Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Pope Francis (formerly known as Jorge Mario Bergoglio) is the first non-European pope who happens to be from the Americas. Before devoting himself to the priesthood, Bergoglio worked as a chemical technician and then as a professor at Immaculate Conception College in the early 1960s. Fast-forward some fifty-odd years, Jorge Bergoglio chose the name Papa Francesco after Saint Franceso of Assisi and became the 266th pope on March 13, 2013.
Pope Francis has made his views and goals very clear from the start of his papacy, spreading messages of equality and tolerance. When asked about his views on homosexuality, his holiness responded, “Who am I to judge?” From the creation of his own twitter page (@Pontifex) to the changes in requirements for the churches’ forgiveness towards abortion, Pope Francis has certainly begun the modernization of the Catholic Church, and it’s only been two years!
Emphasizing poverty and simplicity, Pope Francis has been widely regarded as "The People’s Pope," adorning simple vestments and choosing to reside in a room in a Vatican guesthouse rather than in the Apostolic Palace.
His holiness has also gained a lot of respect and recognition for his ability and willingness to criticize the church, commenting on the church’s “obsession” with same-sex marriage, contraception, abortion and other issues that have gained a lot of increased criticism in the church in the last few decades. He knows the church isn’t perfect, and he’s not denying it. While expected to defend and agree with the strong judgments of the church towards these issues, he has expressed his vision for a church that is inclusive rather than exclusive, where all can feel at home. In the Church’s upcoming “year of mercy,” which is from Dec. 8, 2016, to Nov. 20, 2016, Pope Francis has universalized the permission for priests to grant forgiveness from abortion during confession, an act that has been typically reserved for bishops and select priests.
In response to the millions of divorced couples in the church who have avoided the costly and lengthy process of annulment, Pope Francis has taken the necessary steps to make the process of annulment a more efficient and painless one. This process, one that typically lasted no less than two and up to tens years, how now been shorted to four months, with even quicker exception for situations involving domestic violence, infidelity, etc.
Pope Francis has made it exceptionally clear that he cares for the wellbeing of every member of the global community, not just members of the Catholic Church. In light of recent events in Syria, he has publicly encouraged and urged Christians to open their homes to refugees. Regardless of one’s own beliefs about religion and the Catholic church, one thing can definitely be said: Pope Francis is a man to be respected for all of the good work he’s done not only in the church, but globally. So on a scale from one to Pope Francis, how progressive would you consider yourself to be? Do you have what it takes to change your own world for the better in the way he has been trying to?
