Kerry op-ed -Working with the Vatican against modern slavery

[karynnj]

Today, as the first Catholic secretary of state in 33 years, I find special joy and pride in the way that the United States can partner with the Holy See to help meet some of our greatest global challenges.

Among those challenges, we find perhaps no greater threat to human dignity, no greater assault on basic freedom, than the evil of human trafficking — what we call modern-day slavery and what Pope Francis himself denounced as “a crime against humanity.”

Whether it comes in the form of a young girl trapped in a brothel, a woman enslaved as a domestic worker, a boy forced to sell himself on the street, or a man abused on a fishing boat, the victims of this crime have been robbed of the right to lead the lives they choose for themselves.
<snip>
As Christians the world over celebrate Easter, this is a fitting place to fix our gaze. Christ found his earliest followers off the shore of the Sea of Galilee. He brought them off their fishing boats to become his apostles, to spread his message of love and compassion. Particularly at Easter, this is a message that can guide people of all faiths. When we embrace our common humanity and stand up for the dignity of all people, we realize the vision of a world that is more caring and more just — a world free from slavery.

http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2014/04/19/cooperating-with-vatican-against-modern-slavery/5yQWBqDf9xF320ruta08rN/story.html


It would be great if Pope Francis is able to lead many countries on this. His various statements since becoming Pope have argued for a fairer world - and he has a voice that might be able to reach people who were not able to hear the voices speaking against the economic inequality because of ideological reasons - believing the right on occupy or Elizabeth Warren.

[wisteria]

1. Very nice.

[JI7]

2. i trust Kerry a lot more than i do the church

Kerry has already worked on these issues as senator and before

[mylye2222]

3. i trust both.

Pope Francis is the best thing happening to the Church since John XXIII. He represents the real catholic movement the one who dont stands for conservative and judjeful paradigms but cares about real issues. And this message comes from a despite born and batised Catholique but actually not really beliver.

[karynnj]

4. I am impressed by Pope Francis

That he is willing to allow his name to be used and to add his resources to this is great. There are many people who will take it more seriously because of the Pope.

I was also surprised with how much personal information Kerry had at the beginning of the oped and the obvious joy that he has both in addressing these issues and working with the Vatican. I never would have guessed in 2004 that JK is as religious a person as he is.

[MBS]

5. it feels like he takes his religion pretty seriously

. . which is why the @#$% he got from the ##$% conservative archbishops in St. Louis, etc., in 2004 were so outrageous.
I would guess that he's very, very pleased by the current pope, who seems to share similar views about intolerance, hypocrisy, and, above all, that faith and goodness are measured by one's deeds (especially help for others and consideration of the common good) rather than by rhetoric and judgmentalism.

[mylye2222]

6. Kerry is a religious AND openminded progressive catholic

Who dont use his faith as a pretext to deny others right. He has convictions but hes respectfull to others ones. He will not use his convictions to impose it to other and moralized.

[SydneyP]

7. Working with the Vatican

very nice!