VATICAN CITY Pope Francis offered intimate insights Saturday into the moments after his papal election, telling an audience with the press that he was immediately inspired to take the name of St. Francis of Assisi because of his work for peace and the poor — and was embraced by another cardinal amid applause inside the conclave.
"Let me tell you a story," Francis said in a break from his prepared text during a special gathering for thousands of journalists, media workers and guests.
Francis then described how was comforted by his friend, Brazilian Cardinal Claudio Hummes, as it appeared the voting was going his way and it seemed "a bit dangerous" that he would reach the two-thirds necessary to be elected.
"He hugged me. He kissed me. He said don't forget about the poor," Francis recalled. "And that's how in my heart came the name Francis of Assisi," who devoted his life to the poor, missionary outreach and caring for God's creation.
He said some people have asked why he took the name since it also could suggest references to other figures including the co-founder of the pope's Jesuit order, Francis Xavier. But he said his intention came to his heart as an inspiration immediately after the election. St. Francis of Assisi, the pope said, was "the man of the poor. The man of peace. The man who loved and cared for creation — and in this moment we don't have such a great relationship with the creator. The man who gives us this spirit of peace, the poor man who wanted a poor church."
He then joked that some other cardinals suggested other names: Hadrian VI, after a great church reformer — a reference to the need for the pope to clean up the Vatican's messy bureaucracy. Someone else suggested Clement XV, to counter Clement XIV, who suppressed the Jesuit order.
In keeping with his reputation as a man of the people, Francis has been avoiding ostentatious events, CBS News correspondent Allen Pizzey reports from Vatican City.
When the huge papal apartments were opened for him, he remarked that there was "room enough for 300 people" and there was no need to redecorate.
A picture showed him trying to pay the bill at the hotel he stayed in before going into the conclave that elected him as pope.
The one issue the Vatican wants to go away is scrutiny of his record when he was head of the Jesuit order in Argentina during the so-called "dirty war" of the 1970s and early '80s, Pizzey reports.
There have been allegations that the then-Buenos Aires Archbishop Jorge Bergoglio didn't do enough to protect priests and others targeted by the military junta.
That may be why the rule for his first audience was "no questions," Pizzey reports. The order was a bit disconcerting, given that Saturday's meeting was with the 6,000 journalists accredited to cover the conclave.
The gathering in the Vatican begins a busy week for the pontiff that includes a planned March 23 visit with his predecessor at the papal retreat at Castel Gandolfo — a historic encounter that brings together the new pope and the first pope to resign in six centuries.
Among the talks, the Vatican said Saturday, will be a session with the president of Francis' homeland Argentina on Monday, the eve of his formal installation as pontiff. The pope has sharply criticized Christina Fernandez over her support for liberal measures such as gay marriage and free contraceptives.
But the most closely watched appointment will be Francis' journey next Saturday to the hills south of Rome for lunch with Benedict XVI, who set in motion the stunning papal transition with his decision become the first pope in 600 years to step down. The meeting will be private, but every comment and gesture on the sidelines will be scrutinized for hints of how the unprecedented relationship will take shape between the emeritus pontiff and his successor.
Benedict has been out of the public eye since officially leaving the papacy on Feb. 28 and the Vatican dismissed any suggestion that the former pope helped shaped the discussions inside the secret gathering of cardinals that selected Bergoglio on Wednesday as the first pontiff from Latin America. Vatican officials said there was no contact between the papal electors and Benedict before the conclave.
Benedict has promised to remain outside church affairs and dedicate himself to prayer and meditation. Pope Francis, however, has shown no reluctance to invoke Benedict's legacy and memory, in both an acknowledgment of the unusual dimensions of his papacy and also a message that he is comfortable with the situation and is now fully in charge.
World leaders and senior international envoys, including Vice President Joe Biden, are expected on Tuesday for the formal installation of Pope Francis. It offers the new pope his first opportunities to flex his diplomatic skills as head of Vatican city-state.
But the most potentially sensitive talks could come with Fernandez after years of open tensions over the then-archbishop's strong opposition to initiatives that led Argentina to become Latin American country to legalize gay marriage. He also opposed — but failed to stop — Fernandez from promoting free contraception and artificial insemination.
So rajah88, if there is no "scientific proof" nothing can exist? And Leland, just whom are you insinuating is the false prophet? Seem like many people going off the deep end, for or against what is considered the original church, following Christ and his teachings. The Pope is not deemed so much a prophet, but in the future may be considered as having been so. Many of us in the Christian world, and not Catholic, do have a problem with all these saints being elevated as having been so, but most realize that they were, in general, very good people, who did good things, and advanced the Christian ideology. Historical facts exist, but are often themselves under suspicion, because, after all history is usually written, and explained, by those who did not live then, but are reading and studying what others have already said. In this life, none of us will know the whole truth. Many of those who speak "knowingly?" against religion, do so because they simply havent the faith to believe, and without that, they are scared it might exist and of the fact they are left out. If there is no God, then what are they afraid of?
