He” above is the two-horned beast (Revelation 13:11), also known as the False Prophet (Revelation 16:13), and Antichrist (1 John 4:1-3).
The Bible also says that the merchants of the world will have gotten wealthy from the system that the Antichrist will promote:
2 Babylon the great…has become a dwelling place of demons…a cage for every unclean and hated bird! 3…and the merchants of the earth have become rich through the abundance of her luxury. (Revelation 18:2a,b,d, 3c)
So, there are several biblical prophecies that tie the power that the Antichrist supports with a type of deceitful prosperity. Did you notice the connection to a cage of birds above? Well, then notice then also the following:
27 As a cage is full of birds,
So their houses are full of deceit.
Therefore they have become great and grown rich.
28 They have grown fat, they are sleek;
Yes, they surpass the deeds of the wicked;
They do not plead the cause,
The cause of the fatherless;
Yet they prosper,
And the right of the needy they do not defend.
29 Shall I not punish them for these things?’ says the Lord.
‘Shall I not avenge Myself on such a nation as this?’30 “An astonishing and horrible thing
Has been committed in the land:
31 The prophets prophesy falsely,
And the priests rule by their own power;
And My people love to have it so.
But what will you do in the end? (Jeremiah 5:27-31)
So, the supporters of the Beast and Antichrist/False Prophet will prosper for a time, then God will punish them.
Furthermore, notice three Roman Catholic writings/prophecies about the final Antichrist:
Saint Mechtilda (died 1299): Antichrist will, through base and false strategem, and with presents of gold and gems, attain influence over the worldly princes. They will look up to him as their Lord and God (Culleton, The Reign of Antichrist, pp. 133-134).
Saint Ephrem (died 375): Antichrist will use worldly goods as bait. He will entice many Christians with money and goods to apostatize…The devil will help him find all the hidden treasures of the world, even those at the bottom of the ocean. With those treasures he will attain greater success for the reign of Satan than at any other time in past centuries (Connor, pp.73.74).
Saint Jerome (died 420): Antichrist…will gain support with many gifts and money. He will sell himself to the devil…(Connor E. Prophecy for Today. Imprimatur + A.J. Willinger, Bishop of Monterey-Fresno; Reprint: Tan Books and Publishers, Rockford (IL), 1984, p. 74).
The Bible, by the way, does mention that the King of the North will end up with a lot of gold, silver, and precious stones (Daniel 11:38,43) and that a seven-hilled/mountain-based power will have “gold and precious stones and pearls” (Revelation 17:4).
But is it possible that before the Beast rises up that the Antichrist will use material items for bait?
Might the Antichrist use some of the wealth of the Vatican to support certain European nations/leaders?
Yes. And he may point to Pope Francis’ many statements (and, perhaps, his receipt of the ‘Charlemagne Prize’) as partial justification to use the Vatican’s wealth to support Europe.
Over a decade ago someone asked “Ask a Catholic” about that church’s wealth:
You said:
- I’m wondering why the Catholic Church has such a huge amount of wealth, as can be seen in the beautiful buildings and costly objects in them, when Jesus clearly encourages us to sell all of our possessions and give to the poor?
- Because the historical riches it has going back to 33 A.D. are priceless and preserved for all Christendom
- Because the faithful believe in the Church and give what they can to support the Church, following the wishes you mentioned and what the Lord has asked from us.
- Because of the number of faithful that make up the Church are over 1.125 billion members worldwide, 65 million in the United States.
Nevertheless, the implication in your question is that the Church does not give to the poor and neither spreads the Gospel to those who have not heard it. This is a distortion of the great outreach and support work the Church has done worldwide for centuries. http://www.askacatholic.com/_WebPostings/Answers/2011_08AUG/2011AugWhyIsTheChurchSoWealthy.cfm
While the Church of Rome does some charitable works, it still has vast wealth and is not poor. We do not find that the Apostle Peter, who many erroneously claim founded the Church of Rome (even Catholic scholars realize that he did not, see What Do Roman Catholic Scholars Actually Teach About Early Church History?), with accumulated wealth. Actually, Peter once stated:
6 “Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.” (Acts 3:6)
But this is not the case with the Church of Rome. In addition to historically receiving property and wealth from kings and emperors and the Crusades, the Church of Rome also gets a lot of bequeaths, which some believe is related to the belief that priests can help pray people out of a non-existent place called purgatory (Did the Early Church Teach Purgatory?). And yes, people have been told that the more they give to the Church of Rome the more priests will pray for them.
