Pope Francis is not an ordinary pope; he was a former janitor, nightclub bouncer, chemical technician and literature teacher in comparison to the last popes, John Paul II and Benedict XVI who were professors of theology. Pope Francis is unique, revolutionary and merciful. He is a huge burst of energy and has great charisma. He has captured the imaginations of millions who had given up on believing on the church at all with his revolutionary ideas and his energetic personality. He is the first pope from the new world and from Latin America, he is the first pope to abandon the luxurious Vatican papal apartment to live in a more modest one, the first to carry his own bag and to make personal phone calls and reply to letters from ordinary Catholics. This pope has marked a change in the history of papacies; he has set his own course.
Francis relates to Jesus in his special concern for the poor and marginalized. According to Francis, poverty should not be only about charity but about justice as well; he believes poverty is an extremely important issue. The poor are now the priests’ first responsibility and the pope believes the church should mirror the poor in addition to reflecting just Rome . Pope Francis said: “The church must work to eliminate the structural causes of poverty and that while I [the Pope] love everyone, rich and poor alike, I am obliged in the name of Christ to remind all that the rich must help, respect and promote the poor” Jesus went around Galilee preaching the gospel and curing the sick, feeding the hungry and taking care of the poor and marginalized. He did miracles such as healing the incurables, turning water into wine, walking on water, restoring the death to life and turning a few loaves of bread and fish...
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...the impure were cursed and should be punished and it gave hope to all those considered impure and sinful by society. Both Francis and Jesus, have gone against the authorities and their conservative ideas to express their own opinions and advocate for the one’s in need or the one’s with less rights.
Pope Francis is Jesus’s representative in the world and for now, he is doing a really good job according to the crowds that love him. He is revolutionary, charismatic, energetic, merciful, and humble, on other words, he is unique. He follows Jesus’s doctrines and pays special attention to the one’s in need. He wants a poor church, a nonjudgmental church and a peaceful world and with his hard work and revolutionary steps he is starting to achieve this. In conclusion, Pope’s Francis answer to the question “who do you say I am” would be in my opinion: “the healer of souls.”
He spends his last few hours of freedom before his death washing all twelve disciples' feet and drying them. Pope Francis Re creating this ritual was intended to send a message to the people whose feet were being washed. In source 2, the people’s feet being washed were inmates of a juvenile prison, who are considered vulnerable people in society. The twelve inmates were of different nationalities and religions. The Pope washed, dried and kissed the inmates feet which is the ultimate act of humility. Jesus originally did this to his disciples. To show that their lives must be one of servitude to others especially those most vulnerable. By the leader of the Catholic church doing this ritual it highlights the present themes of the Catholic church of servitude to others and shows that even the Pope lives a life of servitude to others. In this case, the servitude is for the vulnerable, which the pope is trying to show the values that contemporary Catholicism represents. Besides the washing of the feet Pope Francis also say’s “do not give up on hope, but rather look to God for an answer”. This is meant to show God’s forgiveness and grace by giving them an avenue where they can consolidate themselves through God. This is despite breaking the law and possibly not being of the Catholic faith, Pope Francis actions it shows God’s grace. This act of love
Furthermore, the renewal and rejuvenation of the Catholic Church makes Pope John a major reformer of the 20th century and a significantly large influencer during his time. He made universal and worldwide impacts to religious adherents by reforming and revitalizing the Christian traditions through achieving ressourcement, aggiornamento. In addition, his passion for unity amongst Christian faiths and interfaith dialogue, world peace and economic justice also furthered his impact not only within the Catholic Church but also in other Christian denominations. Moreover, in the short time of Pope John’s authority and power within the Catholic Church, the contributions and achievements he made had a substantially large impact to the Christian traditions as he brought the Catholic Church into the modern era,
Pope Francis, the 266th pope, spreads his kindness throughout the world through his humility and approachability. He travels the world, supporting the poor and unfortunate. Pope Francis has served as both archbishop and cardinal for more than 12 years. This definitely shows his dedication to follow God's teachings and spread it everywhere he can.
In chapter two, ‘Francis and His Companions,’ Cunningham exposes the considerable growth in Francis of Assisi’s influence, as he recounts his companions that joined him after deciding to live his life. The chapter is significant because it exposes how Francis of Assisi’s gospel is different from the orthodox Catholic practices, which recognized the pope, as the sole Vicar of Christ. (Cunningham 32). This chapter is important in my life because it reinforces my conviction God is the almighty and all-powerful, and all people regardless of the status of the needed to worship
I would love to learn more about Pope Francis’s views on everything. He demonstrates what it is like to be a virtuous person and as Aristotle has said “The virtuous life is the best life.” By being as virtuous as Pope Francis, I believe that is what makes us, as humans, the most happiest.
