It’s a good pick. As the National Catholic Reporter says, “the general consensus is that Bergoglio was indeed the ‘runner-up’ last time around. He appealed to conservatives in the College of Cardinals as a man who had held the line against liberalizing currents among the Jesuits, and to moderates as a symbol of the church’s commitment to the developing world.” That, the unpretentious way of life for which he’s known, and his choice of name—new but not odd, and a small-c catholic pick coming from a Jesuit—all suggest the right mix of the traditional and modern. And he starts, I think, with a relatively clean slate: no one will be greatly polarized by this choice, notwithstanding the perennially discontented left and right.
Pope Francis–Instant Reaction
11 Responses to Pope Francis–Instant Reaction
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CK says:
Likely Xavier, but this indicates Assisi: “a Prince of the Church who chose to live in a simple apartment rather than the archbishop’s palace, who gave up his chauffeured limousine in favor of taking the bus to work, and who cooked his own meals.”
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Clint says:
Bergoglio seems to be the thoughtful unsung choice of a humble, Bishop, in a small apartment , as opposes to the arcbishops’ palace, taking the bus,while resisting the Limo, and cooking his own meals,while being an intelligent Jesuit Leader,who has been given the support of the College of Cardinals.
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aw says:
Probably not Xavier, as most Catholics refer to him as Francis Xavier. If he wanted to be named for Francis Xavier, he would call himself Francis Xavier.
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J.J. Gonzalez Gonzalez says:
My bet is that it’s not in reference to Xavier, but Assisi.
The missions are doing well. It’s the motherland which is in crisis. The church in its native lands is in dire need of rebuilding. And a gentle yet radical St. Francis type would be just the thing.
Argentina was not mission land, but Europe transplanted. It’s suffering the same European crisis, but like in the U.S., not as bad.
Just my instant reaction.
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Bob says:
It could even be a reference to St. Francis Borgia, who if memory serves was likewise a Jesuit.
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EngineerScotty says:
The Vatican has essentially confirmed that Francis took his papal name after St. Francis of Assisi,, not Xaxier.
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Fran Macadam says:
“Argentina was not mission land, but Europe transplanted. It’s suffering the same European crisis, but like in the U.S., not as bad.”
I think our crisis in America is worse, for in many ways, the trends and mistakes here reverberate to either the benefit or detriment of the rest of the West.
That is not a problem confined to Catholicism, but pervades all our institutions.
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Marty says:
“…no one will be greatly polarized by this choice, notwithstanding the perennially discontented left and right.”
Are those of us who have been sexually abused by Jesuits (and in my case at one of, if not their most, hallowed high schools) allowed to be “polarized”?
But, seeing how conservatives love torture, I guess this will go unnoticed too.
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Andre Kenji says:
“Argentina was not mission land, but Europe transplanted. ”
It is. There is even a province called “Missiones” in Argentina.
“It’s suffering the same European crisis, but like in the U.S., not as bad.”
The Argentinean crisis is different, because unlike Southern Europe they have lots of commodities to export.
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Lloyd says:
I just worry about a 76 year old man taking on this position. That is my one concern.
His choice of name is probably in reference to Francis Xavier, no?