Surprised. That's the first reaction of most people when they find out who's elected as the 266th Pope of the Catholic Church to replace Benedict XVI who resigned on February 28, 2013. All the predictions of mass media apparently missed.
The cardinals decided to choose a cardinal who rarely appeared, despite he once touted as one of the candidates in the past eight years, in conclave which ultimately chose Joseph Ratzinger as Pope.
George (Jorge) Bergoglio is not one of media people. He appears in more simplicity without much coverage. Nevertheless, he makes bold steps to bring the church to the poor and marginalized. His main concern is the widening gap between the rich and the poor that it is not just happening in Argentina and other countries in Latin America, but now the reality of what happens in Europe and North America.
For him, the option for the poor is not just a slogan that needs to be echoed in the discourse in parables or pious reflection for religious officials. The church alignments to the poor is not delivered as promised to entertain them. Georg Bergoglio takes concrete steps to that option. When he became bishop of Buenos Aires, Argentina, he decided to leave the lavish palace that had been prepared as bishop's residence and he chose to stay in a simple apartment.
When he was on his way, as long as it's possible, he always used public transport. He also be more comfortable if he's called as Padre (father Georg) than Monsignore. Such simplicity is not something that is created. Since childhood he had experienced it. He was born as one of five children of Italian family. His father was a railway employee, his mother was a housewife. He was born December 17, 1936.
There was no luxury in his home. His family was not included in European family circle of wealthy landowners in Argentina. His dream when he was a teenager was a chemist. So, after graduating high school, he continued his studies in chemistry and became a chemical engineer. Because of that, he's close to and familiar with the ups and downs of students who have to struggle to complete their studies at public universities. But later, he decided to join the Jesuits. His primary education as Jesuit made in Chile. There he also studied psychology and literature. After returning from Chile, he taught psychology and literature at Santa Fe and Buenos Aires. He studied theology in 1967 until 1970.
Jorge Bergoglio --- when he was young he likes dancing and became a fan of football --- ordained as a priest in 1969. After that, he was trusted both as a teacher at the seminary, as well as a parish priest. Thus, he has extensive experience that are necessary to become leaders in the church. A leader needs to know and experience in the education of prospective pastors. However, he is actually too familiar with life, joy, and hope, anxiety and bitterness faced by the congregation. With such a background, he began to be given the task of leadership.
First in Jesuit union, then in the church hierarchy. In 1992 he was appointed as auxiliary bishop at Auca Buenos Aires. Six years later, in 1998 he was assigned by Pope John Paul II became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, and a cardinal in 2001. He also had served as Chairman of Argentina's Bishops Conference (2005-2011). In the Vatican, he's among others to be one member of the pontifical council for the family and the papal commission for Latin America.
Is such background something so special so that the Cardinals choice fall to him and set aside the names that are widely heard and written in the media? Perhaps the main consideration of the cardinals is what they discuss as a major challenge of the church today: The New Evangelization. I mean, how to reproclaim the core message of Christianity to the people who have been baptized, but later become passive with their beliefs. That's the reality facing the church today. In terms of quantity, the number of Catholics reach 1.2 billion worldwide. But most of them no longer live their Christianity seriously.
What can be offered by the Pope Francis I for the New Evangelization program? Perhaps not with a dazzling performance in the public and mass media such as John Paul II. Nor with profound reflections, as made by Benedict XVI. Simplicity in appearance, attitude and words, as well as the obvious partiality to the poor and marginalized are the spirits of the New Evangelization brought about by this new handsome pope.
He once said, the church has had a good teaching. Now is how to put it into practice, and practice is a compelling resource for people today. Modern humans are not particularly interested in teaching, but on the testimony of life which is equivalent to what is taught. If one religion reveals itself as a religion of love, then its works of love must be unique in praxis.
If a religion calls for peace, then it must maintain the peace and not to be ignition of hatred and violence. Those Spirit and basic attitudes so clearly legible in the name chosen by the Pope Francis I. The first Pope of the Jesuits is using a name that is very popular among the Christians and the wider community.
(Dear Pope, they call me Cisca. It is two syllables of Francisca. Cisca. My name.
Yeah? So? So what, Cisca? Do not attempt to link the two unrelated names at all: Francis and Francisca. What's on your mind right now?
ehehhee .... at least there was a man and a woman.
What? So what? Hiyaaa .... I would tell your fiance about this ridiculous phenomenon. A woman - who - did - not - clear - her - origin - and - her - history - of - life - named Francisca falls in love at first sight to Pope Francis I. Haa! Bravo Bravo Bravo! Ahahaa ... No newspaper publisher in your hometown willing to print this story for an awesome headline, stupid!
Yeps. Never mind, It's only breaking news in my dream, stupid!)
Francis of Assisi is a prominent reformer. According to the story -- in a vision in Assisi -- Francis received the message of Christ to restore the Church which is being threatened with destruction. Steps to avoid it is the simplicity and spirit of generosity. Francis --- because of his radical simplicity --- can attract many young people of his time, and remains the idol of young people until now.