The Vatican does have vast wealth. Yet, whatever was accumulated in/by the Vatican since supposedly 33 A.D. was originally not anything biblical (see also What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons?).
I suspect the time will come when the Vatican will actually sell/give away/pledge some of its wealth to influence world events and affect communities. Pope Francis has been hinting at this for many years, so at some point in time, he probably intends to take action to match his rhetoric. If so, this will increase his popularity with the media, European leaders, and others in the world.
If Pope Francis does not end up doing this, he, at a minimum, has made various statements that the final Antichrist and the Beast, can point to as justification for wealth distribution/asset pledging.
Pope Francis has helped lay the foundation for the rise of the final Antichrist.
Some items of related interest may include:
Beliefs of the Original Catholic Church: Could a remnant group have continuing apostolic succession? Did the original “catholic church” have doctrines held by the Continuing Church of God? Did Church of God leaders uses the term “catholic church” to ever describe the church they were part of? Here are links to related sermons: Original Catholic Church of God?, Original Catholic Doctrine: Creed, Liturgy, Baptism, Passover, What Type of Catholic was Polycarp of Smyrna?, Tradition, Holy Days, Salvation, Dress, & Celibacy, Early Heresies and Heretics, Doctrines: 3 Days, Abortion, Ecumenism, Meats, Tithes, Crosses, Destiny, and more, Saturday or Sunday?, The Godhead, Apostolic Laying on of Hands Succession, Church in the Wilderness Apostolic Succession List, Holy Mother Church and Heresies, and Lying Wonders and Original Beliefs. Here is a link to that book in the Spanish language: Creencias de la iglesia Católica original.
Laudato Si: Pope’s Agenda or Kingdom of God? Pope Francis’ 2nd encyclical is titled ‘Laudato Si.’ In it, he goes over his views related to environmental, economic, social, moral, agricultural, and spiritual issues. He advocates international cooperation to solve various problems he
Do You Practice Mithraism? Many practices and doctrines that mainstream so-called Christian groups have are the same or similar to those of the sun-god Mithras. December 25th was celebrated as his birthday. Do you follow Mithraism combined with the Bible or original Christianity? A sermon video from Vatican City is titled Church of Rome, Mithras, and Isis?
What Did the Early Church Teach About Idols and Icons? Did Catholic and Orthodox “saints” endorse or condemn idols and icons for Christians? A related sermon is available: The Second Commandment, Idols, and Icons.
Freemasonry and the Destruction of Rome? What is Freemasonry? What about ties to the Illuminati? Could they be involved in the fulfillment of prophecy? Here is a link to a related sermon: Freemasonry, Armageddon, and Rome.
Some Doctrines of Antichrist Are there any doctrines taught outside the Churches of God which can be considered as doctrines of antichrist? This article suggests at least three. It also provides information on 666 and the identity of “the false prophet.” Plus it shows that several Roman Catholic writers seem to warn about an ecumenical antipope that will support heresy. You can also watch a video titled What Does the Bible teach about the Antichrist?
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Amazon Book What does the Bible say about a pope near this time? Is the final pope to be an antipope and antichrist? Does Catholic prophecy point to Pope Francis as being the dreaded “Peter the Roman”? This 186 page book provides information and answers.
The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle This electronic version of the printed book which is available for only US$2.99. And you do not need an actual Kindle device to read it. Why? Amazon will allow you to download it to almost any device: Please click HERE to download one of Amazon s Free Reader Apps. After you go to for your free Kindle reader and then go to The Last Pope: Do Biblical and Catholic Prophecies Point to Pope Francis? Kindle.
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