When Pope Benedict XVI announced his intent to resign last month, the public was shocked. Many smelled something fishier than the official response, which mentioned the pope’s declining health as a central reason.
Things got a little bit stranger when it was released that the pope would be spending his retirement at the Vatican, protecting him from any legal matters.
Many people, Catholics included, responded to the announcement via social media with the same question frequenting: “The pope can retire?” It had been about 600 years since the last retirement of a pope, so I guess no one can really blame people for not knowing that a pope can, indeed, retire.
But if the Catholic Church can do one thing, it is keep a secret. So we may never truly know the reason behind the pope’s withdrawal, but have no fear, people of the world! A new pope is here!
Surely, popes throughout the ages have served various positions in the ebb and flow of the world, from fierce (at times corrupt) political leader to humble and kind religious leader. In modern times, the pope can be seen as more of a religious leader and guide rather than a political powerhouse. The new pope, Pope Francis, originally from Argentina, is the first Jesuit pope and first American pope. (Hey, he’s from South America; it counts.)
He’s reportedly a humble man; upon finding out he was appointed to the papacy, he turned down the car waiting for him outside and elected instead to take a taxi to his hotel room to collect his things.
He chose his pope name after Saint Francis of Assisi, who is the patron saint of : animals, the environment, Italy, merchants, stowaways, cub scouts, and San Francisco, Calif.
I love reading lists of what saints are patrons of because sometimes they are so random and awesome at the same time, and Saint Francis of Assisi is no exception.
But Saint Francis did live a life in poverty, similar to the humble lifestyle Pope Francis has been leading.
The pope mentioned at his first audience on March 16 that he chose the name because he is especially concerned with the well-being of the poor.
Entering the papacy amidst child sex abuse scandal and negative press for the church, the world should be happy to know that while serving as Cardinal Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Pope Francis presented the Aparecida Document, which spoke out against child abuse, describing it as “demographic terrorism.”
The step-down of Pope Benedict XVI ignited conversation, again, about the church’s shady reputation with priests engaging in sex abuse incidents.
Some of these people take the bad actions of these few men and use them to fuel a hate campaign against the entire church, not just against those few people who have taken advantage of their power and have done terrible, illegal and disgusting things.
But let us not forget that the size of the Catholic Church – its so large that bad people are bound to be associated with it.
And, in the true fashion of media, negative happenings in the church are bound to be highlighted far more than the positive ones.
Are there excuses to be made for these men? No. But that doesn’t mean all priests are evil. Look at all the fathers and uncles who have sexually abused their sons, nephews or grandsons.
Do we immediately label all parents and family members as pedophiles? No. For people to take out their anger over these scandals on the church as a whole is just irrational.
I, personally, would like to extend a warm welcome to the new pope and wish him luck as he sets out to make a positive difference in the world.