To deal with the situation of the church today --- which is facing a crisis of confidence due to the unfolding scandals --- seems no more appropriate example than this figure of Assisi : Creating a renewal through the spirit of simplicity and humility in compassion toward the poor and marginalized.
Church and any religious which live a simple and humble spirit will honestly admit its mistakes in the past and willing to listen to the advice given from others. Such religion will more open to cooperate with the other groups, because in simplicity, it is aware of its limitations and recognizes the necessity for networking. If that happens, the church with the other religions will really make a major contribution to improving the human life's quality.
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(CZ-lacalifusa031513)
Reference Source
► by ABCNews
■ Papal Conclave 2013: Cardinals Take Oath of Secrecy - ABC Digital Report. The ancient Vatican ritual to elect a new pope begins at the Sistine Chapel. Published on Mar 12, 2013
■ Pope Voting Continues: Black Smoke Signals Signal Papal Conclave Will Resume, No New Pope. Black smoke has emerged from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel twice since the conclave started. Published on Mar 13, 2013
■ New Pope Selected, White Smoke Pours from Sistine Chapel, Bells Ring in Vatican City - VIDEO. ABC News' Dan Kloeffler discusses the selection of the Catholic Church's next pope as smoke rises from the Sistine Chapel. Published on Mar 13, 2013
■ Pope Francis' Background as Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio: Conclave 2013 Election. Papal conclave chooses cardinal from Argentina as church's new leader. Published on Mar 13, 2013
■ Pope Francis Elected: Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina to be New Leader of the Catholic Church. Cardinals have chosen Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina to be the new leader of the Catholic Church. Published on Mar 13, 2013
■ FAQs - JESUITS
■ USA TODAY - Jesuits: An order of education and social justice
■ "I'm amazed (Francis) was selected," Michael Sheeran said, because "the Jesuits steer clear of getting high-ranking jobs like this." NBC News - Pope Francis breaks another barrier as first Jesuit pontiff
■ CBS News - Pope Francis' sympathy to drug addicts, AIDS victims
► Papacy in Transition
By Helen Popper and Karina Grazina -BUENOS AIRES - Argentina's pope, Jorge Bergoglio, is a fearless critic of the powerful and a bold advocate of the poor, but some say he let down his country by staying silent during a "dirty war" dictatorship.► His motto : Miserando atque eligendo
* New pope urges Church to return to its Gospel roots
* World welcomes Pope Francis as humble champion of poor
* New pope stood up to power, but has his critics
► New pope's views, from tango, to art, to gay marriage. On gay marriage: In 2010, he challenged the Argentine government when it backed a gay marriage bill. "Let's not be naive. This isn't a simple political fight, it's an attempt to destroy God's plan," he wrote days before the bill was approved by Congress.
► VIDEO
■ Pope urges return to Gospel roots► PICTURES
■ Pope's childhood friend says he mentioned marriage. Before he became Pope Francis, he was Jorge Bergoglio, the son of an Italian railway worker living in what is now a comfortable Buenos Aires neighborhood. Amalia, who also lived in the same area, says she had a close relationship with the new pontiff when they were children. SOUNDBITE: Amalia, Woman Who Says She Was A Childhood Friend Of Bergoglio saying (Spanish): "He sent me a letter telling me that he was going to build me a house, that we would get married. And, unfortunately, my mother took the letter. I was looking all over for it and she said, 'So you're receiving letters from him." But even then, she says, the priesthood was in his sights. SOUNDBITE: Amalia, Woman Who Says She Was A Childhood Friend Of Bergoglio saying (Spanish) "He said to me, 'If I don't marry you, I'll become a priest." Bergoglio became a man of the cloth at age 32, committing himself to a life of service and poverty. And while many in his native Argentina are excited by his trajectory, his sister Maria worries about her brother. She says she remembers meeting Pope John Paul II when her brother transitioned from a priest to a cardinal. SOUNDBITE: Maria Elena Bergoglio, Pope Francis' sister. "I kneeled to kiss his ring, I looked up at his face, It was so full of love but, at the same time, infinite loneliness. My brother's face reflects love (OVER PHOTOGRAPH OF POPE BERGOGLIO), but I didn't want it to reflect loneliness."
Oh he's so sweet. The story is very inspiring. He (my "ex-boyfriend", not the Pope) also told me that IF I was willing to marry another man, he would become a priest. And he would be a priest with the story of a never-ending romantic love, tucked neatly in his secret dreams. Me and Him. Hm, a sweet threat, just as sweet as sugar in my coffee cup tonight. Eh, I do not want to talk about him. Let's look at Pope's face. Honestly, to me Pope Franciscus I is very handsome, even at his age now. Especially when he was in his youth, oh. Dear God, can my silly imagination will happen? In the next life I wish I could meet him and we danced Tango, just the two of us.(What?)
■ Meet the new Pope
■ The Pope's first day
I was astonished by the Sweetness of president Obama's Diplomacy. He congratulated the new Pope electability, but he also legitimized the gay marriage, whereas we already know how the Vatican's stance on legalization of gay marriage. So, the highest art illustration to describe this situation is: in his mouth he said "Congratulations", but in his ass, he's farting.
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