Huckabee Campaign Criticizes Pope for Long Vacation, Extended Stay in Summer Residence

From ProEcclesia News:

Hope, Arkansas - A blog supporting former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee's run for the U.S. Presidency has criticized Pope Benedict XVI for taking an extended vacation in the Italian alps, immediately followed by his retreat to the papal summer residence, Castel Gandolfo.

Asking readers whether "this sound[s] like fire in the belly", the blog "Mike Huckabee President 2008" questions whether the Holy Father's 6-week vacation and subsequent stay at Castel Gandolfo evidences a sufficient commitment to the pro-life cause. The blog, which had earlier criticized fellow Republican Sam Brownback for taking a 5-day vacation with his wife to celebrate their 25th wedding anniversary, went to great lengths to draw a connection between the vacationing Catholics.

When that so-called Christian Catholic Sam Brownback - the alleged "pro-life/whole life" candidate - went on a 5-day vacation, he betrayed his pro-life constituency. Do you know how many abortions took place during that 5-day hiatus when Brownback refrained from campaigning, fundraising, and meeting with members of the press? Then how much moreso have pro-lifers been betrayed by the Pope, who has taken 6 weeks of vacation, and then follows that up by retreating to his "summer" (i.e. vacation) home? How many more abortions have taken place in that timeframe while the Pope has retreated in privacy from the world and from his responsibilities?"

According to Catholic World News, "the Holy Father said that he felt refreshed by the 'tranquil days' that he had spent in the village of Lorenzago di Cadore, in the Dolomite mountains." As for retiring to Castel Gandolfo for the remainder of the summer, Catholic World News notes that

During the month of August most Vatican officials leave their offices to escape the heat of Rome, and the work schedule is significantly reduced... Pope Benedict will maintain a regular work schedule in August and September, but the Pontiff holds fewer private audiences at his summer residence, leaving more time available for long-term projects such as writing. Pope Benedict is reportedly working on two major writing projects: his second encyclical and the second volume of his book Jesus of Nazareth.

Coincidentally, in the recently published first volume of Jesus of Nazereth, the Holy Father expounded on the meaning of the Sabbath and extolled the benefits of rest and relaxation.

The "Mike Huckabee President 2008" blog responded to the Catholic World News report by ridiculing the Pope's reduced schedule.

The rest of us don't get time off from fighting for a culture of life, so why should the Pope have a "work schedule [that] is significantly reduced"? And holding "fewer private audiences" shows a complete disregard for meeting with the people to promote the culture of life. Even as I write this, Governor Huckabee is in his 18th hour of meetings today. His voice is almost gone. He is driven by the desire to protect human life.

But the blog doesn't stop there:

Finally, it is patently offensive to know that not only do the Pope and his Catholic minions like Sam Brownback attack the very fiber of the American free enterprise system by encouraging such absurdly long vacations (or, indeed, any vacations at all for that matter - remember that "idle minds are the Devil's workshop"), but we find out that the Pope is spending his vacation and his time in his "summer" (i.e. vacation) residence authoring an encyclical that will even further undermine our free market economy by calling into question the "fairness" of the capitalist economic system and condemning the "immorality" of tax avoidance. I mean, the very idea! Who the hell wants to pay taxes? Maybe if we taxed the Church and its extensive worldwide assets, I bet he'd change his tune. Besides, we don't need to be lectured on "fairness" and "morality" by the leader of an organization that spent the better part of 40 years protecting pedophiles.

The pro-Huckabee blog, in a manner worthy of the ordained Baptist minister it supports, concludes its fire and brimstone condemnation of the Pope with an invitation, the faint strains of the old evangelical hymn "Just As I Am" playing in the background:

If I had given money, time, sweat and tears to the Catholic Church and to the pro-life cause, I would be furious about this betrayal of not only pro-lifers, but the very American ideal of hard work. Perhaps you Catholics who have the gift of true "discernment" and are not completely lost in your dreams of time off and extended vacations, not to mention your worship of the Whore of Babylon, should consider the example of other "recovering Catholics" and become "one of us". Do not ignore that small voice calling you forward - compelling you - to consider looking elsewhere for a true spiritual leader. Commit your life to supporting a MAN of God and TRUE voice for the unborn, Mike Huckabee who HAS the fire in the belly. You are welcome here.

Previous Pro Ecclesia posts on this subject:
Huckabee Campaign: "How Dare Sam Brownback Take Time Off from Campaigning for His 25th Anniversary?"

Deal Hudson Rips Evangelical Pastor (a Former Catholic) for Disparaging Sen. Brownback's Catholicism