Pope Francis and Beijing: The Geopolitics of the Vatican by Caleb Maupin

Image by Devendra Makkar via Flickr

by Caleb Maupin
Writer, Dandelion Salad
Caleb Maupin (website)
Caleb Maupin (Facebook Page)
New Eastern Outlook, Sept. 18, 2018
September 27, 2018

The Roman Catholic Church and the Peoples Republic of China are set to sign an agreement, which would formally end the hostilities between these two entities. The Chinese government will formally acknowledge the Pope as the leader of the Catholic Church in China. In exchange, the Pope will reinstate ex-communicated Bishops selected by the Communist Party to lead Catholics on the Chinese mainland. In this context, it is worth reviewing the shifts and evolutions of Catholicism in global politics.

Abby Martin: Human Rights Hypocrisy — Colombia vs. Venezuela

Screenshot by Dandelion Salad via Flickr
See video below

Dandelion Salad

with Abby Martin

teleSUR English on Aug 19, 2017

Colombia and Venezuela: two neighboring countries that receive extremely different treatment by the US Empire and the mass media.

Today, Pope Francis Issued the Catholic Church’s First Statement on Nonviolence—Ever by Rev. John Dear

Image by Taymaz Valley via Flickr

Dandelion Salad

by Rev. John Dear
World Beyond War
December 12, 2016

Today, Pope Francis released the annual World Day of Peace Message for January 1, 2017, called “Nonviolence—A Style of Politics for Peace.” This is the Vatican’s fiftieth World Day of Peace message, but it’s the first statement on nonviolence, in the tradition of Mahatma Gandhi and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.—in history.

The DNC Protests You Didn’t See on TV

Image by Becker1999 via Flickr

Dandelion Salad

The DNC Protests You Didn’t See on TV: Sanders Delegates Chant and Walk Out on Clinton Speech

Democracy Now! on Jul 29, 2016

http://democracynow.org – Protests continued on the floor of the convention, as chants of “No more war” could be heard throughout the evening. Some delegates walked off the floor of the DNC in protest. Democracy Now! was on the floor when protests began as retired four-star Marine General John Allen took the stage.

David Swanson and John Dear on Catholic Church Rejecting “Just War” Theory

Image by Thomas Hawk via Flickr

by David Swanson
Writer, Dandelion Salad
Let’s Try Democracy
April 25, 2016

After 1700 years, the Catholic Church is turning against the idea that there can be a “just war.” We speak with John Dear.

John Dear is an internationally recognized voice for peace and nonviolence. A priest, pastor, retreat leader, and author, he served for years as the director of the Fellowship of Reconciliation, the largest interfaith peace organization in the U.S. After September 11, 2001, he was a Red Cross coordinator of chaplains at the Family Assistance Center in New York, and counseled thousands of relatives and rescue workers. John has traveled the war zones of the world, been arrested some 75 times for peace, led Nobel Peace prize winners to Iraq, recently visited Afghanistan, given thousands of lectures on peace across the U.S., and served as a pastor of several churches in New Mexico.

Chris Hedges: Pope Francis and Bernie Sanders on Imperialism and Capitalism

Image by DonkeyHotey via Flickr

Dandelion Salad

with Chris Hedges

TheRealNews on Sep 24, 2015

Paul Jay asks Chris Hedges if the Pope’s rhetoric on climate change and capitalism is a positive force or a dangerous illusion.

Romero (1989) + Chomsky on Oscar Romero + Massacre during Romero’s funeral (must-see)

Dandelion Salad

Repost from April 5, 2009

Warning

These videos may contain images depicting the reality and horror of war/violence and should only be viewed by a mature audience.

Image by Wally Gobetz via Flickr

[replaced 1st video April 5, 2017]

Marketing Research on Sep 24, 2014

1989 film about Salvadoran Archbishop Oscar Romero. Stars Raul Julia and is directed by John Duigan.

Pope Francis Labels Capitalism “New Tyranny”, But Is It More Than Rhetoric?

