Pope Francis
| Pope Francis | |
|---|---|
| Papacy Began: 13 March 2013 | |
| Papacy Ended: Currently in office
Predecessor: Pope Benedict XVI Successor: None | |
| Born: 17 December 1936, as Jorge Mario Bergoglio
Nationality: Argentine Motto: Miserando atque eligendo | |
| Reference style: His Holiness
In person: Your Holiness In religion: Holy Father | |
His Holiness Pope Francis (formerly Jorge Mario Bergoglio, born December 17, 1936, in Buenos Aires, Argentina) became the Pope of the Roman Catholic Church on March 13, 2013. Pope Francis, elected as 266th Roman Catholic pontiff, is the first Jesuit and the first Latin American pope; First non-European pope in 1300 years. He succeeded Pope Benedict XVI, to whom he was reportedly the runner-up in the papal election of 2005. [1] Archbishop Bergoglio was created a cardinal by the late Pope John Paul II.
Background
Pope Francis entered the Society of Jesus in 1958. As a Jesuit, Cardinal Bergoglio rejected and opposed liberation theology in South America.
The son of an Italian workman who emigrated to Argentina, Cardinal Bergoglio chose to carry the name of an Italian saint, "Francis", while serving as Pope. And like his papal namesake, St. Francis, Cardinal Bergoglio has an ascetic and humble lifestyle.
Pope Francis has overcome a disability: as a young man, one of his lungs was removed due to illness.
The Pope is the spiritual leader of 1.2 billion people - almost 17% of the Earth's population and 55% of all Christians.
Naming conventions
Vatican tradition holds that when a new Pope is elected and takes a name that has not been used by a prior pope, they will be referred to simply as "Pope ______", rather than "Pope ______ I" until another pope has taken the same name. In this case "Pope Francis". [2][3]
Personality
Pope Francis has shown to be very affectionate toward the poor, the sick, and the needy. Rather than flout his position as the head of the Church, with the expectation of being acknowledged, he humbles himself when in the presence of those less-fortunate.[4] Many people feel that he holds a very inclusive attitude toward all.[5]
Scientific Views
Before he entered the seminary, Pope Francis previously studied chemistry, graduated with a título as a chemical technician, and worked as a chemist. Arthur Liebscher holds that Pope Francis respects the scientific method.[6][7]
Evolution and Big Bang
Pope Francis recently declared evolution and Big Bang theory to be right and that God isn't "a magician with a magic wand". Instead, he believes in guided evolution (evolution guided by His law laid forth), stating, “He created human beings and let them develop according to the internal laws that he gave to each one so they would reach their fulfillment.”[8]
Speaking at the Pontifical Academy of Sciences, the Pope made comments which experts said put an end to the “pseudo theories” of creationism and intelligent design that some argue were encouraged by his predecessor, Benedict XVI.[9]
Climate Change
On the topic climate change, both Rick Santorum and Jeb Bush have spoken out against the Pope.
In June 2015, Pope Francis declared that a revolution was necessary to combat climate change,[10] and published an encyclical regarding the issue of environmental responsibility.[11]
- In response, Rick Santorum responded, "The church has gotten it wrong a few times on science. We probably are better off leaving science to the scientists, and focusing on what we’re really good at, which is theology and morality." When it was pointed out to Santorum that climatologists do agree that climate change is a problem and that Santorum's also not a scientist, and that the Pope has more of a science background than Santorum does, yet Santorum speaks out often against climate change.[12][13] Santorum defended his remark with the point that there are more pressing issues than climate change, such as creating jobs and economic growth.[14] Additionally, Santorum does not hold any degrees in any field of the natural sciences, but rather, his degrees are in Political Science (which is a social science) and Law.[15]
In September 2015, Pope Francis again touched on the issue of combating climate change, conveying that it would be unethical to leave the issue to future generations.[16]
- In response, Jeb Bush made a similar statement that the Pope should be disregarded, saying, "He's not a scientist, he's a religious leader." Jeb Bush, who doubts climate change, is also not a scientist, but instead holds a degree in Latin American studies.[17][18] Jeb does not quite make a decision on the matter, however.[12]
Political Views
Homosexuality
Pope Francis believes there is harm posed by the homosexuality, and has even acknowledged the presence of a "gay lobby" in the Vatican that he seemed to suggest operated from corrupt motives. [19]
Conscientious objection to same-sex marriage
Pope Francis has stated, in regard to the political case of Kim Davis, that a person should have the right to refuse to carry out a duty, if it violates the person's conscience.[20][21][22]
Homosexuals adopting children
Cardinal Bergoglio, now Pope Francis, has been an outspoken critic of homosexual adoption of children, explaining that it is discriminatory against the children.[23] Pope Francis is also strongly pro-life, and has referred abortion as the "culture of death."
