Foxnews Writer Attacks The Pope

I guess I shouldn't be surprised that a website that daily publishes lists of stars that have lost their mojo and good/bad bikini bodies would publish something as stupid as Adam Shaw's piece.

Adam Shaw, writing at Foxnews.com, unleashes a juvenile diatribe against Pope Francis is which he calls the Pope a "snob" and against prosperity.

For a taste, check out the opening paragraph of this stupidity.

Pope Francis has declared war on those who aspire to provide a better life for themselves and their families, expressing the misguided snobbery of a man for whom money has never been an issue.

War on prosperity? War on aspirations? Snobbery?

It gets worse. He derides the Pope's expressed desire “Oh how I long for a poor Church for the poor!”

This statement is a perfect summary of Francis’ papacy, a primary theme of which has been a peculiar dislike of prosperity. His first major document, -- “Evangelii Gaudium” -- was a prime example of his disdain for those who are not content to soak in poverty or to submit to socialism.

I won't go into detail about the silliness of this caricature of Evangelii Gaudium (I have covered some of that here) but suffice it to say he takes quotes out of context and applies them universally which the Pope clearly wasn't doing in context.

The main thrust of the recently post-pubescent Mr. Shaw's article seems to be that the Pope has never had to worry about money. Mr. Shaw knows all about money because has been paying his own bills for at least six months.

As a Catholic in my 20s, recently married and with a baby, I can testify to this. I was never much interested in making money when I was single; I was happy to have enough to pay my rent, with some left over for a few books and a season ticket to my soccer club.

But like millions of fathers, I am now working hard -- not just to put food on the table, but to give my wife and child as comfortable and secure a life as I can.
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Francis can pay as many of his own hotel bills as he likes, but he won’t have his “poor Church for the poor” unless there are rich people to fund it.

So the gist of this is that a young man, still wet behind the ears, uses his months of economic experience to troll the Pope so as to advance his own prosperity.

Let me leave you with this little nugget in which the 20 something Mr. Shaw derides the Pope's experience level.

Unfortunately, this pope does not, possibly due to his career in bureaucracy that unusually contains zero experience at parish level, in which he would have at least had experience bringing in money.

Ah to be young again when you can have the hubris of thinking that because you have a separate entrance in your Mother's house that you now have more relevant experience than the Pope.

Fortunately for Mr. Shaw, the Pope regularly hears confession.

You can reach the young Mr. Shaw here or on Twitter: @AdamShawNY to let him know what you thought of the merits of his argument.