He was born Jorge Mario Borgoglio in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936. His parents were Italian immigrants, and according to his sister Maria Elena, their parents fled Italy because of fascism. His mother raised the five kids (he is the oldest), while his father worked as an accountant for the railroad. Here’s a reason why Francis is interesting: he worked as a nightclub bouncer in Buenos Aires while studying at university. In 1969, he was ordained into the priesthood, and in 1992 was named auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires, rising to archbishop in 1998. Pope John Paul II named him a cardinal in 2001. On Feb. 28, 2013, he was elected 266th pope of the Catholic Church.
Source: wikipedia.com
The Vatican normally halts women in their path of becoming clergy, and it seems that Pope Francis is on the same track. He has gone out of his way to express “the indispensable contribution of women in society, in particular with their sensitivity and intuition toward the other,” and has said, “many women share some pastoral responsibilities with priests.” However, there has been no mention on the general ordination of women becoming a possibility during his papal term. Small steps.
Source: abc.go.com
The pope speaks about “unbridled capitalism” and the subjugating effects it has on consumer culture. He admonishes what he describes as the misappropriation of wealth in the U.S., and the lack of justice that arises as a result. “Economic growth, encouraged by a free market, will inevitably succeed in bringing greater justice and inclusiveness to the world,” he said. He evokes the biblical golden calf of idolatry, and warns of its resurgence back into society, driven by “an impersonal economy lacking a truly human purpose.”
Sources: frontpagemag.com, businessinsider.com
A recent Huffington Post headline read: “Is Pope Francis Leaving Vatican at Night to Minister to Homeless?” According to sources the HuffPo has gathered, Pope Francis has been known to sneak out at night wearing normal priestly garb. He walks the streets to meet and help the homeless of Rome. On the subject of the fiscally destitute, Francis has said, “Poverty in the world is a scandal. In a world where there is so much wealth…it is unfathomable there are so many poor people.”
Sources: huffingtonpost.com, confrontglobalpoverty.org
The papa seems to be pretty realistic about the ups and downs of marital unions between a men and women. “Marriage is a difficult vocation…the couple does not know what will happen, nor what joys and pains await them,” he has said. His reinforcement of the Christian family as joyful and harmonious strikes a chord across the world. Francis was also under fire by conservative Roman Catholics for baptizing a child whose parents were civilly married, aka not married in the church. Many have seen this as progressive and inclusive.
Sources: marriageuniqueforareason.org, ncregister.com
Here’s where it gets a little divisive: “The Advocate” magazine, a huge proponent for gay rights, named Pope Francis its Person of the Year. One of his most-highlighted quotes is: “If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge?” However, he has not gone in depth to explain his actual stance on gay rights. Many seek clarity on his viewpoints on gay unions and adoption since becoming pope. When he was archbishop in Buenos Aires, he fought hard to stop the passage of a gay marriage bill, saying it was “an attempt to destroy God’s plan.” Also, the bishop of Malta reported that Francis is “shocked” by gay adoption.
Sources: blogs.telegraph.co.uk, independent.co.uk
The Catholic church has been considered a pretty exclusive club for the pious and those who follow the rules, particularly regarding the holy sacrament. That wafer is supposed to go into your mouth only if you’ve confessed your sins, if your sexual activity is bound by holy matrimony and is contraceptive-free, if you’re a baptized Catholic, or if you’ve sustained your marriage. Leave it to Pope Francis to amend a few things. “The Eucharist is not a prize for the perfect, but a powerful medicine and nourishment for the weak,” he said.
Source: huffingtonpost.com
In one notable interview, the pope said that the church cannot just focus on abortion, contraception, and gay marriage. “It is not necessary to talk about these issues all the time,” he said. One could argue that he’s stressing this to mollify certain voices. In his State of the World address in January, his timbre was different. “It is horrific to think there are children, victims of abortion, who will never see the light of day,” he said. Is he trying to stress compassion and mercy over finger pointing? Or is he trying to please the left and the right? Discuss.
Sources: world.time.com, ncbnews.com
“The church no longer believes in a literal hell where people suffer,” the pope has said. “This doctrine is incompatible with the infinite love of God.” During a reportedly unprepared speech the pope gave, he absolved atheists and non-believers of any ticket to hell if their lives were full of good deeds. The Vatican allegedly addressed this soon after, saying that those who are aware of the Catholic church “cannot be saved” if they refuse to join.
Sources: iranian.com, huffingtonpost.co.uk
Pope Francis tackled perhaps his gravest, most controversial topic yet…..not really. He loves soccer! In October, the papa organized a friendly rally to back the impending rivalry of Argentina’s and Italy’s national football teams. Not taking sides (but remember, he’s from Argentina, folks), he used the occasion to stress reducing violence at soccer matches, and reducing racism expressed by certain soccer fans, especially to Italy’s Mario Barotelli, with whom the pope had a private meeting. In December, when the pope’s home team of San Lorenzo won the Argentine championship, he was awarded a trophy and the goalie glove by the team.
Sources: huffingtonpost.com
