Pope Francis is visiting the United States this week and thousands of faithful are traveling to Washington, Philadelphia and New York to glimpse the man described as a “breath of fresh air” for the Catholic Church.
Elected in 2013, Jorge Mario Bergoglio is the first pope from the Americas and the first non-European in more than 1,000 years. He took the name of Saint Francis of Assisi, a famous Italian friar known for helping the poor 800 years ago.
Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and the son of Italian immigrants, Francis joined the Jesuits as a young man and rose through the ranks to cardinal. His work with the poor and modest lifestyle led him to be known as the “slum bishop.”
The secret to his success lies in his return to basic Christian teachings, according to Garry Wills, author of "The Future of the Catholic Church with Pope Francis."
“He talks like Jesus. Jesus talked about the poor. And that’s all the pope is saying: ‘Start with the poor,’” Wills said.
Early in his tenure as pope, Francis shook up the church’s inner bureaucracies, saying they had grown too distant from the church’s true purpose. Francis also worked to address the Vatican’s child sex abuse scandal, which has badly hurt its reputation.
In his statements, Francis has demonstrated new approaches to the role of women, homosexuals and divorce. But his words have not yet led to actual changes in doctrine, according to Marie Dennis, co-president of the Catholic peace and justice movement Pax Christi International.
Warm up questions
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Who is Pope Francis?
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What is the pope’s role in the Catholic Church?
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How is the Catholic Church different from other churches?
Critical thinking questions
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Why are Pope Francis’ comments on women and gays significant?
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In a time when numbers of practicing Catholics are declining, what can the Catholic Church do to appeal to more people?
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How do Francis’ comments about capitalism align with his philosophy of caring for the poor?
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Is the Pope relevant to non-Catholics? Why or why not?
