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Coming soon to America: A reformer pope even an agnostic can admire

Posted 5/13/15

This September, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, otherwise known as Pope Francis, will visit the Unites States.

Part Confucius, part socialist, part psychologist, part sociologist, part diplomat and always …

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Coming soon to America: A reformer pope even an agnostic can admire

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This September, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, otherwise known as Pope Francis, will visit the Unites States.

Part Confucius, part socialist, part psychologist, part sociologist, part diplomat and always a pastor, this pope may be the most unique individual every to be called the Vicar of Christ.

From humble beginnings in one of the downtrodden and shabby barrios of Buenos Ares, Argentina, he rose to the ultimate leadership position of his worldwide organization by not culling his words but fully expressing his thoughts on a vast range of global social issues.

Installed as the Archbishop of Rome on March 13, 2013, Bergoglio has taken great strides to change the questionable character of the Catholic Church. After decades of misdeeds by the Vatican Bank, court-forced, astronomical settlements as a result of the despicable priest sexual abuse scandal, and a resulting overall depletion of the number of congregants, the Catholic Church is now on the rebound with the endearing Francis at the helm. In fact, a Saint Leo University Poll shows Pope Francis’ approval rating at 88 percent among Catholic Americans. This rating exceeds his closest polling predecessor, John Paul II, by 10 points.

Furthermore, Francis has not bridled his opinions regarding the prickly issues of immigration, sexuality, government equity, or worldwide terrorism since his papacy began. Nor has he avoided facing the significant issues within his church, which in the past has shone a dark light on an institution that is supposed to be illuminating. Inviting to some, alienating to others, and seeming hopeful to those who seek a liberalization of doctrine from the Catholic Church, Pope Francis is truly one of a kind. Whether you are a lapsed Catholic, an agnostic, or an atheist, Jorge Bergoglio is easy to appreciate and admire.

According to NBC News reporter Tracy Connor, Pope Francis will extend his original planned trip to the “World Meeting of Families” in Philadelphia in mid-September. The pontiff will also visit Ground Zero and the United Nations, perform a Mass at Madison Square Garden in New York City, and address a session of Congress in Washington, D.C. To the majority of Rhode Islanders who are practicing Catholics, this impending trip is a milestone.

As the first Jesuit pope and the first pontiff with a lower-class Buenos Ares background, Jorge Bergoglio’s rise to station as a priest and eventual ascension to become pope of the Catholic Church was beyond unlikely. After reaching adulthood and working as a chemical technician, a bartender and a bouncer, the future pope was summoned to the Society of Jesus by conscience.

Francis was ordained at the later-than-normal age of 33 in 1969. He viewed the unfairness of rampant poverty as a societal issue best addressed through pastoral action. Thus, he began a professional life dedicated to true altruism and improving the lives of the impoverished and hungry.

His sentiment was best expressed by his remarks to the Food and Agricultural Organization in 2013. He stated: “A way has to be found to enable everyone to benefit from the fruits of the earth, and not simply close the gap between the affluent and those who must be satisfied with the crumbs falling from the table, but above all to satisfy the demands of justice, fairness and respect for every human being.”

Similarly, Francis has demanded fairness and equity at the stained Vatican Bank. Prior to his papacy, the Vatican Bank had been involved in questionable loan practices, misappropriation of funds, shadowy accounting procedures, and a general misuse of all the contributions of the Catholic faithful. So, Francis appointed a Pontifical Commission (CRIOR) to investigate. He then launched a website to bring sunlight to bank processes, and three months later published The First Annual Report in October of 2013. In April of the following year, he signed off on radical revisions that brought transparency to what had been for centuries a closed institution.

Additionally, Pope Francis has addressed the most damaging crisis to church credibility – the abuse of innocent children at the hands of priests. Stating that priest child abuse was “as bad as performing a Satanic Mass,” Francis has sought to implement a zero-tolerance policy rather than continue the old process of counseling, confession and parish reassignment. Now, abusing priests are either brought to justice through our legal system or isolated in cloistered isolation. The pope commissioned the Pontifical Commission for the Protection of Minors, which issued a new “Publication of Statutes” on May 8 of this year and will result in instituting the most rigid of guidelines for parish priests to comply with.

Also daring are the pope’s views on immigrants, legal or extralegal. After his impending trip to the United States was confirmed, he said that he wished he could enter the country through Mexico to make a point about illegal immigrants. He felt that despite their illegal status, America should welcome these desperate travelers. Although one can understand the pope’s humanity regarding this issue, the ever-growing burden on taxpayers for their care is a real threat to our social safety net. Similarly, illegal immigrants are often paid off the books in cash. Thus, they avoid paying taxes yet still enjoy the goods and services that government provides. Also, what message does this practice say about our system of laws that are ignored diffidently as if they are irrelevant? The pope’s proposed gesture of solidarity in this matter is dead wrong.

Quite surprising in comparison to prior pontiffs have been his comments on homosexuality. “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has goodwill, who am I to judge? We shouldn’t marginalize people for this. They must be integrated into society.” Also, he stated: “A person once asked me in a provocative manner, if I approved of homosexuality. I replied with another question: Tell me when God looks at a gay person, does he endorse the existence of this person with love or reject and condemn this person?” Gay people hope this enlightened sentiment might lead someday to a general acceptance in the Catholic Church. Time will tell.

Interestingly, the pope has not remained mum after meeting some the world’s leaders, including ours. The pontiff said: “Look at the peacock; it’s beautiful if you look at it from the front. But if you look at it from behind, you discover the truth that whoever gives in to such self-absorbed vanity has huge misery hiding inside them.” I will leave that quote to the reader’s interpretation.

Also, the pope’s words on terrorism have cultivated Arab animus. According to CNN, Francis’ reaction to the terrorist killing of 17 people as a result of the printing of a cartoon about the prophet Mohammed in the satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo was thoughtful and profound. He stated: “One can not make war or kill in the name of one’s religion,” and “To kill in the name of God is an aberration.” He continued to describe any religion that advocates killing as a gesture of moral covenant to be essentially defective. These statements spurred denouncements by Islamic clerics. However, no threatening words could contain Bergoglio’s quest for righteousness.

All in all, Pope Francis is a man truly different from his predecessors. He has addressed issues that others previously shied away from because of their volatility. Perhaps growing up impoverished has enriched him with a special sensitivity that informs his philosophical utterances today. Perhaps he is emulating his self-assigned namesake Saint Francis of Assisi, who sought simplicity and a universal respect for all. Or perhaps he is trying to act not only as a true pastor of not his Catholic flock, but also as a social conscience to the world.

Whatever his intent, he is catalyst for dynamic renewal. He has tried to right the wrongs of his own institution through sunlight and a standard of decency. Also, he may seek to lessen the stringency of Catholic doctrine at least somewhat toward modern sensibilities. Simply, he is man truly striving to make the world a better place. So, Jorge Bergoglio, welcome to America. We want to hear you philosophical viewpoints. For you are a pope even an agnostic can admire!

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