You can’t understand Pope Francis without Juan Perón — and Evita

[Elizium23]

You can’t understand Pope Francis without Juan Perón — and Evita

With Francis preparing to address Congress and the United Nations during his first papal visit to the United States, from Sept. 22 to 27, his moral and political convictions will be on display as never before.

In recent months, the pope’s indictment of unfettered capitalism as “the devil’s dung” and his calls for sweeping cultural and lifestyle changes to reduce global warming have fueled a perception among some conservatives that Francis is a leftist, with Marxist views dressed up in white vestments.

Here in Argentina, where Francis had a reputation as a conservative, those who have known him for decades find such characterizations risible, throwing their hands in the air, as if told the Brazilians were better at soccer or Chile had better wine.

 

[Bubba_Switzler]

In understanding the pope’s politics — and that’s what counts here — John Allen is right to point to Peronism, but wrong to look, as I think he does, at this question in terms of contemporary Peronism, moderate or otherwise, which is as intellectually incoherent as Mr. Allen suggests. The pope’s Peronism is far closer to the original, clearer version he would have known in his youth, minus the thuggery and (I assume!) the anti-clericalism if not, occasionally, the demagoguery.

Juan Perón was one of those early twentieth-century figures looking for a ‘third way’ between communism and capitalism, and he found that in a form of corporatism not so far removed from fascism, or, rather more remotely, the ideas set out by Pope Leo XIII in Rerum Novarum (1891). The fact that Perón’s party (Partido Justicialista) derives its name from the idea of “social justice,” long a popular phrase on the religious left, tells you quite a bit. Perón was a populist, profoundly suspicious of classical liberalism (a shriveled, but real part of Argentine political tradition) the free market and free trade, all of which may sound familiar to anyone who has followed what Pope Francis has been saying. As would the emphasis that Perón put on social welfare (and the language he used to talk about it).

A Peronist pope then? As I’ve argued before, yes, sort of, which means that, as we listen to Pope Francis’s prescriptions for the economy and the planet (and we can expect to hear plenty about them in the coming months), it’s worth remembering that the economics of Peronism ultimately proved disastrous.

nationalreview.com/corner/419394/peronist-pope-andrew-stuttaford

 

[Bubba_Switzler]

There is nothing to admire in its assault on market economies, technological progress, and—worse—on rationality itself. Bergolio, whom we know now as Pope Francis, is a limited man. His grasp of economics is straitjacketed by the Peronist culture in which he was raised.

thefederalist.com/2015/06/24/where-did-pope-franciss-extravagant-rant-come-from/

 

[Johann_du_Toit]

Wasn’t Juan Peron excommunicated by the Church at one point when his “revolution” turned anticlerical?

 

[Exiled_Child]

Great article.

 

[Diamantina]

Wasn’t Juan Peron excommunicated by the Church at one point when his “revolution” turned anticlerical?

Yes, according to Wikipedia, Juan Perón was excommunicated by the Sacred Consistorial Congregation on June 15, 1955. But he was reconciled to the Church before his death in 1974 – I don’t know exactly when he was reconciled to the Church, however.

 

[Neofight]

thefederalist.com/2015/06/24/where-did-pope-franciss-extravagant-rant-come-from/

Well, yeah! Does it surprise you that The Federalist would make such comments?

Quote:
There is nothing to admire in its assault on market economies, technological progress, and—worse—on rationality itself. Bergolio, whom we know now as Pope Francis, is a limited man. His grasp of economics is straitjacketed by the Peronist culture in which he was raised.

Any casual reader of the Holy Gospel would see that living the gospel message will put us at odds with worldly concerns. What does The Federalist have to say about the spirituality and holiness of this man who calls himself Francis? Hmmmm?

The real reason behind this papal hit piece published by this questionably objective website trying to pass itself off as news, is to condemn the Pope’s encyclical, Laudato Si, because the editorial board of the The Federalist and its supporters put materialist first and foremost in their lives.

