Pope Francis

Pope Francis

Habemus papam. Jorge Mario Bergoglio, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, is now Pope Francis. A few thoughts on an important day:

• Most people who were trying to come up with lists of papabile somehow missed Bergoglio. In some respects, it's easy to see why. This is not a flamboyant man. If the reports I've read are accurate, he has eschewed many of the trappings of grandeur that are available for cardinals within the Church. He did not live in the Archbishop's residence in Buenos Aires, preferring instead to have a small apartment. He cooked his own meals and was known for taking public transportation.
• The name Francis is fraught with meaning. He apparently chose it to honor Francis of Assisi, who is one of the most venerated saints of all and certainly one of the most beloved, known for his ministry to the poor and to animals. St. Francis of Assisi also founded the Franciscan order. Which leads me to the next point.
• Pope Francis is not a Franciscan. He is a Jesuit, the first Jesuit to become pope. The Jesuit order is known for many things, including a great dedication to education and propagation of the faith, but also for strict interpretation of Church teachings and, in recent times, for being a source of liberalism within the Church. From what I've been able to gather, Francis is not a liberal by any means.
• I suspect that the name Francis not only honors St Francis of Assisi, but also honors another Jesuit, St. Francis Xavier. Francis Xavier was the great missionary who brought the faith to Asia, including India, Japan and China. I suspect that Francis understands that missionary zeal is needed again. I further expect that one of the places he's liable to find in need of missionaries is Europe itself.
• Having a Pope from South America has great meaning as well. As I've argued here before, the greatest energy within the Church is now in the Southern Hemisphere and having a pontiff who has ministered in South America is highly significant.
• Having said that, Francis certainly has roots in Europe, especially Italy. As is the case with many Argentinians, his ancestry is Italian and the choice of the name Francis also reflects that heritage, as Francis of Assisi is the patron of Italy.
• I am somewhat surprised that the conclave ended up delivering an older man; Francis is 76 years old and will turn 77 at the end of this year. I thought there was a good chance that a significantly younger man would emerge from the process, but given the challenges ahead, perhaps it is a good thing that an older, less outwardly ambitious individual is now the successor to Peter. From all accounts, humility does not mean subservience in his case. Perhaps the largest problem the Church faces, at least administratively, is the sclerotic nature of the Curia, the permanent bureaucracy at the Vatican. Francis is enough of an outsider that he can be a change agent there.

I'm sure we'll learn much more in the coming days. I am hopeful.