Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio of Buenos Aires was elected Bishop of Rome on the second day of the Conclave. He has taken the name Francis to set the tone of his papacy. There is some question of whether he has taken the name after St. Francis or Francis Xavier, or both. He was the runner-up in 2005 to Benedict XVI.
There is an old joke that goes, "I know you are a Jesuit, but are you a Christian?" In this case, the evidence seems to be that Francis is both. He is a theologian of great depth, and has a heart for the poor. He also appears to be a humble man, as his first official act was to lead a prayer for Benedict XVI, and bowed before the gathered masses to pray for him before blessing them.
He is also quite acquainted with suffering, as he lost a lung as a small child.
It will be interesting to watch this papacy and this new Bishop of Rome. As members of the One Holy Catholic Apostolic Church, I encourage all of us to pray for our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters, and their spiritual father, Francis.
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