Very few things made European Catholics more unhappy with Francis than his tone-deaf approach to the criminal enterprise bringing millions of illegal migrants to Europe, and deeply changing the demographics, religion, and criminality of vast areas of the Continent.
And the main early symbol of that attitude was Francis' visit to one of the most popular destinations used by the people-smuggling gangs: the small island of Lampedusa, in Sicily. Lampedusa was, for instance, the first spot in Europe visited by the terrorist responsible for the massive Nice attacks (our post regarding it here). As we said at the time:
If our dear readers recall correctly, Lampedusa (and the illegal migrants that have transformed the lives of that island's inhabitants in a daily hell) has been a symbol of the Francis pontificate. The very first trip of his pontificate was to Lampedusa (July 2013), where he wanted to establish his bona fides concerning the illegal landings. He only had words of concern for the illegal migrants, and no offer of consolation neither to the inhabitants of Lampedusa nor to the European governments and citizens having to deal with this major problem: the illegal landings are so numerous that it is impossible to separate the actual refugees (a very tiny minority) from the economic migrants and the embedded terrorists. And this is without mentioning the legitimate concern of many European citizens regarding a complete demographic (including religious) change in the near future which they have not voted on due to an overwhelming number of illegal migrants.
Therefore, it would sound grotesque and inappropriate for Francis to express solidarity with the Martyrs of Nice and with the French population in general if, first, he did not present his most heartfelt apologies for his thoughtless defense of the illegal landings. He has been the number one fan of the Lampedusa landings and, as the loudest voice in Italy, he has immense personal responsibility for the situation that led directly to terrorist attack in the Basilica of Notre-Dame de l'Assomption, in Nice. One of those martyrs, Simone Barreto Silva, was herself a migrant, but a legal migrant, a faithful Catholic who just wanted to go to Mass on that weekday morning, before being slaughtered by a Lampedusa migrant.
Now, it seems, the current pope may be inclined to repeat the same attitude. If he wants to keep alienating practicing Catholics, especially in Europe, then there is no better way to do it. Fr. Alexander Lucie-Smith has some important words on the matter:
Pope Leo has sent a video message to the people of Lampedusa, who for decades have been in the eye of the immigration storm. In it he hints that he may visit Lampedusa in person, as did his predecessor who made the island his first trip as Pope outside Rome. Indeed, the Giornale di Sicilia announces a Papal visit as a done deal.
Most of us who have been following Pope Leo have picked up that he is no Trumpian, but still, a photo op in Lampedusa will infuriate many people. The video message itself also will not please many. The Pope at no point mentions the illegality of the landings on Lampedusa, which is something of an omission. He also talks, quite rightly, of those who have drowned trying to make the crossing, and laments the death of “among them, so many mothers and children!” It is true that women and children have died, and even one death is too many, but this ignores the fact that the people making the crossing are overwhelmingly unaccompanied males.
This message will not be popular in Sicily, and it won’t be popular in many parts of Europe. It won’t even be popular in Lampedusa. It is worthwhile remembering that when Pope Francis went to the island, the mayor who greeted him and who sang from the same hymn sheet, was later voted out of office. Lampedusa is fed up of bearing the brunt of migrant arrivals. It does so because of its geographical position, but it lacks the necessary resources, being a small island. [source]
The "Lampedusan pontificate" must die so the Church in Europe may live. What will be the papal choice?...
