Pape francois premier biography

He also continued to present a more accepting attitude toward homosexuality than previous pontiffs, saying that "God in creation has set us free: it is not possible to interfere spiritually in the life of a person," according to The Guardian. In early December , Pope Francis gave an "apostolic exhortation," an address calling for big changes in the Catholic Church, including rethinking long-held but antiquated customs.

In the article, it was revealed that the deciding factor that led to Pope Francis landing at the top of the list, was his ability to alter the minds of so many people who had given up on the Catholic church in such a short period of time. He did not receive this honor, but he continued to devote his time to reach out to Catholics around the world.

During that summer, Pope Francis went on his first visit to Asia. He spent five days in South Korea in August. On his return trip from South Korea, Pope Francis discussed his own mortality with the press. He also suffered a personal loss around that same time after several members of his family were killed in a car accident in Argentina.

That fall, Pope Francis showed himself to be progressive on several scientific issues. He told the members of the Pontifical Academy of Sciences that he supported the Big Bang theory and evolution. According to The Independent newspaper, Pope Francis said that "The Big Bang, which today we hold to be the origin of the world, does not contradict the intervention of the divine creator but, rather, requires it.

Throughout late and into , Pope Francis continued his pattern of deep engagement with both political and environmental conflicts around the world. He spoke out against global abuses and the misuse of political and economic power, lamenting the disappearances and suspected murders of 43 students in Mexico; the dangers and losses of life caused by immigration; financial mismanagement within the church itself; and sexual abuse.

His decision to crack down on church corruption and excommunicate members of the Mafia were hailed by Catholics and non-Catholics alike, though they also caused him to receive death threats. The Pope tackled other political blockades too, bringing together Presidents Raul Castro , of Cuba, and President Barack Obama , of the United States, in a historic meeting that precipitated significant foreign policy changes.

Finally, his ambitious schedule of travel continued, with visits to Paraguay, Bolivia, and Ecuador, as have beatifications. I am well aware of the pressure that has led them to this decision. I know that it is an existential and moral ordeal. I have met so many women who bear in their heart the scar of this agonizing and painful decision.

What has happened is profoundly unjust; yet only understanding the truth of it can enable one not to lose hope. He added: "The forgiveness of God cannot be denied to one who has repented, especially when that person approaches the Sacrament of Confession with a sincere heart in order to obtain reconciliation with the Father. For this reason too, I have decided, notwithstanding anything to the contrary, to concede to all priests for the Jubilee Year the discretion to absolve of the sin of abortion those who have procured it and who, with contrite heart, seek forgiveness for it.

On November 21, , as the Jubilee Year of Mercy ended, the Vatican announced that the Pope had extended the dispensation to all priests to absolve "the grave sin" of abortion. The policy was documented in an apostolic letter written by the Pope, which stated: ". I henceforth grant to all priests, in virtue of their ministry, the faculty to absolve those who have committed the sin of procured abortion.

The provision I had made in this regard, limited to the duration of the Extraordinary Holy Year, is hereby extended, notwithstanding anything to the contrary. I wish to restate as firmly as I can that abortion is a grave sin, since it puts an end to an innocent life. May every priest, therefore, be a guide, support and comfort to penitents on this journey of special reconciliation.

In November , Pope Francis visited Myanmar amid a humanitarian crisis that had sparked the exodus of more than , Rohingya Muslims from the country. The pope first met with powerful military General Min Aung Hlaing, who refuted reports of ethnic cleansing by claiming there was "no religious discrimination in Myanmar. He then made a joint appearance with State Counsellor Aung San Suu Kyi to deliver a highly anticipated speech in which he called for tolerance, but also avoided using the delicate term "Rohingya" and stopped short of condemning the persecution, drawing criticism from those who wanted to see a more forceful stance.

The Pope also met with other religious leaders, after which he headed to Bangladesh to show support for Rohingya refugees. He has also distanced himself from the "theology of liberation. Contact About Privacy. Augustin Blajenny. Jindrich Simon Baar. Fernando Lugo. In the first months of Francis's papacy, the Institute for the Works of Religion , informally known as the Vatican Bank, said that it would become more transparent in its financial dealings.

Ernst von Freyberg was put in charge. Moneyval feels more reform is needed, and Francis has shown some willingness to close the bank if the reforms prove too difficult. On 29 June , Francis published the encyclical Lumen fidei , which was largely the work of Benedict XVI but awaited a final draft at his retirement.

Pape francois premier biography

Controversy arose at the end of when four cardinals formally asked Francis for clarifications, particularly on the issue of giving communion to divorced and civilly remarried Catholics. His motu proprios include Ai nostri tempi and De concordia inter codices. Francis issued another titled Maiorem hac dilectionem which created a new path toward canonization for certain causes.

