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For the record: Top French Commentator in Radio-Editorial: "Francis, the Anti-Benedict XVI, is leading serious Christians to desperation." Ãric Zemmour is probably the most famous and influential journalist and commentator in contemporary France. Though not a Catholic (he has Jewish-Algerian origins, from a family that was granted French citizenship with the historic CrÃ©mieux Decree, of 1870), he is considered "controversial" in France since he is an unabashed old-style conservative in a strongly "Progressive" environment - and he is not afraid, as a conservative thinker, to defend the great history of France, including its Catholic roots. (More about him, and his recent book, "Le suicide franÃ§ais", on how extreme "progressivism" is destroying France, in this recent extensive article of the Weekly Standard.)

He made the following comment in his radio editorial in the most popular news radio in France, RTL, on Pope Francis' visit to Strasbourg. We post it mostly for the record of historic events on how "mainstream conservative" commentators in Europe are beginning to view the pontificate.

Ãric Zemmour: "Pope Francis goes to Strasbourg and ignores the Cathedral"

It is the story of a pope who goes to Strasbourg and ignores the Cathedral. As a Muslim who would go to Jerusalem and not pray at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. As a French president who would celebrate November 11 without visiting the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. As if the Queen of England disdained the Royal Navy. As an American President who did not take his oath on a Bible.

[In his speech to the European Parliament,] Pope Francis speaks of the roots of Europe, but never makes clear that they are Christian. He exalts spirituality, but he barely mentions the name of God, and never that of "Christ". He mentions "human rights", "solidarity", "exploitation, "diversity", "the environment", "globalization", and "immigration", but does not say "abortion", "euthanasia" or "homosexual marriage".

He pronounces the words that are pleasing, not the words that annoy. He speaks of the "Europe of peoples", but not of the "Europe of Nations". He advocates the generous welcoming of migrants, while ignoring that these ceaseless waves in the Mediterranean Sea transform Europe, bit by bit, in a Land of Islam - and this even though not all those who arrive in Lampedusa are Muslims. But the leader of Christians does not look like he worries or is even concerned about it.

This pope is obsessed with dialogue between Christianity and Islam, but other than a conventional and protocolary dialogue, how can Christianity dialogue with an Islam that considers all Christians to be Muslims who don't yet know it or who deny who they are?

[Presenter: "But all this, Ãric, simply because he is pursuing, in this way, the work of his predecessors."]

The recent Synod on the Family and its deference to homosexual marriage had already troubled Christians. In France, those who had protested against "marriage for all" [same-sex marriage] in the name of their faith had felt betrayed - this trip to Strasbourg ended up leading them to desperation.

Vatican II had wrought havoc on the liturgical bearings of Christians. Francis seems set on giving away the cultural and religious bearings. Pope Francis is the idol of the media, of Members of the European Parliament, and of the Left in the West. He does not seem to mind that the most vengeful and sarcastic critics of the Church applaud him.

The Pope seems rather to be the heir of Jacques Delors* than of John Paul II. A Christian Democrat converted to Social Democracy. A German Great Coalition** all by himself. A post-Christian pope. An adherent of a Christianity without dogmas, who is adored by contemporary Progressives who have thrown away what is Sacred into the dustbins of history. A pope who best embodies the famous words by Chesterton on this "modern world, full of Christian virtues gone mad."

Pope Francis is in the process of transforming the Church in a simple NGO, [something] between Greenpeace and Terre d'Asile.***

* famous and highly influential former president of the European Commission
** Christian Democrats of the CDU and Socialists of the SPD
*** France Terre d'Asile, French NGO dedicated to establishing the broadest possible understanding of asylum and migration in Europe. [Audio, in French]

Labels: Church in France, Post-Christian Europe, Ratzinger, The Bergoglio Pontificate
By New Catholic at Wednesday, December 10, 2014