The 115 voting members of the College of Cardinals moved with great alacrity to send a signal that they meant to shake up the church. And with the the election, in a speedy two-day conclave, of Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio, archbishop of Buenos Aires, to succeed Pope Benedict XVI, they"ve done just that, at least for the sake of appearances, electing the first South American ever to grace the papal throne.
But it doesn"t end there. Unlike past popes, Bergoglio hales from the Jesuit order of priests, regarded as the intellectual backbone of the church"s academic instititutions, and known as rebellious despite their vow of obedience to the pope. And Bergoglio has chosen a name never before used by a pope: Francis. While we don"t yet know his reasons for choosing that name, it calls to mind the beloved Francis of Assisi, whose mission to the poor, and reverence for animals renders him an honored figure even to those outside of the Catholic faith.
It"s no secret that the Vatican likes its mystery and drama, a fact brought home as watchers of the Roman Catholic Church awaited the big reveal of the new pope, as white smoke is spilled out of the chimney of the Sistine Chapel. The smoke is the signal sent by cardinals assembled inside the chapel that they have chosen a man to lead the world"s largest Christian denomination.
Compassion for the Poor, But No Progressive
News reports are making much of Bergoglio"s personal humility and belief in compassion for the poor. When named archbishop, he gave up his limo, opting to ride the bus. He"s said to live in a simple apartment where he cooks for himself.
He"s viewed as a truly pastoral figure, devoting his career to his home country of Argentina, where he is known as an educator of the priests who work at the parish level.
But when liberation theology, born of the theological notion of a preferential option for the poor, was sweeping his continent, Bergoglio backed away, and a frequent criticism of his term as archbishop is that, despite his simple lifestyle, he speaks little of social justice, stressing individual spirituality.
In fact, he"s theologically closer to the last two prelates, John Paul II and Benedict XVI, than to the liberal and beloved Pope John XXIII, for whose legacy many Catholics yearn for a return. But Bergoglio campaigned against same-sex marriage in Argentina, and said that adoptions by LGBT people discriminate against children.
Yet he has called for LGBT to be treated with dignity, according to the National Catholic Reporter, and has shown compassion towards AIDS patients. “In 2001,” writes NCR"s John L. Allen, Jr., “he visited a hospice to kiss and wash the feet of 12 AIDS patients.”
On matters pertaining to the rights of women — including their reproductive rights — Bergoglio holds to the orthodox line.
MORE TO COME
Wed, 03/13/2013 – 11:54
New Pope Chosen: Argentine Jorge Bergoglio Elected by Cardinals -- Chooses the Name Francis
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