Francis established two new Secretariats top-level departments in the Roman Curia: the Secretariat for the Economy and the Secretariat for Communications. He simplified the process for declaring matrimonial nullity. On 8 December , Francis signed a new apostolic constitution on ecclesiastical universities and faculties Veritatis gaudium , published 29 January A further apostolic exhortation, Gaudete et exsultate Rejoice and be glad , was published on 19 March , dealing with "the call to holiness in today's world" for all persons.

He counters contemporary versions of the gnostic and Pelagian heresies and describes how Jesus's beatitudes call people to "go against the flow". In February , Francis acknowledged that priests and bishops were sexually abusing religious sisters. On 30 September , he published the apostolic letter Scripturae sacrae affectus to celebrate the 16th centenary of the death of Jerome.

On 4 October , on the feast of St. Francis of Assisi, Francis published the encyclical Fratelli tutti on fraternity and social friendship, using St. Francis's own words to describe our universal brotherhood and sisterhood. On 1 June , Francis published the apostolic constitution Pascite gregem Dei. The document reformed Vatican penal law by strengthening the penalties for sexual abuse and financial crimes; it also more harshly punishing the ordination of women.

Francis issued the motu proprio Traditionis custodes on 16 July The document abrogated the permissions for the celebration of the Tridentine Mass previously established by Benedict XVI in the Summorum Pontificum , with Traditionis custodes instituting increased restrictions on the use of the Roman Missal. Pope Francis stated in a letter accompanying the motu proprio that emphasizing the Mass of Paul VI would bring the "unity I intend to re-establish throughout the Church of the Roman Rite".

Pope Francis upheld the Second Vatican Council's tradition by promoting ecumenism with other Christian denominations , encouraging dialogue with other religions, and supporting peace with secular individuals. In January , Francis said that he would appoint fewer monsignors and only assign those honoured to the lowest of the three surviving ranks of monsignor, chaplain of His Holiness ; it would be awarded only to diocesan priests at least 65 years old.

During his 15 years as archbishop of Buenos Aires, Francis never sought the title for any of his priests. It is believed he associates it with clerical careerism and hierarchy, although he did not apply this restriction to clergy working in the Roman Curia or diplomatic corps where careerism is an even greater concern. Francis presided over the first canonizations of his pontificate on 12 May in which he canonized the Martyrs of Otranto — Antonio Primaldo and his companions who had been executed by the Ottomans in [ ] — as well as the religious sisters Laura of St.

In this first canonization, Francis surpassed the record of Pope John Paul II in canonizing the most saints in a pontificate. The pope has also continued the practice of having beatifications celebrated in the place of the individual's origin, although has presided over beatifications himself on three occasions: for Paul Yun Ji-Chung and companions on 16 August , for his predecessor Pope Paul VI on 19 October , and for two Colombian martyrs on 8 September As of March , Francis had, over the 11 years of his papacy, created cardinals from 70 nations across nine consistories.

Francis's appointments made the College of Cardinals less European-dominated. Compared to his predecessors, Francis made fewer appointments of Roman Curia officials to the cardinalate. Peter's were opened, and special "Doors of Mercy" were opened at cathedrals and other major churches around the world, where the faithful can earn indulgences by fulfilling the usual conditions of prayer for the pope's intentions, confession, and detachment from sin, and communion.

Peter's Square to prevent crowds from gathering and spreading the virus, which seriously affected Italy. Despite Italy being under a quarantine lockdown , Francis pleaded "not to leave the On 27 March, Francis gave an extraordinary benediction Urbi et Orbi. In the face of suffering, where the true development of our peoples is measured, we discover and experience the priestly prayer of Jesus: 'may all be one'.

Francis stated that people had a responsibility to look after themselves, "and this translates into respect for the health of those around us. Health care is a moral obligation. In response to the economic harm created by the COVID pandemic, Francis stated that now is the time to consider implementing a universal basic wage. Francis has committed the Catholic Church to the worldwide abolition of the death penalty in any circumstance.

In his encyclical Fratelli tutti , Francis repeated that the death penalty is "inadmissible" and that "there can be no stepping back from this position". On 9 January , Pope Francis stated in his annual speech to Vatican ambassadors: "The death penalty cannot be employed for a purported state justice, since it does not constitute a deterrent nor render justice to victims, but only fuels the thirst for vengeance".

Francis has categorically rejected the ordination of women as priests. In January , Francis issued a Spiritus Domini , allowing bishops to institute women to the ministries of acolyte and lector. While these instituted ministries were previously reserved to men, Catholic women already carried out these duties without institution in most of the world.

