“Typical African songs and dances filled the cathedral.”
Last year, former Bishop Rafael Zornoza Boy of the Diocese of Cádiz y Ceuta marked World Migrant and Refugee Day in the Cathedral of Cádiz under the theme that “migrants are missionaries of hope that widen our hearts.”
According to the diocese website, “numerous migrants living in the diocese, who carried the flags of their countries of origin. Typical African songs and dances filled the cathedral, symbolizing the cultural richness and diversity that coexist in the diocesan community.”
Bishop Zornoza Boy urged parishioners to “attend to all who come without distinction and without discrimination” and the “Diocese of Cádiz and Ceuta renewed their commitment to the reception, respect and integration of migrants, recognizing in them a living testimony of Christian faith, hope and fraternity.” This was the longtime position of the diocese which in 2022 had relayed the message of Pope Francis that thanks to migrants “we have the opportunity to know better the world and the beauty of its diversity.”
After the recent mass invasion of Ceuta by tens of thousands of Moroccan Muslim migrants, the Diocese announced “that all collections taken this weekend in Ceuta’s parishes will be allocated to the Diocesan Office for Migrants. The funds will be channelled through the San Antonio Migrant Assistance Centre.”
Father Fernando Redondo Pavón, the director of the Migration Department of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference, acknowledged that governments have the power to “control borders”, but emphasized that the Church wants to “put the emphasis on the humanitarian question.”
Father Pavon demanded the “dignified treatment of migrants in all circumstances”, denied that the Sanchez proposal for the mass legalization of 500,000 migrants had anything to do with the crisis and warned against using the invasion to “criminalize migrants,” or “generate fear.”
The cleric argued that the mass legalization “has been very positive and was necessary.”
Father Pavon had earlier ‘lauded the diversity and vitality immigrants bring to Spanish society, including to the Catholic Church.’
Bishop Xabier Gómez García, who heads the Migration and Interculturality for the Tarraconense Episcopal Conference, vocally denied that the proposed legalization of 500,000 migrants by the Sanchez government, supported by the Catholic Church in Spain, or the recent ruling by the Spanish Supreme Court allowing migrants who arrive by sea to claim asylum, had anything at all to do with the invasion.
Bishop Garcia argued that he did not “find it credible to attribute this avalanche to a ruling of the Supreme Court or to the regularization in force in Spain, which responds to specific profiles and is not indiscriminate”, but instead appeared to blame right-wing Sanchez opponents, “those who play with social fear or those who turn the suffering of others and fear into electoral profit.”
Rather than questioning mass migration, he claimed that the migrants supposedly drowned in the invasion “all have a name and a face” and urged continuing to welcome migrants.
A front page article at L’Osservatore Romano, the official newspaper of Vatican City, also grumbled that “Spain approaches the important 2027 elections and the ‘invasion’ of Ceuta once again attests that the issue of migration remains too often a tool to be used for political purposes.”
Rather than acknowledging the threat of mass migration, the Catholic Church’s hierarchy in Spain remained committed to portraying migration as a holy and transcendent phenomenon, defending the migrants, denying that the mass legalization of 500,000 migrants might have served as a magnet, and instead blaming the ‘right-wing’ or a third party.
While the Moroccan government clearly engineered the invasion, as L’Osservatore Romano noted and as some clerics in Spain broadly hinted at, without actually naming the culprit, none of it would have been possible without the decision by the Sanchez government and the Catholic Church to welcome migrants, promise them legal status and offer them aid.
The Spanish Bishops’ Conference and the Jesuit Refugee Service had been among 84 Catholic organizations which, along with the ruling Sanchez regime, Islamic Commission of Melilla and the Communist Party, had championed the mass legalization of 500,000 illegal migrants, gathering the signatures for the petition and making the case to the general public.
While Morocco deserves the blame for organizing the invasion, the last time it did so in 2021, only around 10,000 Moroccans crossed the border. Why did so many more Moroccans cross the border this time around? The vastly expanded invasion numbers weren’t because of Morocco, but because the Moroccan migrants had been given ample reason to believe that they would be allowed to stay.
Figures in the Catholic Church in Spain have gone to great pains to try and distinguish the mass migration now in Ceuta from past migrations, arguing that the migrants are not really migrants because they’re coming from North Africa rather than Africa, that the migration was orchestrated by third parties and that the invaders should in no way detract from ‘real migrants’.
