Pope Francis is the first Pope from Argentina and Latin America. The world welcomed the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the Pope Francis. A great honor of the Argentine Society of having an installed Pope from their country.
Let's learn the significance of the new Pope's name "Francis" instead of using the tradition of his predecessors;
- he wants to lead the church into a new chapter, or at least embrace a new tone. In a notable gesture, Francis asked the multitudes assembled in St. Peter's Square to bless him.
- In Catholic tradition, St. Francis of Assisi had a mystical vision of Jesus Christ, who told him to rebuild his church.
- In light of the scandals that have tarnished the Church, from its financial troubles to widespread allegations and cover-up of sex abuse, the name may carry special significance
- Francis is also known for humility and a simple lifestyle. The Italian patron saint renounced his wealth and founded the Franciscan order of friars in 1290.
To learn more information about Pope Francis, the following are additional backgrounder that was put together from various sources (source acknowledgement: Time Newsfeed)
- Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on Dec. 17, 1936.
- He has four brothers and sisters. His father was an Italian immigrant and railway worker, and his mother was a housewife.
- Prior to becoming Supreme Pontiff, he had been Archbishop of Buenos Aires since 1998, and a cardinal since 2001.
- Before becoming Archbishop, he taught literature, philosophy, theology, and psychology.
- He also has a philosophy degree from the Catholic University of Buenos Aires and a master’s degree in chemistry from the University of Buenos Aires.
- In 1958, at the age of 21, he decided to enter the Society of Jesus, and started studying to become a Jesuit priest.
- As the Archbishop of Buenos Aires he turned down the opportunity to live in the palatial Archibishop’s residence, opting for a spartan apartment instead.
- He takes the bus.
- He only has one lung. His second got infected when he was a teenager, and it had to be removed.
- An email chain once alleged he “never smiled.”
- After Argentina legalized gay marriage in July 2010, Bergoglio described the new law as “a scheme to destroy God’s plan” and “a real and dire anthropological throwback.” When the legislation was still being debated, he called it “a move by the father of lies to confuse and deceive the children of God.” Argentine President Cristina Fernández de Kirchner said Bergoglio’s comments were “really reminiscent of the times of the Inquisition.”
- Bergoglio also called gay adoption “discrimination against children,” charging that the practice was “depriving [children] of the human growth that God wanted them given by a father and a mother.”
- Shortly before the 2005 Conclave that ultimately elected Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger as Pope Benedict XVI, a human rights lawyer filed a criminal complaint against Bergoglio, accusing him of having been complicit in the 1976 kidnappings of two priests, Orlando Yorio and Francisco Jalics, by Argentina’s military dictatorship. Bergoglio, who had been superior of the Society of Jesus of Argentina at the time, completely denied the claim.
Perspectives:
The newly installed Pope of the Catholic Church have demonstrated continuously in the past about his viewpoints against realities of today's world, where GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender) community are not the same as he views them. The entire world continue to evolve in recognizing that same sex are equally humane with privileges of equal treatment like their counterparts as heterosexuals.
It will be a new window to learn how will he change the current standing of the Catholic Church in regards to scandalous events that took place during his time as Archbishop. That remains to be seen .. and it's only been four days since he got elected as a Pope.
As an organization, we support our GLBT community for Equality and Justice.
The newly installed Pope of the Catholic Church have demonstrated continuously in the past about his viewpoints against realities of today's world, where GLBT (Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual and Transgender) community are not the same as he views them. The entire world continue to evolve in recognizing that same sex are equally humane with privileges of equal treatment like their counterparts as heterosexuals.
It will be a new window to learn how will he change the current standing of the Catholic Church in regards to scandalous events that took place during his time as Archbishop. That remains to be seen .. and it's only been four days since he got elected as a Pope.
As an organization, we support our GLBT community for Equality and Justice.
 |
| Acknowledgement: Photo David Mcnew/Getty Images |
No comments:
Post a Comment