The reaction to Laudato Si by conservatives have exposed the fact that many of them have no more regard for Christ’s church on earth as those same conservatives claim liberals are guilty of.

 

[zz912]

Well, yeah! Does it surprise you that The Federalist would make such comments?

Quote:
There is nothing to admire in its assault on market economies, technological progress, and—worse—on rationality itself. Bergolio, whom we know now as Pope Francis, is a limited man. His grasp of economics is straitjacketed by the Peronist culture in which he was raised.

Any casual reader of the Holy Gospel would see that living the gospel message will put us at odds with worldly concerns. What does The Federalist have to say about the spirituality and holiness of this man who calls himself Francis? Hmmmm?

The real reason behind this papal hit piece published by this questionably objective website trying to pass itself off as news, is to condemn the Pope’s encyclical, Laudato Si, because the editorial board of the The Federalist and its supporters put materialist first and foremost in their lives.

The reaction to Laudato Si by conservatives have exposed the fact that many of them have no more regard for Christ’s church on earth as those same conservatives claim liberals are guilty of.

Disagreeing with political or economic opinions of Pope is not disobedience to Church teaching. This may shock you, but the Pope is not infallible on these matters.

Second, maybe they are objectively looking at the RESULTS of these policies. The economic desolation and destruction in Argentina are widespread, numerous, and horrific. What differentiated the Central and South American countries in the 20th centuries from the economic prosperity of the US and Canada? Why are there literal tin shacks that the poor live in, in Central and South America? While in the US, the average poor person has at least 2 bedrooms, tv, cell phone, refrigerator, cable, a/c, and a host of other amenities?

South America has suffered a century of economic collapse. Maybe we should look at the policies that got them there.

 

[Neofight]

Disagreeing with political or economic opinions of Pope is not disobedience to Church teaching. This may shock you, but the Pope is not infallible on these

Certainly not…what is disparaging is how some politicize religion. Did you actually read the encylical? I just don’t get how those (and I am not claiming you are one) are so quick to tell us “what the pope really meant is xxxxx.,” to make his words validate their political views…and liberals do the same thing.

Just as nothing good has ever come from groups or nations whose politics dismiss religion, neither has much good ever come of groups and nations tha (communists) politicized religion…just look at the countries and individuals embrace radical Islam.

 

[7_Sorrows]

Great article.

I also thought the article was good.

 

[Seamus_L]

Having someone who is described as a feminist and communist militant as your mentor is pretty disturbing.

 

[PTL]

Having someone who is described as a feminist and communist militant as your mentor is pretty disturbing.

Your post puzzled me. I was not going to read the long article. In order to understand what you said, I took time to read it and found what you were talking about.

At the lab where he worked, Francis met one of the other women he mentions as a major influence in his life: his supervisor Ester Ballestrino. She was a Paraguayan feminist and communist militant, in her 30s, and she became a mentor to Francis. The two maintained a friendship for many years to follow.

 

[zz912]

Having someone who is described as a feminist and communist militant as your mentor is pretty disturbing.

That’s not good at all. Missed that the first time.

 

[ringil]

More bashing of the Vicar of Christ.

Is it against Church teaching to disparage the name of the Hoy Father? I’m not sure on this.

I know that a religious who posts here on CAF felt that it was very wrong to se sow derision around the name of the Holy Father.

 

[graciew]

More bashing of the Vicar of Christ.

Is it against Church teaching to disparage the name of the Hoy Father? I’m not sure on this.

I know that a religious who posts here on CAF felt that it was very wrong to se sow derision around the name of the Holy Father.

It is the author s thoughts. Let us take what he thinks as precisely his thoughts and the memories of those who remember J.C. Bergoglio as precisely memories.
And life goes on.
God and the Pope know.
Peace.

 

[Aletheian]

Second, maybe they are objectively looking at the RESULTS of these policies. The economic desolation and destruction in Argentina are widespread, numerous, and horrific.

