Pope Francis Assisi was an Australian Cardinal who was known for his effort in uplifting the life in the slums in Australia; his real name is Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio. Pope John Paul 11 appointed him as a Cardinal of San Roberto in 2001. He was then appointed as a pope on 13th March 2013 after pope Benedict xvi resigned from office (Benson 10); Benedict xvi made history by resigning from office because; a pope is required to serve the people until his death. When cardinals were gathered in the Vatican City to search for the successor of Benedict xvi, Cardinal Jorge gave a long speech about the Catholic Church when he was asked to speak before the congregations. He argued that the Catholic Church was supposed to move to all parts of the world to address the problems that people face. When giving his speech, the cardinal pointed out that the Church should aim at treating people fairly, and with respect (Meichtry and Galloni 5). He pointed out that the rich and the poor people are equal, and there should be no difference between them. This speech led to his appointment as pope, and he choose the name Francis in memory of Saint Francis of Assisi.
Pope Francis argues that church leaders should resist from temptations of the world especially money. He preaches to the church leaders the need for being poor, walking with the poor, and eating with the poor, saying that the church was founded on a poor ground. Francis preaches this after observing that the church has become a bank, where church leaders ask for money from the poor people instead of helping them. Francis sets an example to the other clergy men by acting with humility at all times; for example, when he was appointed as a pope, he boards a bus to go to the hotel where cardinals were gathered instead of riding on a motorcade that other popes have used (Meichtry and Galloni 6). The pope also chose a place to live instead of residing in the expensively built residence that is meant for popes. This act by the pope shows that the church has become a business, and he pleads with church leaders to stop such behavior.
The pope also acts in an informal way since he was appointed; for instance, he asks people to pray for him and the retiring bishop Benedict before blessing them. The pope does not use signs to talk to people; he talks in a language that people can understand. In one of his speeches, he advises the Catholic Church to resist from bureaucracy because it leads to corruption (Benson 10); the pope advocates for simplicity of the church. He does not put on red shoes as other popes did, and he does not agree to put on expensive ornaments. The acts of the pope indicate that the church has become a formal place where there are rules and guidelines to be followed. He tries to eliminate the formalities that the Catholic Church has developed under the previous popes; he advocates for simplicity of the church.
Pope Francis was an Australian Cardinal who was elected as a pope in March 2013; he was elected after the resignation of Pope Benedict xvi. Pope Francis has made moves that have brought changes in the Catholic Church, for instance he advocates for humility and simplicity of the church. He also says that the church should concentrate on bringing equality in the society. The pope teaches by word and example; for instance, he pays his bills.
Works Cited
Meichtry, Stacy and Alessandra Galloni. Fifteen days in Rome how the pope was picked. The Wall Street Journal, 14 Apr. 2013. Web. 28 May 2013. (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424127887324240804578416550744061538.htm)
Bunson, Matthew. Pope Francis. Huntington, Indiana: Our Sunday Visitor Publishing Division, Our Sunday Visitor, inc, 2013. Print.
