Sunday, January 11, 2015

Quick Facts about Pope Francis


Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born on December 17, 1936 in Flores, Buenos Aires, Argentina.

His father, Mario Jose Francisco Bergoglio, was an Italian immigrant and worked as an accountant in the Bank of Italy in Turin. His mother Regina María Sívori was a full-time wife.

His brothers were Alberto Horacio and Oscar Adrian; and his sisters were María Elena and  Marta Regina.

He was baptized by Fr. Enrique Pozzoli, an Italian Salesian priest.

He received First Holy Communion at nine on October 8, 1944 at the Colegio Nuestra Señora de la Misericordia in Buenos Aires.


He was trained as a chemical technician and worked as a bouncer at a nightclub in Buenos Aires prior to entering priesthood.

He discovered his priestly vocation on September 21, 1954, the feast of St. Matthew after he paid a visit to the Virgin in St Joseph’s church before meeting his friends in Catholic Action and going to confession with Fr. Carlos B. Duarte Ibarra, thus, his motto,miserando et eligendo.” 

In 1956, Fr. Pozzzoli had helped Jorge apply at the archdiocesan seminary, Inmaculada Concepción Seminary, in Villa Devoto.  Jesuit Father Juan Carlos Scannone was teaching Greek and literature in 1957, when a young Jorge Bergoglio was among his students.

At the age of 21 in 1957 he had a surgery to remove his right lung due to severe pneumonia.


He joined the Society of Jesus as a novice on March 11, 1958 and professed his first vow as Jesuit on March 12, 1960.

Completed his studies on the humanities in Chile then returned to Argentina in 1963 where he graduated with a degree in philosophy from the Colegio Maximo de San José in San Miguel. 

He taught literature and psychology at Immaculate Conception College in Santa Fé from 1964 to 1965 and at the Colegio del Salvatore in Buenos Aires in 1966.

He earned his degree in theology from the Colegio of San José from 1967 to 1970. 


He was ordained priest by Archbishop Ramón José Castellano on December 13, 1969 and continued his training between 1970 and 1971 at the University of Alcalá de Henares, Spain.

He made his final profession with the Jesuits on April 22, 1973.

On July 31, 1973, he was elected provincial of the Jesuits in Argentina until 1979.  After his time as provincial, from 1980 to 1986, he served as rector of the seminary at San Miguel, where he had studied, and was pastor of a parish in the city.

He went to Germany in 1986 to finish his doctoral thesis at the Sankt Georgen Graduate School. When he returned from Germany, his superiors sent him to the University of El Salvador and then to Cordoba where he served as a confessor and spiritual director.


On June 27, 1992, he was consecrated auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires by Antonio Cardinal Quarracino, Archbishop of Buenos Aires, and given the titular see of Auca. He became Buenos Aires’ coadjutor bishop on June 3, 1997.

He was installed Archbishop of Buenos Aires on February 28, 1998. His role as Archbishop of Buenos Aires made him also the Bishop of the ordinariate for Eastern rite Catholics in Argentina.


He was created a cardinal on February 21, 2001 and was appointed cardinal-priest of San Roberto Bellarmino, a Roman parish associated with the Jesuit order.

Served as an official of the 10th General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops in 2001 and was the president of the Argentine bishops’ conference for two terms, 2005-2011.


While Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio was a member of the Congregations for Divine Worship; for the Clergy; and for Institutes of Consecrated Life, as well as the Pontifical Council for the Family and the Pontifical Commission for Latin America.

He was elected Pope on March 13, 2013, on the fifth ballot of the conclave, during its second day, taking the name Francis after St. Francis of Assisi.






He was the first Pope who took the name Francis and from the Americas, and the Jesuit Order founded by St. Ignatius of Loyola in the 16th century in Spain.

The Pope who …

§     passionate loves and supports San Lorenzo Football Club
§     takes bus and subway trains
§     cooks his meals
§     loves to dance tango
§     takes selfies
§     invites homeless to his birthday party
§     sees himself as a sinner
§     believes the Church should be more like a “field hospital after battle,” with bishops serving as true pastors and priests spending more time in confessionals, consoling wounded souls
§     wants to keep it simple but “cannot live without people”
§     has the deepest of affections for Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, his “brother” who now lives in a monastery at the Vatican
§     a reformer who is not afraid to shake things up
§     says “no” to an economy of exclusion
§     warns Christians against falling into the trap of spiritual worldliness,” which is “self-centeredness cloaked in an outward religiosity bereft of God
§     a fervent devotee of the Blessed Mother
§     a son of the Church

He speaks Spanish, Italian, English, French and German.