On Thursday May 7th Pope Francis and the Catholic Church had announced that they would forgive anyone how has had aborted. However still sticking to the belief that abortion is a sin Pope Francis and the Vatican bid on this to catch up with modern times. He would be sending out his Missionaries of mercy to pardon any women how have aborted a child. In addition to that he would also be reaching out to the doctors and the nurses who help perform abortions. Which will start in the so called Holy Year of Mercy which will be acknowledged on December 8, 2015 through November 20,215. However some think doing this would cause misperception among the Catholic community. But, others like Italy’s Cardinal Velasio de Paolis has said he’s the pope of mercy
Jesus washed the feet of 12 people to show that we should be doing the kind and most respectful things towards each other even if they have been untrustworthy and against your beliefs, you should still be there if they need someone, and this is what Pope Francis is doing. Pope Francis is upholding the ritual of Jesus in hoping the outcome will be that someday, all people of all races and nationalities will stand alongside each other in all types of circumstances for the greater good and we, as humans, become better of for
One of the values Francis instilled the most in his monks was obedience to God. In his life, Francis was devoted to serve God and gave God complete control over his life. Part of this trust that Francis had was that God would provide for him in same way ...
“We are not the sum of our weaknesses and failures; we are the sum of the Father’s love for us and our real capacity to become the image of his Son.” Said by St. Pope John Paul II during one of his World Youth Day homilies this quote perfectly represents the man that St. Pope John Paul II was: a bold, forgiving, selfless, and loving man. Born on May 18, 1920 in Wadowice, Poland; John Paul II suffered a number of tragedies in the early years of his life. By the age of the twenty he lost all of his immediate family, and he credits the death of his father as the point in his life when he heard the call to live a life of religious vocation. In 1939, about one year after John Paul enrolled in The Krawkow Jaggelonian University, the Nazi closed the school and to avoid deportation to Germany all able men had to work. From 1940 to 1941 his holiness did various jobs, but it was during this time period that he was seriously contemplating priesthood. In 1942 John Paul II started studying at the underground seminary run by the Archbishop of Krakow, and during this time he was hit by a truck and recovered in matter of two weeks. To him this was a confirmation of his vocation. Once the war was finished the future pope was ordained priest and was then sent to Rome for further studies. After a two year time period in Rome, His Holy Father received his doctorate in theology and returned to Poland. After serving in several parishes and becoming a well-known religious face in Poland, St. John Paul II became the bishop of Ombi. During the six year time period that his holiness was the Bishop of Ombi, he achieved one of his life’s major accomplishments: he became one of the leading thinkers on the Vatican II council. While he was one the Vatican II co...
Chapter 5, “The Pope and the People” (1774-1903), follows Duffy’s account of Clement XIV’s formal abolition of the Jesuit order in 1773. Caving to pressures exerted by Spain, France, Portugal and Austria—which resented the way the Society thwarted colonial aspirations and “hindered the consolidation of the absolute rule of the monarch within his own domains”—Clement thus banished the primary instrumentality of the Counter-Reformation church. (It would be restored in 1814.) For Duffy, this was the papacy’s “most shameful hour,” the sign of its powerlessness in the new order established by the absolute monarchies of Europe. The French Revolution would, of course, take the cause of the state to unimaginable lengths in the Civil Constitution of
He celebrates the activists and leaders who have been stepping forward in the name of our environment. Francis not only cites Catholic bishops and leaders from around the world, but references a wide variety of spiritual and religious figures to back up his claims. Furthermore, his appeal is not only addressed to the Catholic church; it is addressed to all people, and he reiterates this throughout his writings. This suggests inclusion, acceptance, and open-mindedness on the part of the Pope, and has made
In the words of Pope St. Gregory the great, the Pope is “the servant of the servants of God”. The Pope is devoted to serving the people of God by doing three things; interpret God’s word by teaching, protect God’s words from heresy, and pass God’s word to every generation. Many non-Catholic Christians do not understand this role of the Pope, thinking that the Pope is a result of a twisted hierarchical system the Church created in a desire for power. Chapter seven of The Enduring Faith & Timeless Truths of Fulton Sheen by Dr. Mark Zia shows that the Pope wasn’t an invention of early Christians, but that, “by the direct will of God, the apostle Peter was made the visible head of the Church and was entrusted with the authority of God to teach, govern and sanctify the Church until the Second Coming” (Zia 75).
Francis was famous for his love of all creation. He called for simplicity of life, poverty, and humility before God. He worked to care for the poor. Thousands were drawn to his sincerity, piety, and joy. In all his actions, Francis sought to follow fully and literally the way of life demonstrated by Christ in the Gospels. He died in 1226, at the age of 44.
Saint Francis of Assisi was a uniquely spiritual man who gave up a life of wealth and position to lead a life of poverty in accordance and service to God. Embracing a life according to the Gospels, Francis went on to establish a Monastic Order, known as the Franciscans. In the midst of the political climate within the religious community of Italy, Francis emerged a champion for the poor and sick, with humility and no regard for himself. Francis exhibited his love for God through his love and admiration for all of God's creation including nature. The principles of Saint Francis are as relevant today as they were in thirteenth century Italy; service and love to all of God’s creation.
One of the most basic teachings in the Catholic Church is to ?Love one another as I have loved you.? This can be implied towards people living in poverty as we can follow the steps that Jesus had undertaken to love other people even if they are your enemies. By showing love and compassion we can create a world that is aware of poverty issues and help the declination of poverty. Countless organisations are heavily involved in carrying missions to help ultimately eradicate poverty. These charities and organisations include CARITAS, World Vision, Oxfam, St Vincent de Paul and many other non profitable organisations which help carry out work to help those who are in need.