Five hundred years after the initial evangelization of South America (and a considerable portion of it done by members of the Society of Jesus), today the College of Cardinals has chosen the first Latin American Pope who also happens to be a member of the Society of Jesus. This is a historic day.
I could not contain my joy when I realized the Archbishop of Buenos Aires had been elected as the 266th successor of Saint Peter. He is Latin American like me! He is of an Italian background like me!
With over 500 million Catholics hailing from Latin America despite the continuous exodus of Latin Americans from the Catholic Church in the past few decades, the election of Francis will have a tremendous impact on the Church in all of Latin America. Benedict XVI had already begun to focus on the importance of the Church in Latin America, primarily by inaugurating the fifth general conference of the bishops of Latin America and the Caribbean in May 2007 at the Shrine of Our Lady of Aparecida in Brazil.
Ever since the resignation of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, I would joke that Benedict was chosen a few months before World Youth Day in Germany so we could expect the new Pope to be Brazilian, or at least Latin American. The joke is now on me… it became a reality.
As if being the first Latin American and first Jesuit to become Pope was not enough, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio chose the name Francis making him the first Pope to bear that name. In the near future, I am sure he will share a reflection as to why he chose the name. Does he see himself as a reformer and builder of the Church like Saint Francis of Assisi? Perhaps the life of Saint Francis has influenced his simple and humble lifestyle? Maybe he chose the name due to his love for the great Jesuit saint and missionary Saint Francis Xavier? I am sure we will soon know.
A sign that the Holy Spirit is at work is the presence of surprises. God is a master of surprises. For many the election of Cardinal Bergoglio may not have been a tremendous surprise, but for the vast majority of the world, he has certainly been a surprise. His new name however, is a surprise for all.
May God bless Pope Francis and may he give him a long life!
Ad multos annos!
En Español: Papa Francisco, a celebrar con un alfajor y vino tinto!
Augusta priest (me) reacts to pope’s election
Pictures are mine, all rights reserved.
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