Here are my initial thoughts:
-I like that he isn't easy to nail down on the conservative/liberal spectrum. He was appointed by Pope John Paul II, meaning he obviously is going to have a conservative streak. Yet, his actions seem to line up with a liberal pope. I like that he is a little of each; this means that he is someone who really engages the issues and grapples with them, not someone who just does what is expected of him. A great trait in a pope.
-Of course, a lot has been made over his choosing of his name. The Vatican confirmed it was after St. Francis of Assisi. There is so much to this that I don't even know where to start. I love that as a Jesuit he picked Francis. This seems fitting with his track record of looking for the best in others, whether it be religious orders or other religions. St. Francis' spirit can be characterized by renewal and commitment to the Gospel. Obviously, these have huge implications for the papacy. I'll be interested to hear more about why he chose Francis. I also love that he is the first Pope to choose Francis. Could this signal that he is looking at the papacy through a new lens?
-He is the first non-European pope in 1200 years. This is so huge that I cannot even explain it in words. We are truly a global church, and this affirms it.
-Most importantly, he began his papacy by asking the world to join him in prayer. To me, this signals that he sees the Church as the people. He knows he must rely upon the people throughout his papacy. There are few things that a Pope could do that is more encouraging than this. In fact, I cannot think of one.
As the product of 8 years of Jesuit education, I'd be amiss not to mention that he is a Jesuit. I literally screamed nonstop when I realized this. And then we had to explain to my 15 month old niece that they were good screams. AMDG.
And of course, he takes public transit. I just love this picture.
I'm thrilled. THRILLED. Seriously, words cannot describe how excited I am. I consider myself someone who is generally hopeful about the Church and this is probably the most hopeful I have ever been.
Welcome, Pope Francis!
2 comments:
Annie...right on! All things I've been thinking today as well. I would add that I'm interested to see how he takes on issues from a"southern hemisphere" perspective. He has spoken about the 3Rd worlds sacrifice for 1 st world's prosperity...being from a political background, I hope he brings more awareness to this issue.
I couldn't agree with you more Annie.
I've been moved the last few days by each of his seemingly simple acts he's taken... greeting the Cardinals at the same level instead of the elevated chair setup for him, foregoing the pope mobile for a regular car and returning himself to where he was staying to gather his belongings and pay his bill (rather than sending someone for them).
Post a Comment