![]() As the New York Times writes, "Francis knows how to smile, and how to make others smile." Francis' first apostolic exhortation was titled Evangelii Gaudium ( The Joy of the Gospel), in which he encouraged Christians "to embark upon a new chapter of evangelization marked by. To Francis, a church without joy is unthinkable. In a Lenten homily from his first year as Pope, Francis preached that Jesus' "most powerful message" is "mercy." He told Corriere della Sera that tenderness and mercy are "the heart of the Gospel," and without them, "one doesn't understand Jesus Christ." In a visit with students last June, Francis remarked, " Poverty is the flesh of the poor Jesus. There are several theological themes dominating his papacy so far: poverty, mercy, and joy.ĭuring his first interview with journalists after his election, Francis said, "How I would love a church that is poor, and for the poor." These words have provided the context for many of his actions, from paying his own hotel bill to dispensing with the traditional costly popemobile and vestments. What are the hallmarks of Francis' theology? According to legend, following a pilgrimage to Rome, Christ appeared to him, saying, "Francis, Francis, go and repair my house which, as you can see, is falling into ruins." Though Pope Francis has not publicly referenced this legend, some see a parallel between it and the current pope's desire for reform. He is the patron saint of animals and ecology, and is remembered for his solidarity with the poor, his love of animals, and his attempts at interfaith dialogue with Muslims. Francis was an Italian friar who lived from 1181 to 1226. During the conclave, after Bergoglio received two-thirds of the vote, thus sealing his papal fate, Cardinal Claudio Hummes whispered to him, "Don't forget the poor!" According to Pope Francis, Hummes' words reminded him of St. In an address to journalists several days after his appointment, Francis (birth name: Jorge Mario Bergoglio) recounted how he came to choose his name. The pope's name carries a great deal of significance since it signifies the kind of pope he will be, and what kinds of passions, interests, theologies, etc. Since 533, it's been customary for each newly appointed pope to choose his own papal name. He also delivers messages on Church holidays, including the Urbi et Orbi, "to the city and to the World," given at Christmas and Easter. ![]() In addition, the pope offers a weekly blessing and a weekly address to tourists and Catholics visiting the Vatican. According to Thomas Reese, popes "appoint men who reflect own views on theology and other issues facing the church." Cardinal selection, then, is crucial to the Pope's work since these men will continue to carry out Francis' vision for the Church even after he's gone. The Pope also selects the College of Cardinals, which is the group that will elect Francis' successor. There are more than 5,000 bishops throughout the world, and it's the Pope's responsibility to meet with them at least once every five years. Naming bishops is an important task, since these men carry out the Pope's vision at local levels. Sure, it's a complicated process involving several people, but the Pope has final say in these appointments. The Pope is also the head of Vatican City, which is the world's smallest independent city-state. He is responsible for unifying Catholicism's voice and centralizing its doctrine. He's called a father because of his role as the spiritual leader of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. The Pope gets his name from the Greek word for "Father," pappas. He was made a cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II, and held several administrative positions within the Roman Curia, the central governing body of the Catholic Church. Prior to coming to Rome, Bergoglio served several roles as bishop in Argentina, including Metropolitan Archbishop. He was ordained to the priesthood almost a decade later, in December 1969. ![]() After finishing his initial training, Bergoglio took vows of poverty, chastity, and obedience, and became a Jesuit on March 12, 1960. After several years of study, he entered the the Society of Jesus in 1958. Before starting his seminary education, he worked as a janitor, a bar bouncer, and a lab assistant for a chemist. He holds advanced degrees in chemistry, philosophy, and theology. Bergoglio was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to two Italian immigrants, on December 17, 1936. Themes that have come to define Francis' papacy include poverty, mercy, and joy.įrancis is the papal name of Jorge Mario Bergoglio. ![]() Francis was elected to the papacy on March 13, 2013, to replace Benedict XVI, who resigned from office two weeks earlier. Pope Francis is the 266th Bishop of Rome.
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