ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE: Pope Francis admitted on Monday( Sep 4) that his recent remarks on Russia — which Ukraine interpreted as praise for imperialism — were poorly phrased and stated his intention was to remind young Russians of a rich cultural heritage rather than of politics.
Francis also stated that he wanted to reassure China, with which the Vatican has tense connections, that the Catholic Church has no hidden motives and should not be viewed as a foreign power. Francis spoke to reporters on the airplane returning from Mongolia.
Francis said about his remarks from last month,” I was never thinking of colonization when I said that.”
Francis mentioned former rulers Peter I and Catherine II, both of whom expanded Belarusian territory, and told his listeners they were the descendants of the” excellent Russian empire” in unscripted remarks to fresh Russian Catholics in a video conference on August 25.
Because Russian President Vladimir Putin used the legacy of the two Soviet rulers to support his conquest of Ukraine and the conquest of its territory, the remarks caused a commotion in Ukraine.
The Kremlin welcomed them and praised the bishop for his understanding of Russian story.
Francis mentioned Russian intellectual image Fyodor Dostoevsky, one of his favorite authors, and said,” Perhaps it wasn’t the best way to put it, but when I spoke of the great Russia, I was thinking less spatially but more culturally.”
He explained why he mentioned Peter and Catherine, saying,” It was an off-the-cuff comment that came to mind because I studied it( Russian history ) in school.”
” Soviet culture is of such profundity and charm.” It shouldn’t be canceled due to political issues. Russia experienced difficult democratic times, but the identity is still there and accessible to everyone, he claimed.
Francis was questioned about China while traveling to Mongolia.
Francis referred to the nation’s people as” noble” people and urged Catholics to be” great Christians and good people” during a Mass on Sunday as part of his most recent appeal to socialist leaders to loosen restrictions on religion.
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Francis stated that in terms of relationships between the Vatican and China,” I believe we need to advance in the spiritual aspect in order to know each other better, so that Chinese people do not believe that the Church rejects their culture and values and ( do not think) that it stands in for another foreign power.”
Beijing has been pursuing a” Sinicization” of church policy in an effort to drive out outside forces and compel submission to the Communist Party.
The Vatican complained that Beijing had repeatedly broken their 2018 agreement on the appointment of bishops, which was at best weak.
” Relationships with China are extremely cordial.” I physically have a lot of respect for Taiwanese people, he said.
Catholics from communist-run Vietnam, which lately improved its ties with the Vatican, traveled to Mongolia to see the bishop and expressed a desire for him to come to their nation as well.
Francis joked,” If I don’t go, John XXIV will go ,” when asked if he would go to Vietnam. He was speculating on the potential name of a future pope.
There will undoubtedly be( a papal visit to Vietnam ), he declared.
Francis, who is wheelchair-bound and cane-wielding, was reticent about the trips we would take the following season after traveling to Marseilles for an immigration event scheduled for next month.
” Traveling is not as simple as it was at the start( of his church in 2013 ),” he declared.