His Papal Motto: miserando atque eligendo” (Lowly yet chosen)







His Writings

A.  Papal Encyclical

Lumen Fidei (Light of Faith) - In his first encyclical Pope Francis reflects on the meaning of faith, the beginning of God’s gracious salvation. Although officially Light of Faith (Lumen Fidei) is an encyclical of Pope Francis and reflects his teaching ministry, it is also reflects the work of Pope Emeritus Benedict. This is not only Francis’ first encyclical, it is also the first encyclical to have been openly written by two successors of St. Peter.

B. Apostolic Exhortation

 Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel, November 24, 2013) - The Apostolic Exhortation Evangelii Gaudium was issued by Pope Francis on November 24, 2013, to mark the end of the Year of Faith. The major source of Evangelii Gaudium was the fruit of the propositions of the 13th Ordinary General Synod of Bishops which met in Rome from 7 - 28 October, 2012, with the theme: The New Evangelization for the Transmission of the Christian Faith. The Bishops at this Synod sought to renew the spirit of evangelization in the Church. At the end of the Synod, the Bishops handed their propositions to Pope Francis which formed the background to this great Exhortation. The title of this Apostolic Exhortation, The Joy of the Gospel, is instructive in the sense that it calls on Catholics to preach the Gospel with joy. The Exhortation begins thus: “The Joy of the Gospel fills the hearts and lives of all who encounter Jesus … With Christ joy is constantly born anew” (EG #1).

C. Other Books

Education for Choosing Life: Proposal for Difficult Times - These messages to teachers were given by Pope Francis while he was cardinal archbishop of Buenos Aires. The cardinal began these reflections with the assertion that teaching is an act of hope, which requires a vision of what it means to be human, the belief that this vision can be realized to some degree even in a fallen world, and the creativity to find ways to achieve it.

On Heaven and Earth: Pope Francis on Faith, Family, and the Church in the Twenty First Century - For years Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, archbishop of Argentina, and Rabbi Abraham Skorka were tenacious promoters of interreligious dialogues on faith and reason. They both sought to build bridges among Catholicism, Judaism, and the world at large. On Heaven and Earth, originally published in Argentina in 2010, brings together a series of these conversations where both men talked about various theological and worldly issues, including God, fundamentalism, atheism, abortion, homosexuality, euthanasia, same-sex marriage, and globalization. From these personal and accessible talks comes a first-hand view of the man who would become pope to 1.2 billion Catholics around the world in March 2013.

Open Mind, Faithful Heart: Reflections on Following Jesus - These reflections are deeply rooted in the Scriptures and in the pastoral experiences of the pope. They are relevant to everyone who seeks to grow in understanding the call to follow Jesus. They also constitute the best introduction to the energetic and wise spirituality of the pope.

The Church of Mercy: My Vision for the Church - Collected from Pope Francis’s speeches, homilies, and papers presented during the first year of his papacy, The Church of Mercy is the first Vatican-authorized book detailing his vision for the Catholic Church. From how to be citizens of the world to answering God’s call for evangelization, Pope Francis’s deep wisdom reminds us that the Church must move beyond its own walls and joyfully bring God’s mercy wherever suffering, division, or injustice exists.

The People Wish to See Jesus: Reflections for Those who teach - These essays and talks by Pope Francis are packed with powerful insights into what catechesis, teaching and learning really mean for Christians.   Starting with a tender care for the person of the educator, and of the student, Pope Francis sheds profound light on the human condition, our need for the Good News, and the right way to share it—joyfully.

The Way of Humility: Corruption and Sin, On Self-Accusation - Originally a series written by Pope Francis while he was cardinal archbishop of Buenos Aires, these profound meditations give an inspiring introduction to the path of humility and love needed to form true Christian communities. They are divided into two separate works: Corruption and Sin, and Self-Accusation.

