That is still an open question, but the answer began to take shape yesterday when the assembled cardinals emerged to announce, habemus papam. The newest pope is Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Argentina.
The new pontiff is a groundbreaking
figure. He is the first pope from the New World, and the first in a
millennium to be born outside of Europe. He is also the first man
from the Jesuit
order to be elected to the papacy. Finally, he is one of the few
popes in recent centuries to take a totally new name: Francis.
This name captures my attention the
most. Bergoglio is a deeply conservative leader, doctrinally
speaking. He has stood resolutely against any liberalization of
abortion laws in his native Argentina, and he has spoken out against
gay relationships. As a cardinal appointed by Pope John Paul II, none
of this is very surprising. Neither John Paul nor Benedict were in
the habit of appointing progressive cardinals.
What is intriguing is that
Bergoglio has a reputation for being concerned with social justice.
The journalistic coverage so far has told a story of a cardinal who
has forgone many of the privileges associated with his rank in the
church hierarchy. During his time as Archbishop of Buenos Aires, he
reportedly chose a modest apartment rather than the palatial quarters
to which he was entitled. It is said that he cooks for himself,
though it is normal for a man of his station to have a private chef.
Rather than taking a chauffeured car, it is said that he regularly
rides public transport.
And he has chosen the name Francis,
naming himself after a man who embraced total poverty, living in
solidarity with the poor, marginalized and outcast; a man who sought
a fraternal relationship with all of creation and, it is said, bore
the marks of Jesus' crucifixion in his own body. This is a
startlingly radical name for a pope!
At this stage, it is hard to know what,
precisely this name might signal. Does Bergoglio aspire to lead his
church into an imitation of Francis' radical poverty and submission
to Christ's suffering? Is the new pope as concerned with communion
and care for the creation as Francis of Assisi? Could Pope Francis be
a pivotal figure in the history of the Church, helping to guide the
Church to an understanding of our faith that is more deeply rooted in
dedication to social and environmental justice?
The very fact that Bergoglio is
doctrinally conservative could make him the right man to lead this
transition. In this deeply divided age, liberals are not expected to
care about personal morality and conservatives are not expected to
concern themselves with social justice and environmental stewardship.
But what if this pope has the courage and faith to embrace both concerns
at once? What a powerful leader he might be!
As Pope Francis ascends to the papacy,
I dare to hope for a man who will unite many of the warring
tendencies within the Roman Catholic Church. I pray for a man who
can, with humility, tenderness and love, uphold the Church's teaching
on the sanctity of life, the obscenity of war and the importance of
personal holiness. At the same time, I dare to dream that this pope
might also use all of the power and influence at his disposal to make
the Church a prophetic voice in an age of global empire, standing
firm against the powers of economic injustice, militarism and
environmental destruction.
So much remains to be seen, and I am
aware that in a year's time I may look back at this blog post and
grimace. But for the time being, it feels right to nurture hope. I
will pray for this new pope, that he will live up to his namesake and
bear the marks of Christ's suffering poor in his body. And I will
pray that we will have the courage to join him in bearing that
burden.
An excellent post!
ReplyDeleteJust about sums up my feelings and encourages me to be more positive having seen more than a glimmer of hope in his choosing of the name Francis too!
This is a great post. I agree with you entirely. It is unfortunate, in my opinion, that Francis is so conservative on sexuality, but it wouldn't be reasonable to expect anything else at this point. Having said that, the fact that he chose the name Francis, and says he was motivated to do so by concern for the poor and by opposition to war and to environmental degredation is very encouraging. Like you, I'm hoping this early promise doesn't turn into disappointment down the road.
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