But at the same time migrant activists within the Catholic Church in Spain have insisted on feeding the current waves of migrants and demanding that their asylum claims be processed.
Pope Leo’s distinction between migrants and migrant traffickers, an argument also taken up by some of these same figures in the Catholic Church in Spain, is another meaningless distinction.
The best way to stop human traffickers is to disincentivize mass migration. Opening up more “safe and legal pathways”, as Pope Leo and clerics in Spain involved in mass migration have argued, results in more migration and ultimately also in more human trafficking. The invasion of Ceuta for the most part did not require traffickers, just lots of young men (and the rare woman) willing to climb a fence or swim around a sea barrier to make it to Spanish territory.
The problem is not human trafficking, it’s not geopolitics or ‘biopolitics’: it’s mass migration.
The Catholic Church could split the difference and affirm the position put forward by Pope Francis and Pope Leo that migration should be unnecessary by focusing on improving conditions in the home countries that migrants come from. But when the Catholic Church welcomes migrants, declares them to be missionaries teaching us to be better people, and campaigns vigorously for legalizing illegals, it brings forth exactly that which it claims to deplore.
The only real problem with the invasion of Ceuta was that too many people came all at once in a way that destabilized the area and threatened the fate of open borders politicians like PM Pedro Sanchez and policies like his mass legalization of 500,000 illegals.
Last year, Archbishop Luis Argüello opened the Spanish Bishops’ Conference by warning that Spain was no longer Catholic. “The time has passed, settled for centuries, when we said: ‘I’m Catholic because I was born in Spain.’” He warned that, “today we run the risk that our organizations, so dependent on the welfare state… might offer in a weak way the novelty of Christian love and could be easily confused with a very bureaucratic NGO.”
The involvement of the Spanish Bishops’ Conference in mass migration is at the heart of diminishing Catholicism in Spain and turning it into an NGO rather than a religion.
If the Catholic Church in Spain wants to matter again, it might stop thinking of migrants as missionaries of diversity and acknowledge them instead as missionaries of decline. Instead of championing diversity in Spain, the Spanish Bishops’ Conference could champion Spain.
somehistory says
There’s enough rotten bologna in his claim to feed all of those who invaded.
People claim that the Catholic church is the *real* and *true* one set up by Jesus, and that all who wish to be Christian should join it.
Just listening to, or reading what the higher up clerics have to say, tells me otherwise. I’m safer than I would be heeding the words of those who pretend to be “shepherds of the flock,’ but go with their own ideas of what is right and wrong, and neglect entirely what the Bible has to say.
Jesus didn’t get involved in politics. (“My Kingdom is no part of the world.”) If the Romans had brought into Jerusalem people from South Africa, South America, Jesus would have spoken to any in His audience the same words He spoke as recorded.
“‘Pay Ceasar’s things to Ceasar and God’s things to God.”
Perhaps this man is wearing his silly hat too tight. Perhaps he should do more reading/studying of the Bible if he wants to “lead” the flock.
Catholics of Spain, listen to Jesus and avoid following false shepherds.
Siddhi Nasranni says
In total agreement with you, these Catholic priests should stop taking mind altering drugs !
Your quote, ” People claim that the Catholic church is the *real* and *true* one set up by Jesus, and that all who wish to be Christian should join it.”
I say Baloney,
Here are the Catholic 10 commandments.
I, the Lord, am your God. You shall not have other gods besides me.
You shall not take the name of the Lord God in vain.
Remember to keep holy the Lord’s Day.
Honor your father and your mother.
You shall not kill.
You shall not commit adultery.
You shall not steal.
You shall not bear false witness.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife.
You shall not covet your neighbor’s goods.
There is one commandment missing ??
You shall not make unto you any graven images.
somehistory says
Jesus gave another *commandment* for His disciples. “Do not call anyone on earth Father, for you have a Father in heaven; whereas you are all brothers.”
Jesus never set up a heirarchy of people to rule over His sheep.
somehistory says
Oh, and He stated that He *only* is the Way to His Father. That rules out any other as an “intercessor” between the one praying and God.