Walking with Pope Francis: 30 days with the Encyclical The Light of Faith - Spend thirty days reflection on these beautiful and tender teachings about faith. A related Scripture passage, a prayer and a practice in response to the pope’s message will help you experience the deep joy of a faith-filled life.





His Travels outside Rome

 (1) Brazil – Francis visited Rio de Janeiro, Brazil for World Youth Day on July 22 – 29, 2013.

(2) Israel, Jordan, and Palestine – Francis visited Amman, Bethlehem, and Jerusalem during his three day trip to the Holy Land on May 24 – 26, 2014.

(3) South Korea – Pope Francis visited South Korea on August 14 – 18, 2014 on the occasion of the 6th Asian Youth Day and the Beatification of the 124 Korean Martyrs.

(4) Albania – Pope Francis made a one day visit to the city of Tirana in Albania  on September 21, 2014. The 11-hour visit was his first European visit made by Francis. He chose Albania to set a model for harmony between the various religions by establishing a national unity that includes Moslems, Orthodox, and Catholic Christians.

(5) France – Pope Francis made a four-hour visit, the shortest made by any Pope abroad, to Strasbourg on November 25, 2014, where he addressed the European Parliament and the Council of Europe raising issues such as the dignified treatment of immigrant arriving illegally in Europe and better conditions for workers.

(6) Turkey – Pope Francis visited Turkey on November 28 – 30, 2014 at the invitation of the Turkish President and Patriarch Bartholomew I to commemorate the feast day of Saint Andrew. He also visited the Blue Mosque where he prayed silently alongside with senior Islamic clerics.

(7) Sri Lanka – January 13 – 15, 2015

(8) Philippines – January 15 – 19, 2015

(9) United States – September 2015

(10) Poland – July 25 – 31, 2016




The Logo of the Papal Visit to the Philippines



COLORS.
The colors of the logo (blue, red, and yellow) are the colors of the Philippine flag. The colors therefore represent the country and its people. It is in solidarity with the victims of recent calamities that the Pope is coming to the Philippines.

CIRCLES.
The innermost circle resembles a pearl, and again it symbolizes the Philippines, which is known as the pearl of the orient seas. The white Cross symbolizes the Christian faith, and our fervent prayer that the center of our country be our Lord Jesus Christ. It serves as a reminder as well that more than a State Visit, the primary objective of the Papal visit is a religious one. He comes to show and share the Lord’s mercy and compassion with the Filipino people.

The red circle symbolizes Mercy, one of the themes of the Papal visit. Red is the color of blood and recalls the sacrifice of our Lord on the cross for our salvation, a holy sacrifice that manifests and exemplifies Divine Mercy for sinful humanity.

The blue circle means Compassion, the other theme of the Papal visit. Blue is the color of divine presence – it is the color of the sky and the sea that surround our life, much like God’s presence, that is, God’s compassionate love that permeates and sustains human existence.
The sequence of the colors follows the order of the colors of the Philippine flag: Yellow at the center, blue on top, and red at the bottom.

The red and blue circles appear like arms embracing the yellow circle. These are the merciful and compassionate arms of the Pope, the Vicar of Christ, embracing the Philippines, the pearl of the orient seas. The current Pope is well known for expressing his love and care for people by spontaneously hugging and kissing them. The red and blue circles or arms therefore symbolize the Pope’s Merciful and Compassionate Embrace, and by extension, Christ’s loving embrace. The Pope now comes to the Philippines to embrace us with his arms of love.

Finally the blue and red circles appear like ripples, or waves emanating from the inner circle, from the Cross. We pray that the Papal visit will indeed create ripples of compassion and mercy throughout the Filipino nation and beyond January 2015.

Pope mobile of Pope Francis in the Philippines



Sources:

Pope Francis Biography Graphic
http://www.usccb.org/about/leadership/holy-see/francis/pope-francis-biography-graphic.cfm

Biography of Pope Francis
http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/biography/documents/papa-francesco-biografia-bergoglio.html

Biography: The Life of Pope Francis

List of Pastoral Visits of Pope Francis outside Italy

Pope Francis: His Life

Pope Francis: His Writings

10 Things You Need To Know About Pope Francis



Note: The blogger does not own the photos used herein. Credits go to the rightful owners of all photos used in this blog.


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