Posted on 03/13/2013 3:50:45 PM PDT by NYer
Church, say hello to the new Boss.
For the cardinal-electors to have gone out of Europe for the first time in over a millennium, to have gone to a Jesuit for the first time ever, and to have gone to the runner-up at the last Conclave in all of five ballots – with more than half the electorate changed over since last time – is not merely decisive....
Indeed, it's epic.
And make no mistake about it – this is a mandate.
To no small degree, having come close to facing the "guillotine" last time, Jorge Mario Bergoglio has had almost eight years to prepare for this. Yet even beyond the first notes he struck as Pope Francis I, a Page Three note in the moment seemed to sum up the ecclesial significance best....
This ain't Francis I so much as John Paul ITo be sure, that was down to the vesture – the simple white cassock, shirking the ermine mozzetta that was supposed to be worn with it.
— Rocco Palmo (@roccopalmo) March 13, 2013
O God, who in your providential design
willed that your Church be built
upon blessed Peter, whom you set over the other apostles,
look with favor, we pray, on Francis, our Pope,
and grant that he, whom you have made Peter’s successor,
may be for your people a visible source and foundation
of unity in faith and of communion.
Through our Lord Jesus Christ, your Son,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
one God, forever and ever.
Ping!
bttt
I can just see him having an impact on the Latin world just when it is so sorely needed, I see him being accepted by the Europeans because his ancestry is Italian, appealling to intellectuals.
If, as has been reported on FR, the name Francis comes from St. Francis Xavier, it gives him a connection to Asia and evangelization.
He is strongly, pro-life, anti-homosexuality, (Hate the si, not the sinner.) I haven’t read anything I haven’t liked so far. Those who are attacking him are doing so by pointing out his faithfulness to Church teaching.
Excellent observation.
Aptly reflected in Pope Francis’ motto:
Miserando atque eligendo
“Showing compassion and choosing”
A human saint is a rare person indeed.
I wish him a long and blessed Papacy (and I’m a Protestant). He’s certainly a young-looking 76 years old.
I’m actually surprised that none of the previous Popes chose Francis as their papal name.
}:-)4
I saw one report that Cardinal O'Malley was also thinking of taking the name Francis if he was chosen. As a Franciscan (Capuchin) that would be natural.
There were two major Jesuit saints named Francis--Francis Xavier, who is better known, and Francis Borgia (a descendant of the Borgia pope, Alexander VI). Francis Borgia was a widower when he joined the Jesuits--one of his descendants became Queen of England (Catherine of Braganza, wife of King Charles II).
Actually, in that case, he would have taken the whole name Francis Xavier - but he took Francis, because the charge given to St. Francis (of Assisi) was “Rebuild My Church.”
Also, Francis went on pilgrimage everywhere, even going to preach to the Muslims, who were so surprised by his audacity that they didn’t even behead him (it is said that their leader did become a Christian secretly after Francis returned home). Francis is also very popular in the Eastern Church. I think he’s regarded as a “Holy Fool,” that most Russian of saints.
Francis was a great evangelizer, and of course, Latin America was evangelized by a combination of the Jesuits, the Dominicans - and the Franciscans, with the latter group probably having been the most successful.
Some people are speculating that this will have an impact on the very disorderly Jesuit order, too.
I think people should calm down. Bergoglio wouldn’t have been my first choice, but what do I know? And I think we know enough good things about him to be encouraged.
My only fear is that he won’t be strong enough to stand up to the curial monsters who basically brought down BXVI.
Francis Borgia was General of the Jesuits at the time of the evangelization of major parts of the New World.
As A Protestant I like him for lots of reasons. He’s firm on the moral teaching of the church and calls for Evangelization and Care for the Needy. He carries himself with humility, which is very welcome.
Was the missing “”M” monogram (for “Mary) on his tapestry on purpose? John Paul II and Benedict both included it, IIRC. The concept of Mary’s “Motherhood of God” is one of the concepts that we “neo-Nestorians” just have a hard time getting past.
How could you not be encouraged, he is our pope, chosen by the Holy Spirit to guide our Church. I believe that even if the Cardinals tried to thwart the Will of God they would not be able to, so for this time and for this place he is the Vicar of Christ, chosen by the Holy Spirit.
Assisi, not Xavier.
Amen! Amen! to that prayer.
Sometime when you have time (it doesn't have to be now), please explain what you meant by objecting to "Mother of God" because you are a (your word) "Neo-Nestorian." I don't understand any of that stuff -- Pelagians, Arians, Semi-Pelagians, Neo-Nestorians, Semi-Hemi-Demi Pelagians, Lollapaloozatarians --- OK, I just made that up --- but perhaps I haven't heard the right explanation.
With the election of a Christian , many that left shall retrun and many there shall depart.
Go Pope Francis!
St. Francis of Assisi is one of my favorite saints. Has been since I was a child and first learned of him and his purported protection of the animals.
Also, my newest grandson was baptized at St. Francis of Assisi Church last December.
My wife said there is a good Italian film about Saint Francis that I need to watch.
It is high on the To Do List.
“Brother Sun, Sister Moon” is a wonderful film about the human saintliness of Francis. I believe Zefferelli directed it.
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