Pope Acknowledges US Critics, and Downplays US-Cuba Role

Pope Acknowledges US Critics, and Downplays US-Cuba Role
ABOARD THE PAPAL PLANE — Jul 13, 2015, 10:07 AM ET
By NICOLE WINFIELD Associated Press

Pope Francis leaves after paying a visit to the St. Mary Major Basilica
in Rome, Monday, July 13, 2015. Pope Francis landed in Rome Monday after
a week-long trip to South America, including Ecuador, Bolivia and
Paraguay. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca) AP

Pope Francis is acknowledging criticism in the United States of his
anti-capitalist stance and is calling for dialogue before his
high-profile trip in September. He's also downplaying his role in the
U.S.-Cuba rapprochement.

Francis spent much of the past week in South America — and before that
many speeches and two key teaching documents — railing against the
injustices of today's "structurally perverse" global economic system
that puts profit ahead of people. U.S. conservatives — among them many
high-profile Catholics — have called his attacks on fossil fuels and the
free-market economy flawed and irresponsible, given that many millions
of people have been lifted out of poverty thanks to capitalism.

Francis told reporters en route home to Rome on Sunday that he had heard
about the criticisms in the U.S., but hadn't had a chance to read up on
it given he was preparing for his visit to three of South America's
poorest countries: Ecuador, Bolivia and Paraguay —"three beautiful
countries, such richness, such beauty," he said.

"You ask me what I think. If I have not had a dialogue with those who
criticize, I don't have the right to state an opinion, isolated from
dialogue?" he said.

"I must begin studying these criticisms, no? And then dialogue a bit
with this."

Francis is due to visit Washington, New York and Philadelphia from Sept.
22-27. One of the most-watched events will be his Sept. 24 speech to a
joint session of the U.S. Congress, where U.S. Republicans have largely
ignored his new encyclical on the environment.

Francis added a Cuba leg onto the beginning of the trip — from Sept.
19-22 — after helping bring about the historic thaw in U.S.-Cuba
relations that is resulting in the reopening of the U.S. Embassy in
Havana on July 20.

Francis insisted that he had played only a small role in the
rapprochement, even though both U.S. President Barack Obama and Cuban
President Raul Castro singled him out for praise when they announced the
breakthrough in December.

"We did hardly anything, only small things," Francis said. "There was a
desire that had arrived — on the other side also a desire."

Francis said he prayed for nearly three months after the initiative
began in January 2014. Eventually, Francis wrote to both leaders. He
said he was surprised when at one point his No. 2, Secretary of State
Cardinal Pietro Parolin, told him that the U.S. and Cuban delegations
would be meeting the following day.

Francis recalled saying "'How's that?'"

"'Yes, yes, they are talking, they are talking,'" he quoted Parolin as
saying.

"It was the goodwill of the two countries, and the merit is theirs. The
merit is theirs for doing this," he said.

He said the process of negotiation was one of compromise.

"Both will gain peace, meetings, friendship, collaboration ... these
they will gain. But what will they lose? I cannot imagine. But in
negotiations, one always wins and loses."

———

Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield

Source: Pope Acknowledges US Critics, and Downplays US-Cuba Role - ABC
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