Pope criticizes Trump administration policy on migrant family separation

Pope Francis hascriticized the Trump administration's policy of separatingmigrant families at the Mexican border, saying populism is notthe answer to the world's immigration problems.

Speaking to Reuters, the Pope said he supported recentstatements by U.S. Catholic bishops who called the separation ofchildren from their parents "contrary to our Catholic values"and "immoral."

"It's not easy, but populism is not the solution," Francissaid on Sunday night, ahead of World Refugee Day on Wednesday.

In a rare, wide-ranging interview, the Pope also said he may acceptmore bishops' resignations over a sexual abuse scandal in Chile.

Reflecting at his Vatican residence on his five years as Pope, he defended his leadership of the Roman Catholic Church against criticism by conservatives inside and outside the churchwho say his interpretation of its teachings is too liberal.

He also said he wanted to appoint more women to toppositions in the Vatican administration.

One of his most pointed messages concerned President DonaldTrump's zero-tolerance immigration policy, in which U.S.
authorities are criminally prosecutingall immigrants caughtcrossing the Mexican border illegally, holding adults in jail while their children are sent to government shelters.

The policy has caused an outcry in the United States and hasbeen condemned abroad as videos emerged of youngsters held inconcrete-floored enclosures and an audio of wailing childrenwent viral.

U.S. Catholic bishops have joined other religious leaders inthe United States in condemning the policy.

"I am on the side of the bishops' conference," the Popesaid, referring to two statements from U.S. bishops this month.

"Let it be clear that in these things, I respect [theposition of]the bishops conference."

On Wednesday he posted pointed tweets in support of refugees.

Francis's comments add to the pressure on Trump overimmigration policy. The Pope heads a church that has 1.3 billion members worldwide and is the largest Christiandenomination in the United States.

The president has strongly defended his administration'sactions.

Populists 'creating psychosis'

The U.S. crackdown chimes with a new political mood sweepingwestern Europe over the large numbers of migrants andasylum-seekers, most of them escaping conflict and poverty inthe Middle East and Africa.

The Pope said populists were "creating psychosis" on theissue of immigration, even as aging societies like Europe faced"a great demographic winter" and needed more immigrants.

Without immigration, he added, Europe "will become empty."

He spoke at length about immigration, a controversial issuein Europe as well as the United States. The populist Italian government has refused port access to non-government ships thathave been rescuing asylum seekers trying to cross to Italy fromAfrica in flimsy boats.

One ship was forced to disembark more than 600 migrants inSpain overthe weekend.

Italian Interior MinisterMatteoSalvini, alsoleader of the far right-wing League party, has criticized the Pope in the past, once saying the pontiff should take inmigrants in the Vatican if he was so concerned about them.

"I believe that you cannot reject people who arrive. Youhave to receive them, help them, look after them, accompany themand then see where to put them, but throughout all of Europe,"Francis said.

"Some governments are working on it, and people have to besettled in the best possible way, but creating psychosis is notthe cure. Populism does not resolve things. Whatresolves things is acceptance, study, prudence."

More women in Vatican

Since assuming the papacy in 2013, Francis has promoted aliberal interpretation of Catholic teachings at a time when politics in many parts of the West have shifted towardeconomicnationalism.

He has faced internal opposition from conservative clergywho oppose his liberal interpretations, especially his approach tosexuality and showing mercy towarddivorced Catholics. Butthe Pope said he prayed for conservatives who sometimes said"nasty things" about him.

Defending his leadership, the 81-year-old Argentine pontiffsaid the future of the Catholic Church was "on the street."

The Pope has accepted the resignations of three bishops inChile over the sexual abuse scandal there and allegations thatit was covered up. He said he could accept more resignations butdid not say which bishop or bishops he had in mind.

He said reform of the Vatican administration, the Curia, wasgoing well, "but we have to work more."

Francis said he was mostly happy about reforms enacted tomake once-scandalous Vatican finances more transparent. TheVatican bank, which closed hundreds of suspicious or dormantaccounts, "now works well,"he said.

"There have been some struggles and I have had to make somestrong decisions."

He said he wanted to appoint more women to head Vaticandepartments because they were better at resolving conflicts, though this should not lead to what he called "masculinismin askirt."

The Pope said his health was good apart from leg painrelated to a back condition. He reiterated comments first made shortly after his election that he may someday resign forreasons of health as his predecessor, Benedict, did in 2013, but said: "Right now, I am not even thinking about it."