“There is One Mediator between God and man, Jesus Christ.”
ploome says
“You shall not kill.” is not correct
it is
You shall not MURDER
Wellington says
Correct. The proper translation from the Hebrew is “Thou shall not murder.” And murder under the law is described as the unlawful killing of a huma being. But often times killing others is completely justified and not unlawful, examples being a soldier in war or a man killing someone who lethally threatened his family.
Stunning that so many ignorantly keep putting forth the nonsense of “That Shall Not Kill.” If this were followed to the tee, then no one could kill anyone if a fully devout Christian—and I have actually had this bogus argument, based on this mistranslation, put to me by Christians at times.
somehistory says
Wellington, in the Land of Ancient Israel, there was the Avenger who was authorized to hunt down anyone who killed by accident or murdered his close relative. He was allowed to chase that one until he caught and killed him or until the one chased reached one of the “cities of refuge.”
If he reached one of those cities, he had to remain until the death of the High Priest. If he left the city, the Avenger could come upon him and kill him….even for causing a death by accident.
The “judges in the gate” where the victim was killed, would determine if the killing was accidental and if so, the killer had to flee to a city of refuge. Murder…intentional… was judged otherwise by the “judges in the gate.”
It is not unlawful to use self-defense against another. The courts recognize this and a person can be acquitted (you already know this, I am aware).of killing another. It’s “justifiable homicide.”
Many Christians misunderstand a whole lot. Of course, none know everything. 🙂
Koshs Shadow says
Oh, the “migrants” certainly do “widen hearts” by cutting them open with knives
Jon Sobieski says
The Catholic Church is corrupt. The US Conf. of Bishops is also a NGO peddling asylum and refugee grifts that imported milliion so 3rd world aliens, many who hate u and cannot assimilate. So evil. The Church made a fortune off of it and still does although Trump has reduced it substantially.
Wellington says
Too much negativity on the Catholic Church here on this thread. Yes, there have been bad and foolish Catholic clerics, never more so than with the last two Popes (and let’s not forget that Pope Benedict XVI was quite admirable), but there have also been bad and foolish Protestant clerics.
Moreover, the Roman Catholic Church has been a bulwark of Western Civilization often times, two examples of such being the Papacy filling the political vacuum left by the fall of the western half of the Roman Empire in the 5th century AD and the many ways the Catholic Church led the charge against Islamic imperialism during the Middle Ages (oh yes, the Islamic world is steeped in imperialism though only the West gets blamed for this—in any case the West did far more good with its imperialism than the Islamic sphere of mankind ever did, for instance taking many steps to end the slave trade and slavery itself which the Islamic world on its own never did, but I digress).
There are also many other examples of the Catholic Church having contributed significantly to the welfare of man, for instance all the hospitals and schools opened in sundry places across the Earth, including here in my nation, America, by various Catholic nuns’ orders. I myself as a boy (which was back in the Mesozoic Era) was taught by the Sisters of Saint Joseph and they did a superb job of teaching me mathematics, English grammar, Latin and ethics (for the record, I did pretty well on the first three but I believe I have come up short on the fourth one but this is to my discredit and not to the Sisters of Saint Joseph who did the best they could with an invincibly ignorant person like myself).
The Roman Catholic Church also has, quite arguably, the single greatest artistic tradition of any other religion. Gregorian Chant is a magnificent and superbly haunting musical tradition and Romanesque, Gothic and Baroque architecture (the last being in architectural form the counter to the Protestant Reformation) serve here as cases in point. There is also the intellectual architecture of such figures as Erigena, Anslem and Aquinas, who have never been surpassed by the Protestant world and rarely equaled.
Look, the fact that an agnostic like me has to state what I have serves as ipso facto proof that Christians who dismiss or even demonize the Catholic Church have not considered matters seriously, intelligently or informedly enough. Take it from here because I’m done here.
GE says
Thanks for pointing out some positives to the faith, Wellington. I do understand some of the comments from other posters though. And as an Eastern Catholic, I personally believe that being Catholic is not the only path to heaven. Imho, believing in Jesus is.
somehistory says
GE, thank you.
I recall something Jesus said about a ‘dragnet’ pulling in all kinds of fish from the sea.
There are Christians everywhere….Commenting on some of the teaching errors, for me, is not a condemnation of people and their fine works.
I have a very good friend who was taught and raised by Catholic nuns, due to her mother’s illness. She never had any bad thing to say about that part of her life. To hear her, one would think she was taught by angels
And yes, there have been many clerics in the protestant sects who led many astray by their wrong teaching.