Image by JeffyBruno via Flickr

Dandelion Salad

TheRealNews on Dec 15, 2013

Matthew Fox and Luke Hansen discuss Pope Francis’ recent anti-capitalist rhetoric and whether there will be any changes to the church’s economic practices. 

Rick Rozoff: U.S. Attack On Syria Would Be Historic Crime

by Rick Rozoff
Writer, Dandelion Salad
Stop NATO
September 6, 2013

John Robles
Voice of Russia
Recorded on September 3, 2013
September 5, 2013

Image by chrisjohnbeckett via Flickr

Statesmen, diplomats, leaders and countries worldwide are condemning the United States for their obtuse and entirely self-serving desire to launch military aggression against Syria, yet another small and almost defenseless nation that the U.S. wants to decimate with their unparalleled military might as they continue to aggressively bomb and attack every nation that attempts to pursue any king of independent foreign or other policy.

Is the Catholic Church Ready for a Black Pope? by Finian Cunningham

Image by A.Currell via Flickr

by Finian Cunningham
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
East Africa
Crossposted from PressTV
February 13, 2013

Is the Catholic Church ready for a black pope? That is the question many inside and outside the world’s largest Christian organization are asking following the surprise resignation of Pope Benedict XVI this week.

The German pontiff, formerly known as Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger before he was elected in 2005, is the first leader of the Catholic Church in 600 years to retire before death. Most of his predecessors, who trace their official lineage back nearly 2,000 years to Saint Peter, the first pope, have died while still in the top job.

The Truth… Hurts!!! by Philip A. Farruggio

by Philip A. Farruggio
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
December 12, 2010

My astrology teaches me that the planet Pluto, traveling through the sign of Capricorn (2009- 2012), means that the truth must come out. My Catholic background teaches me that “The truth shall set you free.” My agnostic and atheist friends tell me that science only recognizes truths that can be examined and proven. Logic and intuition tell me that without truth we are lost as a civilization.

After Religion Fizzles, We’re Stuck with Nietzsche by Chris Hedges

by Chris Hedges
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
Truthdig
May 10, 2010

Image by Dandelion Salad via Flickr

It is hard to muster much sympathy over the implosion of the Catholic Church, traditional Protestant denominations or Jewish synagogues. These institutions were passive as the Christian right, which peddles magical thinking and a Jesus-as-warrior philosophy, hijacked the language and iconography of traditional Christianity. They have busied themselves with the boutique activism of the culture wars. They have failed to unequivocally denounce unfettered capitalism, globalization and pre-emptive war. The obsession with personal piety and “How-is-it-with-me?” spirituality that permeates most congregations is undiluted narcissism. And while the Protestant church and reformed Judaism have not replicated the perfidiousness of the Catholic bishops, who protect child-molesting priests, they have little to say in an age when we desperately need moral guidance.

Cindy Sheehan: Banned in Scranton

by Cindy Sheehan
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox Blog
Cindy Sheehan’s Soapbox
April 14, 2010

OVOCVideos on Jan 22, 2013

Scranton, PA; April 4, 2010

The Male Hierarchy of the Catholic Church: Problems Beyond Priestly Child Abuse by Steven Jonas, MD, MPH

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by Steven Jonas, MD, MPH
Featured Writer
Dandelion Salad
crossposted on Buzzflash.com
April 9, 2010

All the rage (literally, for some of the victims and some of their parents) is the discussion/controversy in a number of countries over Catholic priests’ sexually abusing children and teenagers over a period that may go back as far as 50 years.  (It may well go back even further than that, but there may be no survivors, folks who would be quite old now, willing and/or able to come forward).  The controversy has two parts: the abuse itself and then the cover-up for the offenders.  Some Catholic dioceses in the United States have paid out very large sums in settlements.  In one instance, a U.S. Cardinal involved in the cover-up has apparently “moved” (fled?) to a position at the Papal Basilica Santa Maria Maggiore in Rome and apparently will never return to the United States.  In recent weeks the controversy has become particularly full-blown because of accusations, some apparently well-documented, that the current Pope Benedict XVI himself participated in one or more cover-ups when he was Cardinal Ratzinger in Germany and then head of the Doctrine of the Faith at the Vatican.