Pope Francis
 

Meet the new pope: Francis is humble leader who takes the bus to work - World News


Meet the new pope: Francis is humble leader who took the bus to work (or used to; now he’ll use his pope mobile)....he also used to ride his bike.

He’s the son of Italian immigrants to Buenos Aires Argentina. Lived in a simple room with a small stove. Not flamboyant at all.

I liked the fact that he wore his simple wooden cross instead of the over the top opulent jewel encrusted ones like his predecessors wore.

He also seems plain spoken.........and not overly fussy. First time for a Jesuit. I was hoping for Cardinal Sean O’Malley the Capuchin, but he’s still young....

Saint Francis of Assisi is the saint whose name he chose to be called by.......it would be Pope Francesco in Italy........or Pope Francis in English speaking countries....

We were watching Jodi Arias' last day on the stand being questioned by the prosecutor......when the white smoke came out in Rome.........so we switched over to ABC news........everyone seems genuinely happy with the choice..........he seems like a decent , humble man and hopefully will pick the church up......

Amen

May God bless him with health and wisdom!

I'm really disappointed. I was hoping that he'd call himself Pope John, Paul, George, Ringo.

I liked that when he was in Argentina, he dismissed his chauffeur and rode the bus back and forth to work.

I hope he has warmth and good common sense and tries to emulate his boss, a simple carpenter..

You are right......his boss being Jesus. I've always said that Jesus would NOT be wearing those fancy vestments and whatever.....perhaps a humble man will make some small difference. It's long overdue.

I just heard on the news that he used to dance the tango with his girlfriend.

I have cousins in Buenos Aires Argentina so I can relate to his parents immigrating from Italy to the same place. My long deceased paternal grandfather's brother Michele (Michael) couldn't get into New York City's Ellis Island.......so he and his wife went to Buenos Aires Argentina where he worked on a cattle ranch (outside the city).....this was back in the 1880's........his children's children's children got in touch with me when I was doing my genealogy.......and all the birth records, etc. and family names matched up........as being my grandfather's eldest brother.
They sent back to our village back in Italy and it was all confirmed.

The 34 year old cousin keeps in touch with me......and has really perfected her English.....anyway, I have a "connection" to Buenos Aires , so was happy to see one from Italian immigrant parents to Argentina.

As our adult children have shown us all.......the world is a much smaller place now....as they all travel the world.

I studied Saint Francis and his life.... when I was doing my genealogy.
He chose a great name.

A time of reflection and a moment for hope.

I too hope he brings a little humility to the position of
pope, more reflective of the originations and preaching of Christ.

It is not a positive when the higher up leaders up to and including the Pope live likekings while in the service of the church.

I am catholic and have spoken out about this for many, many years.....they do need to go back to more of the ways of the carpenter!!!

btk

Francis
 

When St. Francis was a young man, he had a vision while praying in the chapel of San Damiano just outside the walled city of Assisi. Jesus spoke to him from the cross and said, "Francis, rebuild my Church."
So I believe the new Pope's choice of name is significant, because the institutional church could certainly stand some major rebuilding. A return to the simple message of the Christ, namely: love, justice, and charity. A little less pomposity, politics, and power plays. Less secretivity, more openness on dealing with scandals. A little less obsessiveness with pelvic issues, etc. etc. etc.

Well stated!!

btk

Wonder if he carries his lunch? :doh:

How sad that we have to make a huge hoopla over the fact that a man of God is being humble. How crazy is that? Hopefully he will forego the Prada handbags and Gucci shoes and all the trappings of power some of the Cardinals have adopted and use the money to feed the starving children in the world.

amen

:agree:

Well, the new Pope Francis is shaking things up a bit. We are early risers and happened to turn on our morning news to see LIVE coverage from Rome of the inaugural mass of Pope Francis........he was in an "open air" Jeep kind of vehicle. Not the typical popemobile used since Pope John Paul was shot...........

He had the vehicle stopped so he could get out and touch what looked like a severely disabled or paralyzed man held in someone's arms. Very touching.
He also kissed babies, etc. The "guards" must have been a nervous wreck.

We saw up to where he got his pope's ring. My husband thought it would be 18K gold but I had heard it was GOLD PLATED OVER STERLING SILVER. He didn't believe that. They said it again. The pope chose a simple version of the "fisherman's ring" of Saint Peter. He also chose the simple "shawl" of wool.

What really surprised me though was that the anchors said that the pope does not like those long drawn out masses and prefers the simplicity of a shorter mass.....which this one would be............plus he would not be dispensing communion as it usually ends up being only the "nobility" types that get the communion and he felt it better not to do it at all. That's what we heard..........basically, it would not be a lot of pomp and circumstance. We all know already he ditched the red shoes....and today was not wearing the heavy brocaded garments he could have worn, in favor of a simple white outfit............just interesting to observe.

We were born and raised Roman Catholics, however, have been totally turned off by the years and years of scandals involving children..........but every now and then there is a glimpse of "hope".

It was also interesting to see how the church hiarchy from Constanstinople actually came to the ceremony........the rift between the Roman and the Orthodox church is well known..........again, hope for a better tomorrow with Pope Francis leading.

p.s. It was also interesting to see Pope Francis go down into the tomb of Saint Peter (the apostle Peter)......the first pope. Buried in a cave underneath???
The other world church leaders also went down into the tomb...this was prior to the mass and him getting his gold plated over sterling silver fisherman's ring.

I'm a pretty good judge of character and he has a kindly face and aura........I really don't think he had much choice when Argentina was terrorized by the bad guys in the 1970's and 80's. Walking a tightrope to try to keep the peace when all the horrors were going on..........I'll have to ask my older cousins in Buenos Aires what they think of that era.

Very interesting time for the Catholic Church.

http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12272b.htm

If you read some of the stories of previous Popes you get an idea why a humble one is such a change. Contrast him with the 224th Pope-- Pope Paul IV-- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pope_Paul_IV

"Carafa hated by the devil and the sky
is buried here with his rotting corpse,
Erebus has taken the spirit;
he hated peace on earth, our faith he contested.
He ruined the church and the people, men and sky offended;
treacherous friend, suppliant with the army which was fatal to him.
You want to know more? Pope was him and that is enough." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pasquino