It only makes it more imperative to look to Jesus Himself for salvation. compare everything with what He told us.
gravenimage says
Great exchange.
Beans🫘 says
What the F do you mean too much negativity in this thread. The Catholic Church will destroy our civilization with their Muslims if this continues. What are you talking about?
The migrants are invading north through the south by way of Catholic nations such as Spain. And the Church is clearly cheering on the Muslim invaders and scolding anybody who simply says we have laws here guys.
Can’t you see or are you blind, almost all of the Catholic bigwigs are pro Islam? They got rid of anybody who questioned it like Cardinal Burke and others in Europe.
Our job in jihad watch is to watch for jihad! And I see the church as a jihad helping entity, taking us over with Muslims, while Muslims destroy their churches. What fools.
gravenimage says
It is not just the Pope who is witewashing Islam. Sady there are many dhimmis–including those in other Christian denominations.
gravenimage says
Bishop of Ceuta: ‘Migrants are Missionaries of Hope that Widen Our Hearts’
……………………………………………………….
So these aggressive military-aged Muslims demanding that they be taken to Europe and given benefits are “missionaries of hope”? Does that include the thug threatening journalists to intone the Shehada and convert to Islam?
What a witless tool.
Beans🫘 says
MIGRANT WOMEN- reports detail growing numbers of women and girls, many of whom entered the city with the wave of thousands of invading foreigners crossing into the Spanish territory on July 30 and overwhelming local authorities, coming forward to hospitals and social authorities seeking help after reportedly being raped.
LOCAL WOMEN- The newspaper also detailed instances of public violence in which locals have had to stop mobs of men from raping girls in the street. “I ran out of the house and started to yell at those sons of whores,” a woman identified as “neighborhood grandmother” Rajaa told El Mundo. “There were five adult men, between 30 and 35 years old, known in the neighborhood” trying to rape a girl.
At the national level the government of socialist Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez is no longer addressing the situation in any significant way as the cabinet of ministers is on vacation for most of the rest of the month.
gravenimage says
I didn’t see *any* women among the invaders–and one Muslim man when asked said that all Muslim women were good and stayed at home. Apparently no reason for their being “refugees”…
Beans🫘 says
Gravenimage
I did see a few, but I spent a lot of time on this story.
I trust my source, they are a good website and I am on there daily. Breitbart.
gravenimage says
There may be a few, Beans–but *very* few. One journalist asked a Muslim where all the women were, and he said that Muslim women are “good” and all stay home.
Homer Bedloe says
Catholic Leaders are usually well educated and can express hypocrisy in couched terms. However, this Bishop is one incredible dumbass.
JustJim says
Also, an incredible liar. Hey, Bishop, over here….look me in the eyes when you say that.
Islam is bad says
Bishop Rafael Zornoza Boy may genuinely believe that “migrants are missionaries of hope that widen our hearts.”
But what if that migrant believes they have a divine responsibility, as decreed from their God, to kill, or harm, or overthrow anyone who doesn’t subscribe to their faith?
Is that migrant still a “missionary of hope that widens our hearts”?
Siddhi Nasranni says
All Catholic Bishops should educate themselves about the True Islam.
Read this to get a greater understanding.
https://islam-revealed.com/allah-is-a-deceiver-who-deceives-people/
Rufolino says
This Bishop of Ceuta would do well to read some Machiavelli before he pontificates about such things :-
“The first duty of a Prince is to secure the borders of the Realm. “
Alex Lund says
I would really like to know what he smokes.
Troybeam says
Catholic Church, other churches all have a common theme: it all amounts to the $$$$$$ (money honey deal).
40 rounds says
The only way they widen our hearts is by using a dagger or butcher knife
OLD GUY says
It’s not just the Catholic Church supporting the migration invasion.
somehistory says
No, Old Guy, it isn’t. There are many in other religions giving support. So many in the various sects…encouraging their members to ‘help.’
They have a lot for which to answer.
gravenimage says
Grimly true, OLD GUY and Somehistory.
Andrew Blackadder says
Yet another silly old Catholic Bishop who invites muslimes into his Church yet fails to notice that no muslime invites him into their mosque… wonder why???
Dr K says
Stupid old cunt
Sharia Is Shit !