Il Papa
The white smoke has drifted away from the roof of the Sistine Chapel. A new pope, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, has been announced and has caused something of a surprise as he was not one of those names on most commentators' short list. He has chosen to be called Pope Francis after St Francis of Assisi and has been described as a humble man. He made a very positive impression on television the night his papacy was announced. He has already done away with some of the pomp and ceremony of his office - he declined to wear the mozzetta, the symbol of papal authority on his balcony appearance and he travelled back to his hotel in Rome with other cardinals by minibus. However, Pope Francis faces a huge number of major issues at the beginning of his papacy: corruption in the Vatican and in the Vatican bank, tackling the major crisis of child abuse in the church in Europe, North America and beyond, gay marriage, abortion, priestly celibacy and falling numbers of members. Furthermore, it could be argued that among the most important areas to be addressed is that of the place of women in the church. The Roman Catholic church is an all male institution - no women in any positions of authority even though they represent a large proportion of church members. Where can the church go from here? Can Pope Francis move things forward?
The white smoke has drifted away from the roof of the Sistine Chapel. A new pope, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, has been announced and has caused something of a surprise as he was not one of those names on most commentators' short list. He has chosen to be called Pope Francis after St Francis of Assisi and has been described as a humble man. He made a very positive impression on television the night his papacy was announced. He has already done away with some of the pomp and ceremony of his office - he declined to wear the mozzetta, the symbol of papal authority on his balcony appearance and he travelled back to his hotel in Rome with other cardinals by minibus. However, Pope Francis faces a huge number of major issues at the beginning of his papacy: corruption in the Vatican and in the Vatican bank, tackling the major crisis of child abuse in the church in Europe, North America and beyond, gay marriage, abortion, priestly celibacy and falling numbers of members. Furthermore, it could be argued that among the most important areas to be addressed is that of the place of women in the church. The Roman Catholic church is an all male institution - no women in any positions of authority even though they represent a large proportion of church members. Where can the church go from here? Can Pope Francis move things forward?
Il nuovo papa! Congratulazioni! Not a bad start, don’t you think? Even an old cynic like me is a tad impressed. Turning his back on the pomp and circumstance and declining photo shots with all the dignitaries? Refusing to live in the papal apartments in the Vatican? Could he possibly be someone who is ready and willing to stand up to the Vatican Mafia who surround him? I suppose when you come from Argentina life has been a bit different, a little less cosy than in mainland Europe. Growing up in that big old melting pot over there must make you more open to diversity for a start. And Argentina has bred a few revolutionaries in its time, hasn’t it? Che Guevara, simultaneously adored and reviled, was undeniably one of the most important men in the history of Latin America in the 20th century. (And in my personal top ten of best lookers too! Those eyes!.... I digress….) And Eva Perón, our Evita, was the much loved heroine of the ‘descamisados’ the ones without shirts, the poor, the needy, those on low incomes. Pope Francis spent his formative years growing up in a land of strong, revolutionary personalities, in an era of protests, mass demonstrations, revolutions and military coups. When he was a young boy his country suffered the San Juan earthquake, killing 10,000 people in one incident. He has known poverty, injustice, war, strife. More recently as a religious leader he has seen the breakdown of relations between state and the Church in his own country over the issue of abortion. He has also seen one of his fellow priests successfully charged with 7 murders and 42 kidnappings. Perhaps he has learned a little from his role models: Evita, Che and all the other revolutionaries. Perhaps he will recognise the need for women to have a proper role in the Church. Maybe just he will set about tackling corruption in the Vatican. Perhaps his Argentinian background will enable him to bring in an end to celibacy for priests as has already happened to some extent in his own country. Perhaps too he will find a way to empower the poor.Throughout his life, both as an individual and a religious leader, he has been known for his humility, his concern for the poor, and his commitment to dialogue as a way to build bridges between people of all backgrounds, beliefs, and faiths. Here’s wishing il papa good health and a strong wind behind his back.
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