Wow, there is a lot of hate going both ways here. I'd like to add a few thoughts on the conclave. Bregoli has had a reputation as a reformer, not a revolutionary. Don't expect any major doctrinal changes. The task of reforming the Curia will be beyond difficult, particularly for an outsider, which Bregoli certainly is. At 76 he simply may not have the time in office to fix the Labyrinthine maze that is the Church bureaucracy. I think There are a few thing, however, that he can accomplish 1. Begin the needed change in Church culture that will prevent another tragedy like the cover-up from ever happening again. 2. Re-emphasize the preferential option for the poor within the Church. 3. Find more prominent and influential roles within the Church for women. 4. Simplify wherever possible in ritual, appearance, doctrine and presentation. 5. Return to a doctrinal emphasis in CCD and other Catholic education programs without losing the service component. 6. Realize that the mystical body of the church is made up of 1.2 billion members, many if not most of whom have been thoroughly embarrassed and shamed far too often by recent events within the power structure and make it stop.
If Francis can put his own house in order, he will have had a successful Papacy. I'm just not sure he will be able to do it.
The funny thing - unfortunate for anti-religious zealots like slownews - is that all the media hype brought to Catholicism by the scandals has carried over into unimaginable media coverage of the papal election - and I'm sure has resulted in a greater audience to the church and an actual increase in members.
Although I must say find it hard to imagine that media coverage of the clerical abuse scandal added any new souls to the Catholic Church, in fact the Church grew between 2010 and 2011 by some 30 million people worldwide.
The new pope seems to be the right man at the right time to continue and expand the work of care, charity, compassion and evangelization that is so badly needed now.
The pope has also criticized Christina Fernandez over the corruption of her administration and for her economic policies which increased poverty in the country. The accusations against the Pope come from the most radical sector of the Argentinian government and are false.
The jesuits do not have a very good history, all you have to do, is do some research on them.If this pope thinks that giving to the poor is all he has to, then he is sadly mistaken.What the people need is Spiritual food not a thousand rituals at the vatican.The history of the catholic church is not a good one, they have had two thousand years to get it done and have failed miserably.They have done a great disservice to Christ and to his Father Jehovah.
franktor0, Since it appears you have not formally studied any Church history at all, I would like to recommend a fine one-volume history of the Church called "History of the Catholic Church: From the Apostolic Age to the Third Millennenium" by James Hitchcock.
Another excellent work on the history of the Church is "Triumph: The Power and the Glory of the Catholic Church" by H. W. Crocker.
You would be wise to read either one or both of these books if you really want to learn something about the Catholic Church.
The pope has also criticized Christina Fernandez over the corruption of her administration and for her economic policies which increased poverty in the country.
for the nun i will say the sex scandal has to be dealt with.then he can be holy and simple and humble etc.. as to reforming the Vatican,so many of these cardinals,priests,and lay people who work with and for the institution have been players for so long that their influence is spread far and wide and it is in their self interest to protect their turf.And they will much like politicians the world over protect their self interests by lying,stealing and cheating.It will be a tall order indeed for him to root the vermin out. I CERTAINLY WISH HIM LUCK.
Francis I name was chosen so he can't be compared to another pope who came before him throughtout history. Naturally, Pope John Paul I can't be included on the list as he died too soon to know what his character would have been. John Paul II is difinitely not included as he was a good man who cared for people from his childhood till his death.
BTW, the media has already reported that he took his 'first' stumble/trip. This is what we have to look forward to from the media. Next will be he dropped his fork while eating.
RAJAH88: When you speak of "being brainwashed from birth to believe in error," speak for yourself. How can the most benevolent organization who has cared for and fed the poor in the most desperate of places be called evil? Oh, you can call some of its adherence evil, and surely they will be judged. But by what measure do you call evil the tens of thousands of lives that have been martyred fighting and defending the poor and forgotten throughout the ages? Today, Catholics own and run more free food and clothing distribution centers, and hospitals, and orphanages than anyone else. Such evil. They make and live by vows of poverty, chastity and obedience for the purpose of serving others. Such evil. The Jewish and Christian faiths are based mostly on fact and reason... first of which are the facts of history collaborated better than some recent history. And not to be ignored are the fact of transformed lives of those that believe and trust in Jesus Christ as their eternal savior.... a real man, who was God, who gave his life that we might have eternal hope, and live out that hope in service to others.
The posting of advertisements, profanity, or personal attacks is prohibited. By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.
Reply to Comment The posting of advertisements, profanity, or personal attacks is prohibited. By using this Web site you agree to accept our Terms of Service. Click here to read the Rules of Engagement.
It is good stuff!
http://allhands-ondeck.blogspot.com/2013/03/pope-francis-meeting-with-journalists.html
If Francis can put his own house in order, he will have had a successful Papacy. I'm just not sure he will be able to do it.
The new pope seems to be the right man at the right time to continue and expand the work of care, charity, compassion and evangelization that is so badly needed now.
But, there is a narrow way, that's rich and deep, so we'll hope some of those 30 million start to search for it. Jesus said seek and you will find.
Since it appears you have not formally studied any Church history at all, I would like to recommend a fine one-volume history of the Church called "History of the Catholic Church: From the Apostolic Age to the Third Millennenium" by James Hitchcock.
Another excellent work on the history of the Church is "Triumph: The Power and the Glory of the Catholic Church" by H. W. Crocker.
You would be wise to read either one or both of these books if you really want to learn something about the Catholic Church.
Good luck to you.
as to reforming the Vatican,so many of these cardinals,priests,and lay people who work with and for the institution have been players for so long that their influence is spread far and wide and it is in their self interest to protect their turf.And they will much like politicians the world over protect their self interests by lying,stealing and cheating.It will be a tall order indeed for him to root the vermin out.
I CERTAINLY WISH HIM LUCK.