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Patti Poirier's avatar

There are no words, just a resounding standing ovation, from an 80 year old Catholic!👏🕊️

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Marion Hardwick's avatar

He hates immigrants yet his mother and two of his 3 wives were immigrants. Does he not realize that. Also Melania was not even a citizen when Barron was born. She also got her visa through false means. Send her to El Salvador. Send him to El Salvador. Please. He’s committed more crimes than anyone who has been sent. He’s so hypocritical he is the scourge of the earth. I don’t know how anyone could have voted for him. He’s had more bankruptcies than anyone. He’s evil to the marrow in his bones.

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Christine McMillan's avatar

I don’t know how anyone with a brain could have voted for him

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Greg Haston's avatar

He hates POOR immigrants, and poor people.

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Dina's avatar

"You don’t get to hide behind “God uses imperfect people.” That line is for those who repent. That’s for sinners who kneel, not tyrants who tweet. "

This is the perfect response to the people who use that "imperfect people" bullshit. I'm gonna have to remember that one...

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Richard Brody's avatar

Thank you for sharing your thoughts and insights comparing these two people: A Pope who was certainly bigger than life, who was certainly a man of the people he served, with a spineless, disgusting, lying person whose presidency he thinks gives him an exalted place yet is truly waiting at the gates of Hell for his final comeuppance. I especially liked your message to Catholics who voted for and continue to blindly support a president who is in it for himself and nobody else. As a Jewish person I do not have the same perspective that you do, religiously, yet Pope Francis comported himself, for the most part, as a distinguished world leader. It’s really difficult to say their names in the same sentence.

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Patricia Lestz's avatar

I pray that the leaders of the Church choose wisely. Choose a man with the love and kindness that Pope Francis had.

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Patricia Lestz's avatar

I hope that you are right and that they excommunicate all of those Catholics who are trying to change the Religion .

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Judith Testa's avatar

Francis appointed a large number of cardinals. They may be able to prevent the election of an extreme right-wing-reactionary as the next pope.

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Rachell's avatar

I was raised catholic. My 96 yr old mother is among the most faithful. She prays for me daily for my lack of faith. In all my years Pope Francis was the first Pope who, while prisoner of the trappings and power of the church, seemed genuinely a disciple of Jesus. His death instead of the orange satan’s is just more proof that there is no god. Christian or otherwise. May he rest in peace as I’m certain the Church he serves will not.

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Patricia Reed's avatar

Thank you doesn't begin to cover this post!

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frautografie's avatar

Well stated! Pope Francis rest in peace. Thank you for inspiring me to be a more compassionate Christian. I will pray for you, please pray for me and the hearts of the American people as well as the world.

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Robert Crone's avatar

Francis was the head of a multi billion dollar operation who has been covering up the sexual abuse of young boys for generations. An organisation that forbade it's members from using condoms resulting in the deaths from AIDS of untold numbers of people.

Trump is disgusting but so is the Catholic Church and it's leadership.

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Diane's avatar

Often, you at CTTE, help me understand what's happening in the world around us NOW, when so many things are not right. Often, I laugh at your words and satire, am amazed at the depth of research you must do and the intelligence you all bring to the game, but today, I cried. The truth of the statement "One clung to life long enough to offer a final blessing" and all of the following stark comparisons, will continue to bring tears to my eyes for the extraordinary man we lost.

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Randi's avatar

I agree that the Pope was an extraordinary man. He had common sense as well as compassion.

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Katie Elliot's avatar

Anyone who reads this and cannot see the difference between the evil force and the shining light of what those who teach the words of Christ is, must have given up on the light and strayed from the flock of goodness and all they have been taught about what is right and what is wrong.

Once again, your words here move there earth beneath my feet. Thank You. 🙏🏼♥️

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Christina Chatmal Nelson's avatar

I very much admired this Pope. Pope Francis was a follower of Jesus and not the trappings of a wealthy and powerful Church. A Church I have repeatedly seen not serving the poor, disenfranchised, or forlorn. Pope Francis washed the feet of prisoners, Muslims, and immigrants. This act of servitude is what Christ did and is a sign of humility and caring for others. He often blessed and kissed babies and the disabled.

Francis simplified the life of Pope. He lived in a smaller room, ate with other priests in a communal dining room, wore simple shoes instead of the red designer shoes those before him had worn, and he ran his own errands in person. He paid a bill in person. He got his eyeglasses fixed in person. He carried his own bag. He did not want a servant because he was a servant. I very much admired this pope for embodying Jesus’s teachings.

Can anyone imagine Trump being a servant to the people, much less to a church? Anything he does is performative. He demands constant attention. He literally would never do anything Christ-like. Everything he claims to do for Christians is to manipulate them for his support, but meaningless in the end. Trump is quite the opposite to Jesus in every way. It’s still unfathomable that so many who claim to be Christian worship the billionaire who would never meaningfully call himself a servant - of god or the people. He has led evangelicals astray from the teachings of Jesus. He cannot understand why people would give their lives for our country (suckers & losers). Why people would choose to work in government if there wasn’t something in it for them. He is not a charitable man. He’s pure selfishness.

This is a needed comparison. The differences are so stark, like black and white. Like light and dark. The contrast is so visible yet so many refuse to look or acknowledge.

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Judd Creech's avatar

As searing and on-point as anything I’ve read. More please!

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Nancy's avatar

The truthful comparison is clear as day❤️

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Tricia Moore's avatar

In the ‘History Takes Attendance’ paragraph, there seems to be a superfluous word. Quote:

“One gave his last breath. The other won’t stop breathing threats”.

Did you mean to add “threats”?

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Holly Lebed's avatar

Thank you for this eloquent and touching post. Spot on. 🎯

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