Except that Argentina’s decline began in the 1930s, way before Peronism appeared.

From en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Economic_history_of_Argentina

Argentina possesses definite comparative advantages in agriculture, as the country is endowed with a vast amount of highly fertile land.[2] Between 1860 and 1930, exploitation of the rich land of the pampas strongly pushed economic growth.[3] During the first three decades of the 20th century, Argentina outgrew Canada and Australia in population, total income, and per capita income.[3] By 1913, Argentina was the world’s 10th wealthiest nation per capita.[4]

Beginning in the 1930s, however, the Argentine economy deteriorated notably.[3] The single most important factor in this decline has been political instability since 1930, when a military junta took power, ending seven decades of civilian constitutional government.[5] In macroeconomic terms, Argentina was one of the most stable and conservative countries until the Great Depression, after which it turned into one of the most unstable.[6] Successive governments from the 1930s to the 1970s pursued a strategy of import substitution to achieve industrial self-sufficiency, but the government’s encouragement of industrial growth diverted investment from agricultural production, which fell dramatically.[7]

 

[Bubba_Switzler]

More bashing of the Vicar of Christ.

Is it against Church teaching to disparage the name of the Hoy Father? I’m not sure on this.

I know that a religious who posts here on CAF felt that it was very wrong to se sow derision around the name of the Holy Father.

It’s always a good idea to attack bad ideas, not the perveyor of them. Perhaps that goes doubly when the perveyor is the Vicar of Christ.

But trying to understand why an otherwise good person holds such bad ideas so fervently is not bashing, in my opinion.

 

[ringil]

It’s always a good idea to attack bad ideas, not the perveyor of them. Perhaps that goes doubly when the perveyor is the Vicar of Christ.

But trying to understand why an otherwise good person holds such bad ideas so fervently is not bashing, in my opinion.

Well, for me- if we had a Pope who advocated a hyper-capitalist system- not that this would be possible- I would simply disagree.

I only want to increase the persona of any Pope. I want him to be liked and respected not seen with suspicion.

I wouldn’t muckrake and seek to sow derision and discord. That’s scandal.

 

[Bubba_Switzler]

Well, for me- if we had a Pope who advocated a hyper-capitalist system- not that this would be possible- I would simply disagree.

I only want to increase the persona of any Pope. I want him to be liked and respected not seen with suspicion.

I wouldn’t muckrake and seek to sow derision and discord. That’s scandal.

Disagreeing is not scandalous.

 

[Thomas_White]

Well, yeah! Does it surprise you that The Federalist would make such comments?

Quote:
There is nothing to admire in its assault on market economies, technological progress, and—worse—on rationality itself. Bergolio, whom we know now as Pope Francis, is a limited man. His grasp of economics is straitjacketed by the Peronist culture in which he was raised.

Any casual reader of the Holy Gospel would see that living the gospel message will put us at odds with worldly concerns. What does The Federalist have to say about the spirituality and holiness of this man who calls himself Francis? Hmmmm?

The real reason behind this papal hit piece published by this questionably objective website trying to pass itself off as news, is to condemn the Pope’s encyclical, Laudato Si, because the editorial board of the The Federalist and its supporters put materialist first and foremost in their lives.

The reaction to Laudato Si by conservatives have exposed the fact that many of them have no more regard for Christ’s church on earth as those same conservatives claim liberals are guilty of.

This is correct. As those who knew Pope Francis have attested to many times, he was never a Peronist and, in fact, was not at all interested in politics. He has consistenly and firmly disapproved of any ideological or political interpretation of Catholic teaching.

What U.S. conservatives cannot seem to grasp is that they themselves hold an ideological interpretation of Catholic teaching that is neither in sync with the Church nor the future of the Church.

“It is my hope that this Encyclical Letter, which is now added to the body of the Church’s social teaching…” Laudato Si (15)