- Title: Newly appointed American cardinal says anti-immigrant feeling must be halted
- Date: 19th November 2016
- Summary: ROME, ITALY (NOVEMBER 19, 2016) (REUTERS) NORTH AMERICAN PONTIFICAL COLLEGE ST. PETER'S CUPOLA SEEN FROM NORTH AMERICAN PONTIFICAL COLLEGE YOUNG PRIESTS WALKING IN FRONT OF PAINTINGS OF AMERICAN CARDINALS NEWLY CREATED CARDINAL BLASE J. CUPICH OF CHICAGO, SPEAKING TO REPORTER (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEWLY APPOINTED CARDINAL, BLASE J. CUPICH, OF CHICAGO, SAYING: (ANSWERING QUESTION ON WHETHER THE POPE HAD A MESSAGE AGAINST ANTI-IMMIGRANT FEELINGS AND HATE CRIMES) "Yes, well, I think that every nation has to always guard against that. There's always a certain group in the population that we have to make sure that we guard against. I took his message as a way in which he wanted to close the Holy Year of Mercy, that we also include people who not only that are strangers who speak different languages as he put, but even our enemies, so that we love them and pray for them and that we should never categorize someone to be an enemy but that we are all sons and daughters of God." CARDINAL BLASE J. CUPICH OF CHICAGO DURING INTERVIEW (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEWLY APPOINTED CARDINAL, BLASE J. CUPICH, OF CHICAGO, SAYING: "But he (Pope Francis) is I think very much aware of the fact that if that (animosity) is not checked, it is very contagious and it can spread quickly. It can be like a wildfire and so I think he knows that and that's why he spoke about it, but he wanted to say, it seems to me, that we all have responsibility for putting it in check and we all can do our part. I think he is not naive about the power of that hatred and prejudice and exclusiveness that people want to have because it does prey on people's fears." CARDINAL BLASE J. CUPICH OF CHICAGO LISTENING TO QUESTION (SOUNDBITE) (English) NEWLY APPOINTED CARDINAL, BLASE J. CUPICH, OF CHICAGO, SAYING: "Even last night we had the killing of the grandson of a Congressman, Danny Davis, very well-respected man and it's a heart-breaking moment for that family and for the whole city, (Chicago) all of these killings are. I have put together a task-force, anti-violence to take an inventory of where we are in the Church in terms of fighting violence and we are ready now to go to the civic population, business community, labour, and other religious leaders to see how we can pull together some efforts to really make a difference." CARDINAL BLASE J. CUPICH OF CHICAGO'S RING CARDINAL BLASE J. CUPICH OF CHICAGO STANDING UP COLLECTING HAT AND EXITING
- Embargoed: 4th December 2016 17:52
- Keywords: Pope Francis Cardinal Blase Cupich Chicago Vatican USA
- Location: ROME, ITALY
- City: ROME, ITALY
- Country: Italy
- Topics: Religion/Belief,Society/Social Issues
- Reuters ID: LVA001593ZQKN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Newly created American Cardinal Blase J. Cupich said on Saturday (November 19) that anti-immigrant feelings, hatred and prejudice must be checked in all nations.
The cardinal was speaking after the consistory ceremony held in St. Peter's Basilica where Pope Francis appointed 17 new cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church including three from the United States.
Cardinal Blase, who was formerly Archbishop of Chicago, agreed with remarks Francis made in his homily where the pope said that an "epidemic of animosity" against people of other races or religions was hurting the weakest in society, as he struck a note of caution against the rise of populist nationalism.
Naming new cardinals is a significant power that allows a pontiff to put his stamp on the future of the 1.2-billion-member Church as those who are under 80 years' of age can elect a future pope. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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