HABEMUS PAPAM!!!

[wiseheart]

And this time I'm actually quite happy about it! When my county is in shambles, at least I can nurture some tentative hope concerning my Church, to which I'm still bound in tormented love. Sort of. To the idea of it. To what it could be. This new Pope might actually make the first steps in the right direction. I have no illusions that I'd live long enough to see it come true, but at least I can hope again.

A Jesuit, a cardinal who refused to use a limo or to live in a palace, who raised his voice against corruption and powerty, who seems overall simple, humble and loveable... perhaps we're truly blessed this time. I like it that he's from South America, after all, 80% of all Catholics do. I like it that he chose the name Franciscus - the associations are very clear. I wish by God this Franciscus could reform the Church the same way his namesake had done all those centuries ago.

Of course, the fact that he's got a fairly conservative attitude when it comes to birth control and all the things attached to it dims my joy a little. And I fear what the merciles machinery of the Vatican will leave intact from his intentions... we saw how John Paul II was ground by the wheels of said machinery, slowly but steadily. But again, he was Polish, and the Polish Church survived through iron conservativism. In South America, the Church is still a lot more youthful and dynamic than in Europe. So, despite everything, I still dare to hope again, just a little bit.

Comments

[sammydragoncat]

I know - I am so excited about the new Pope, and I love the name he chose!

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Me, too. I thought I've given up on the Catholic Church at the moment they elected Ratzinger 8 years ago, but I was literally crying and knelt down when Francis I gave his blessing. I never thought I'd do something like that ever again, I was so disgusted with the whole institution.

Of course, he's only ever human, too, and I'm not entirely comfortable with his opinions about birth control and homosexuals and stuff. But if he manages to take down the power-hunger of the Church a notch and that the poor would be seen as people again, then perhaps in another two thousand years women would be seen as people, too, rather than just birthing machines.

[jen-rock.livejournal.com]

I'm surprised they picked a Pope this quickly since everyone said there were no front runners. I'm pleasantly surprised that they picked one from the Americas. A lot of people thought they might but I was skeptical and figured they'd pick another European.

He seems like a good choice. I like the fact that he's a Jesuit and lived a humble life and that he picked Francis as his new name. I hope his time as Pope will be a better one for the Church.

[wiseheart.livejournal.com]

Our Cardinal Erdő was seen as one of the secret favourites, too, and I lived in holy fear that they might actually elect him. Thank God it didn't happen! The Church in Hungary is bad enough already, with its hunger for power and influence and trying to brainwash its followers politically; had we got a Hungarian Pope, that would have meant a vigorous march right back to the Middle Ages.

Yes, Francis I seems to be a good choice. I hope his humility will become contagious. The Church is in serious need of some humility. Not the fake one it always shows as an institution but some real one.