Among his teachings and stands, he strongly affirms church teaching on the intrinsic immorality of homosexual practices, though he teaches the importance of respecting homosexual persons. He strongly opposed legislation introduced in 2010 by the Argentine Government to give legal equivalency between true marriage and homosexual partners. [24]
Church sexual abuse of children
On September 27, 2015, Pope Francis met with victims of sexual abuse by clergymen of the Church. He apologized on their behalf, and promised to hold those responsible accountable.[25][26]
Persecution and human rights
Pope Francis has spoken out against violence of minorities in the Middle-East,[27] including that of Christians, and, contrary to the typical Catholic views, has endorsed the use of force, if necessary, to accomplish this goal.[28]
His holiness remains an adamant supporter of Social Justice. His 2009 speech, titled Las deudas sociales de nuestro tiempo, or The Social Debts of our Time, lays out his views on the world's inequality, between rich and poor, especially in Argentina. He further rebuked the wealthy, claiming that "You [the wealthy] avoid taking into account the poor. We have no right to duck down, to lower the arms carried by those in despair. We must reclaim the memory of our country who has a mother, recover the memory of our Mother".
Palestine and Israel
Pope Francis is also set to sign a treaty that includes a provision that will recognize Palestine as a state.[29]
Theological Views
Female Priests
His holiness still feels that "women priests" are out of the question.[30] He says it's not because women don't have the capacity.[31]
First canonization in the United States
On Wednesday, September 23, 2015, at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, Pope Francis canonized Junípero Serra, declaring him a saint. Controversy arose, due to Serra's failure to act and "closing a blind eye", when in the conquest and brutal treatment of the Native American tribes of California, his men raped and pillaged the people of it's land and crops. Serra's mission was to form the state's first Catholic missions. Four days after the canonization of Serra, the Basilica was vandalized.[32]
See also
References
- ↑ Reuters: Pope Succession
- ↑ Los Angeles Times: Pope Naming
- ↑ CNN: Pope Francis' name choice 'precedent shattering'
- ↑ Washington Post: Pope Francis saw a boy with cerebral palsy. This is what happened next
- ↑ New York Times: Pope Departs, After Showing a Deft Touch
- ↑ National Catholic Reader: Does Pope Francis have a master's degree in chemistry?
- ↑ Vatican: Biography of the Holy Father Francis
- ↑ Washington Post: Pope Francis says evolution is real and God is no wizard
- ↑ Independent: Evolution and Big Bang Theory are right, and God isn't a magician with a magic wand
- ↑ CNN: Pope Francis: 'Revolution' needed to combat climate change
- ↑ Encyclical Letter Laudato Si of the Holy Father Francis on Care for Our Common Home
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 Washington Post: Where the 2016 GOP contenders stand on climate change
- ↑ Huffington Post: Santorum's Stance on Climate Change: Not Very Christian
- ↑ Huffington Post: Rick Santorum Tries To Explain Why He Can Weigh In On Climate Change But Pope Shouldn't
- ↑ Biography: Rick Santorum Biography
- ↑ Fox News: Pope Francis talks religious liberty, climate change in first message to US
- ↑ Biography: Jeb Bush Biography
- ↑ Harvard University Institute of Politics: Jeb Bush - Fall 2010 Visiting Fellow
- ↑ The American Conservative: Pope Francis and the Vatican's 'gay lobby', Giraldi, Philip (18 June 2013)
- ↑ NBC News: Conscientious objection is a human right, Pope Francis
- ↑ Time: What Pope Francis thought of the United States
- ↑ Reuters: Govt. workers have right to refuse gay marriage licenses: pope
- ↑ Yahoo News, Australia: Children's rights, Pope Francis
- ↑ Catholic Online: NEW POPE: Who is this man named Bergoglio?
- ↑ USA Today: Hundreds of thousands flood Philly for Pope Francis' final Mass
- ↑ CNN: Pope Francis on sexual abuse: 'God weeps'
- ↑ The Guardian: Isis violence against minorities in Iraq must be stopped, Pope Francis
- ↑ Business Insider: Pope Francis Endorses Use Of Force Against ISIS In Iraq
- ↑ New York Times: Vatican to recognize Palestinian State in new treaty
- ↑ 1 Timothy 2:12
- ↑ New York Magazine: Pope Francis Forced to Invent New Word to Describe His Trip to New York
- ↑ unípero Serra statue defaced days after canonization by Pope Francis