Pope Francis has criticized U.S. President Donald Trump's plans to build a southern border wall. In the TV interview with a Spanish broadcaster, Francis likewise urged Europeans to do more to help refugees.
"Whoever builds a wall becomes a prisoner of the wall he builds. This is a universal law," he said in a pre-recorded interview by journalist Jordi Evole, broadcast Sunday evening by Spanish television station La Sexta and reproduced in Catalan newspaper La Vanguardia (online edition).
Migrants not left to fend for themselves
The pope renewed his call for the European Union to welcome, accompany, promote and integrate migrants well. "It's terrible to just receive them and leave them on the street, it's a great lack of respect."The fact that many immigrants are fleeing poverty in their countries is also a consequence of capitalism," he said. "There are fewer and fewer rich people with a lot of money, and there are more and more poor people with very little money." The financial world does not work, which can also lead to wars, said the head of the church. "I argue that we are already in a third world war, in parts."
The fact that in recent years, more than 35.000 migrants have died in the Mediterranean Sea causes his "heart a lot of pain," said the son of an Italian emigrant who arrived in Argentina by boat. He has no sympathy for "the injustice of the one who closes the door," Francis said.
Abuse in the church: 'It takes time'
On the subject of child abuse, the pope said "of course" clergy should be reported to police in such suspected cases. He said this was a result of the worldwide child protection summit convened by Francis at the Vatican in February. The summit was supposed to "set processes in motion". "And that takes time," Francis said, referring to criticism of the meeting's results. "In any case, I understand the people who are dissatisfied, because when it comes to pain, you have to shut up, pray, mourn, accompany, point. However, initiating processes is the way to make healing irreversible."
With regard to the promotion of women in the church, Francis stressed it was not enough to listen to them and give them functions. "What we have not yet achieved is the realization that the number of women is beyond functionality," the pope said. "The church cannot be a church without the woman, because the church is woman, it is feminine."
Yes to unborn life
He clearly reaffirmed his no to abortion. This was not right even if a woman had been raped or had been a victim of human trafficking. "I would understand her in her despair, but I also know that it is not right to eliminate a human life to solve a problem," Francis said.
Asked about corruption, the pope said there are "hypocrites" in the Vatican as everywhere else. Sinful people also worked at church headquarters. "You have to clean up. The task is to clean, clean, clean," says the pope.
Evole, a journalist and director, is one of the best-known media makers in Catalonia. His last interview, which received international attention, was with Venezuela's socialist ruler Nicolas Maduro in early February. It was criticized in some media as a propaganda gift to the president, who rules with military force.