“I hope the Church, a fundamental pillar of Christian civilization, can transform this immensely painful loss into a capacity to unite Christianity and Christendom in fighting the common causes of the civilization that unites us,” stated the president of Chega, speaking to journalists at the party’s headquarters in Lisbon.
“Another Pope, John Paul II, used to say that Europe is Christian, its foundation is Christian, and we should not lose it under any circumstances,” he added.
André Ventura reflected on the legacy of Pope Francis, despite some disagreements on matters such as migration, and remarked that “the Catholic Church is different” after this papacy.
The party leader did not clarify whether the Church improved or deteriorated under Francis, but emphasized that it “needs to take a firmer stand on major struggles,” particularly “against ‘woke’ culture and the sexualization of children.”
Ventura also criticized other party leaders for attempting to exploit “a rift in Christianity and the Catholic community nowadays, suggesting that Pope Francis was a sort of precursor of a left-wing element within the Church.”
“The Church is neither left nor right; it encompasses a community of people who are part of and a pillar of our community and our civilization,” he argued.
On the topic of immigration, André Ventura asserted that “beyond the Marão, those who are there make the decisions” and that “in Portugal, it is the Portuguese who rule.”
In the same vein, the Chega president maintained that it is “impossible for Europe to accommodate everyone” and similarly for Portugal, insisting that “those who come must have criteria, conditions, must comply with the law, and must have the means to come.”
Pope Francis passed away today at the age of 88, after 12 years of a pontificate characterized by efforts against sexual abuse, wars, and a pandemic. Born in Buenos Aires on December 17, 1936, Francis was the first Jesuit to ascend to the leadership of the Catholic Church.
Prior to his death, Francis was hospitalized for 38 days due to bilateral pneumonia, receiving discharge on March 23. His last public appearance was on Easter Sunday in Vatican City, the day before he passed away.
