Pope Francis: I Love This Guy!

If I had grown up around priests and nuns that felt like this humble man of God, I would probably still be a practicing Catholic.  I am rapidly becoming an avid follower, of the man, his thoughts, his hopes and fears.  I love this guy!  Hey, if you have to have a "bromance" it might as well be with the Pope.

Having said all this, recognize that popes, in general, have never garnered much of my attention.  They were the head of a religion that flaunted it's wealth while people around the world starved.  They paraded around in costume and had not lost much of the Middle Ages snobbery they were so famous for.  Yet, the masses gather to await the white smoke announcing a  new heir to the throne.

Disappointment in my childhood religion would be putting it mildly.  I was ashamed.  As I grew older and got out on my own, I found other spiritual outlets, other avenues to take in my personal search for God.  Some bore fruit, others were a cult nightmare.  One day I'll have to do a post on my run in with Scientology.

So, when the smoke cleared in Vatican City it was just another day in the life.  And then they announced the new Pope had taken the mantle of "Francis."  Pope Francis?  I didn't remember there ever having been a Pope named Francis.

He was seated next to his friend, Cardinal Claudio Hummes, when he realized the cardinals had elected him.  He says his friend "embraced me and kissed me and said, 'Don't forget the poor.' and that struck me, the poor.  Immediately I thought of St. Francis of Assisi.  Francis was a man of peace, a man of poverty, a man who loved and protected creation."

I always considered St. Francis my own "patron saint," because of my first name.  Then the stories started coming out.  This new Pope was a maverick!  He disliked the formal attire and the "bling."  He preferred to eat with his friends in the cafeteria and ride a bus in lieu of taking a limo.  And, when he opened his mouth to speak, I wanted to cry.  I am still mesmerized by things he has said. 

Why do I love this Pope?  Every quote is another reason.  I have highlighted his sense of humor in blue.  A Pope should be human, and I think he shows this side of himself nicely.

"How I would like a church that is poor and for the poor."

"The people of God want pastors, not clergy acting like bureaucrats or government officials."

"The church should go back to being a community of God's people, and priests, and bishops, who have the care of souls, are at the service of the people of God." 

“Perhaps I can say that I am a bit astute, that I can adapt to circumstances, but it is also true that I am a bit naïve. Yes, but the best summary, the one that comes more from the inside and I feel most true is this: I am a sinner whom the Lord has looked upon.”

"Religion has the right to express its opinion in the service of the people, but God in creation has set us free: it is not possible to interfere spiritually in the life of a person."

"It makes me sad when I see sisters who aren't joyful.  They might smile, but with just a smile they could be flight attendants!" 

“It hurts me when I see a priest or nun with the latest-model car. You can’t do this. A car is necessary to do a lot of work, but, please, choose a more humble one. If you like the fancy one, just think about how many children are dying of hunger in the world." 

"And I believe in God, not in a Catholic God, there is no Catholic God, there is God and I believe in Jesus Christ, his incarnation. Jesus is my teacher and my pastor, but God, the Father, Abba, is the light and the Creator. This is my Being."

"Let us think of when slavery was accepted or the death penalty was allowed without any problem. So we grow in the understanding of the truth. Exegetes and theologians help the church to mature in her own judgment. Even the other sciences and their development help the church in its growth in understanding. There are ecclesiastical rules and precepts that were once effective, but now they have lost value or meaning. The view of the church’s teaching as a monolith to defend without nuance or different understandings is wrong." 

"I have a dogmatic certainty: God is in every person’s life. God is in everyone’s life. Even if the life of a person has been a disaster, even if it is destroyed by vices, drugs or anything else—God is in this person’s life. You can, you must try to seek God in every human life. Although the life of a person is a land full of thorns and weeds, there is always a space in which the good seed can grow. You have to trust God." 

"I love to tango, and I used to dance when I was young." 

"If one has the answers to all questions, that is proof that God is not with him.  It means that he is a false prophet using religion for himself.  The great leaders of the people of God, like Moses, have always left room for doubt.  You must leave room for the Lord, not for our certainties.  We must be humble."

"I see clearly that the thing the church needs most today is the ability to heal wounds and to warm the hearts of the faithful; it needs nearness, proximity. I see the church as a field hospital after battle... The church sometimes has locked itself up in small things, in small-minded rules. The most important thing is the first proclamation: Jesus Christ has saved you." 

"Every child that isn't born, but is unjustly condemned to be aborted, has the face of Jesus Christ, has the face of the Lord." 

"I like it when someone tells me 'I don't agree.'  This is a true collaborator.  When they say 'Oh, how great, how great, how great,' that's not useful."

"Find new ways to spread the word of God to every corner of the world."

"Jesus teaches us another way - Go out and share your testimony, go out and interact with your bothers, go out and share, go out and ask.  Become the Word in body as well as spirit."

"You know what I think about this? Heads of the Church have often been narcissists, flattered and thrilled by their courtiers. The court is the leprosy of the papacy." 

"Proselytism is solemn nonsense, it makes no sense. We need to get to know each other, listen to each other and improve our knowledge of the world around us."

"Woman has a different make-up than a man. But what I hear about the role of women is often inspired by an ideology of machismo... The church cannot be herself without the woman and her role. The woman is essential for the church. Mary, a woman, is more important than the bishops. I say this because we must not confuse the function with the dignity. We must therefore investigate further the role of women in the church. We have to work harder to develop a profound theology of the woman... The feminine genius is needed wherever we make important decisions."

 

As many hopes as we can have for this pope, however, needs to be tempered with the fact that the Vatican is still the Vatican.  It is a government for all intents and purposes and, as such, change comes slowly.  Don't expect the great works of art to be sold on the auction block, or the guarded secrets protecting mankind from itself to be made public in our lifetime.  He may be the voice of God on earth, immune from making mistakes, but the cardinals still tell God what he can get away with, for now.

 

I will continue to follow this Pope and root him on as he stirs the Christian pot vigorously.  My fear for him is from threats within the Vatican, from the cardinals themselves.  It is a government, after all, and historically they have not been immune to intrigue from within.  Internal tug of war, back stabbing, and assassination should come as a surprise.  One can hope for more, but this is the Vatican.

 

I hope for Pope Francis a long and fruitful life.  God bless him, keep him safe, and give him the strength to continue the good fight.