In many eras of human history, the Catholic church and the Vatican, its central, independent city state within the Italian city of Rome have been centers of goodwill and peace. Indeed, omitting the crusades, the Vatican has a lengthy history of amicable diplomatic relations with many nations throughout the world, and since being recognized as an independent state in 1929 under the regime of the Fascist Italian leader Benito Mussolini the Vatican has maintained official relations and correspondence with over 50 nations throughout the globe. In the modern era, an age of fast moving, instantly accessible communication and information, it has never been easier for the Vatican or the Pope himself to comment on global or domestic affairs. Unsurprisingly, as political tensions in the United States remain at historic highs, a newspaper publication operated by the Catholic church itself has opined on the situation at the United States southern border, declaring the border wall between Mexico and the United States to be inhuman.
The piece, featured in the paper titled L’Obsservatore Romano, blasted the border wall, claiming it to be a force for suffering for the millions of migrants who have crossed or attempted to cross it over the last several years of the Biden administration. This isn’t the first time that the Vatican has weighed in on the issues at the southern border of America and the border wall. Several years ago, in early 2019, the Pope commented while former President Donald Trump was still in office and undertaking significant measures to construct additional miles of what was then (and remains) a porous system of border barriers and security apparatuses. At that time, the Pope declared his willingness to speak to the 45th president in person and decry his policies.
Ironically, the Vatican itself is surrounded by a wall, and has been for much of its history, for the purpose of protection. Maybe the Pope needs a history lesson.
