Sunday, March 17, 2013

In All Things

Now, for the first time in the church’s history, a Jesuit has been elected pontiff. Pope Francis, the former Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, an Argentine of Italian origin, has already set a new tone for the papacy. He is the first to take the name Francis, in homage to Francis of Assisi, who abandoned comfort to join beggars. In keeping with the Jesuit ideal to live simply, Francis in his first days as pope dressed in a plain white cassock. He opted to ride in a minibus with his fellow cardinals rather than a private Vatican car. And on Saturday, he suggested a humble course for the church as a whole. “How I would like a poor church,” he said, one that was “for the poor.” Given the Jesuits’ watchword to find God “in all things,” some are hoping that the leadership of a Jesuit pope will allow the church to engage more openly and fearlessly with the world, to project the church’s message in new ways and to emphasize service
Link (here) to The New York Times

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

A poor church, for the poor? What does that mean?

I get the "for the poor" part, sorta, although I am suspicious of this kind of pious talk. After all, how does it translate into action? And after a while it sounds both objectifying and patronizing. And sentimental.

But "a poor church?" Do you sell off all the property and have Mass in a barn? What then?

I read this new pontiff as a pious moralist. Not my cup of tea.