Donald Trump "He'll (Pope Francis) be glad I'm President when ISIS attacks the Vatican."
--If I am not mistaken, over 22 percent of Americans identify as Catholics. Donald Trump may have made a calculated move to shore up his evangelical credentials in South Carolina and the other southern states where evangelicals are influential. Insulting the Catholic Pontiff ultimately, may prove significant in the general elections should he win the ticket
Photo: AP
Pope Francis, holding staff, walks in procession on a stadium racetrack as he arrives to celebrate Mass in Morelia, Mexico
credit: www.stpeterslist
The Pope speaking on the Papal plane after trip from Mexico condemned Trump's plan to build a wall between the United States and Mexico saying: 'This is not in the Gospel."
Trump, a Presbyterian who has highlighted his religion, campaigning in South Carolina, hit back furiously, calling the Pope 'disgraceful' and accused him of being a 'pawn' of the Mexican government "Now it's probably going to be all over the world. Who the hell cares? I don't care!' he said. 'We have to stop illegal immigration ... and crime."
Photo: AP Photo/Gregorio Borgia
Pope Francis wears a crown of flowers, gifted to him by indigenous Mexicans, as he arrives to the airport in Tuxtla Gutierrez, Mexico, Monday,
The Pope said, however, he did not want to advise American Catholics on whether or not to vote for Trump, who fired back immediately, telling a packed room at a coastal South Carolina country club: 'For a religious leader to question a person's faith is disgraceful.'
The Pope's dramatic intervention came in a freewheeling conversation with reporters on his flight back from a visit to Mexico. Francis was asked about Trump and some of his statements, such as vowing to build a wall between the United States and Mexico if he becomes president.
Photo: cathnews.co
A person who thinks only about building walls, wherever they may be, and not building bridges, is not Christian,' Francis said in answer to a specific question about Trump's views. 'This is not in the gospel.'
Asked if American Catholics should vote for someone with Trump's views, Francis said: 'I am not going to get involved in that. I say only that this man is not Christian if he has said things like that. "We must see if he said things in that way and in this I give the benefit of the doubt.' He added: 'Vote, don't vote. I won't meddle."
Trump issued a furious response, reading a lengthy statement from the podium on a campaign stop. He reflected on the seismic impact of crossing swords with the leader of the world's largest religious denomination, and shrugged it off. "Now it's probably going to be all over the world. Who the hell cares? I don't care!" he said. "We have to stop illegal immigration ... and crime."
Trump blasted the Vatican for what he said was a naive outlook on the ISIS terror army, saying in a statement released to reporters that 'If and when the Vatican is attacked by ISIS, which as everyone knows is ISIS's ultimate trophy, I can promise you that the Pope would have only wished and prayed that Donald Trump would have been President because this would not have happened.'
Photo: IPA/WEIN
Reminded that Francis is also a head of state as the chief political official in Vatican City – a sovereign country: "Nobody can vote to elect him outside of the Catholic church,' he said. 'I think he's a great man, but I think in this instance he spoke out of place."
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