Rome: During a pro-life and pro-family conference in Rome on May 17, U.S. Cardinal Raymond L. Burke said that limiting the number of Muslims to immigrate to traditionally Christian nations would be sensible decision on the part of politicians.
During the conference Burke said, “To resist large-scale Muslim immigration in my judgment is to be responsible.”
Islam “believes itself to be destined to rule the world,” he said. “You don’t have to be a rocket scientist to see what has happened in Europe,” the cardinal said, mentioning the large Muslim immigrant populations in France, Germany and Italy.
Burke remarks are the latest addition to a debate among Catholics regarding the application of Gospel precepts to the large numbers of migrants arriving in Western nations from Africa and the Middle East.
Cardinal Konrad Krajewski, the pope almoner, in May had said that the Vatican would refuse a papal blessing to Matteo Salvini, Italy Deputy Prime Minister, who is known for his restrictive immigration policies.
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However, Burke appealed the Church to be more generous and said, “individuals that are not able to find a way of living in their own country,” this is not the case for many Muslim migrants, “who are opportunists.”
Pope Francis has made a liberal attitude toward migrants a foundation in his preaching, underlining the Christian duty to “welcome the stranger” over political or demographic considerations, although he repeatedly has added that government leaders have a responsibility to assess how many migrants their countries truly can integrate. Such valuation should include the financial costs of helping immigrants learn the local language and customs, the pope has said.
Burke also said, “Muslims have said that they are able today to accomplish what they were not able to accomplish in the past with armaments because Christians no longer are ready to defend their faith, what they believe; they are no longer ready to defend the moral law.”