Francis wrote that these ministries are fundamentally distinct from those reserved to ordained clergy. In April , Francis announced that 35 women would be allowed to vote at the Sixteenth Ordinary General Assembly of the Synod of Bishops making up "just over 10 percent" of all voters , [ ] marking the first time women are allowed to vote at any Catholic Synod of Bishops.

He stated he is determined to end corruption in the Catholic Church but is not very optimistic due to it being a human problem dating back centuries. Early in , Francis expressed "shame and sorrow" for the Catholic Church's role in abuses against the Indigenous peoples in Canada and "the lack of respect" toward indigenous cultures. Early in his papacy, Francis chose a more lenient sentence for Mauro Inzoli, an Italian priest accused of child sexual abuse.

I learned from this. In , Francis was criticized for supporting Chilean bishop Juan Barros who was accused of covering up Catholic Church sexual abuse cases in Chile , including crimes committed against minors. In , Francis defrocked Theodore McCarrick , a former archbishop of Washington , who maintained a prominent position in the church for decades despite repeated reports of sexual misconduct against him dating back to the s.

In , after renewed allegations against McCarrick, Francis commissioned a Vatican investigation, which found that McCarrick had sexually molested both adults and minors. Francis convened a four-day summit on sexual abuse in February , organized by Hans Zollner ; some abuse survivors expressed disappointment that the summit did not result in concrete rules on abuse prevention, responses to abuse, and Church cooperation with law enforcement authorities.

In November , Francis thanked journalists for their work uncovering child sexual abuse scandals in the church. He also thanked journalists for "helping us not to sweep it under the carpet, and for the voice you have given to the abuse victims". Ricard who was named as cardinal by Benedict XVI in [ ] said that he committed "reprehensible" acts with the girl while he was a priest.

French authorities opened an investigation into the case while Francis commented that now that "everything is clearer [ Francis visited Ireland in , marking the first papal tour of the country since John Paul II's historic trip in Pope Francis made history as the first pontiff to participate in the G7, a meeting of leaders of the largest economies in the world.

During his speech at the G7 forum in Italy , he stressed that humanity is in great danger due to the wars that are taking place such as the war in Ukraine and in Gaza. He also stated that the excessive use of artificial intelligence is posing a risk to jobs in the world; additionally, he remarked on reproductive practices without specifically mentioning abortion.

Francis became the first sitting pontiff to write and publish a memoir, titled Hope. On 20 November , Francis modified papal funeral rites in order to make his funeral rites similar to that of a bishop. In Evangelii gaudium , Francis revealed what would be the emphases of his pontificate: a missionary impulse among all Catholics, sharing the faith more actively, avoiding worldliness by more visibly living the gospel of God's mercy, and helping the poor and working for social justice.

Since , criticism against Francis by theological conservatives has intensified. From his first major letter Evangelii gaudium Joy to the World , Francis called for "a missionary and pastoral conversion" whereby the laity would fully share in the missionary task of the church. Francis called for decentralization of governance away from Rome and for a synodal manner of decision-making in dialogue with the people.

Francis's naming of himself after Francis of Assisi was an early indication of how he shared Francis's care for all of creation. This was followed in May with his major encyclical on the environment, Laudato si' Praise be to you. In a May meeting with U. President Donald Trump , the Vatican's secretary of state , Pietro Parolin , raised the issue of climate change and encouraged Trump not to withdraw the U.

He pointed out that while the international community has established legal frameworks such as the Paris Agreement, some nations have been withdrawing. He then expressed concern over a renewed indifference to ecosystem balance, the belief in controlling limited resources, and a greed for profit. In , Francis organized a climate summit that issued a Planetary Protocol for Climate Change Resilience including three main pillars: greenhouse gas emissions reduction while prioritizing nature-based solutions , climate change adaptation , and societal transformation.

Francis has highly extolled "popular movements" which demonstrate the "strength of us", serve as a remedy to the "culture of the self", and are based on solidarity with the poor and the common good. In September , Francis renewed calls for a universal basic income, as well as higher taxes on billionaires. Cardinal Walter Kasper has called mercy "the key word of his pontificate".

Pope Francis has described sexual pleasure as "a gift from God" that should be "disciplined with patience". Francis has marked a significantly more accommodative tone on LGBT topics than his predecessors. Relative to LGB topics, Francis has been less accommodative on transgender topics. Francis has regularly been accused by conservatives of having a "soft spot" for leftist populist movements.

President Donald Trump , [ ] who was elected that year, with some conservative critics drawing comparisons between the two. That is not the gospel. Francis took a more conciliatory approach toward the People's Republic of China than any previous pope. Francis's efforts toward rapprochement with China were highly controversial; a leading critic, Cardinal Joseph Zen , said the agreement was a step toward the "annihilation" of the Catholic Church in China.

Secretary of State Mike Pompeo , a critic of the agreement, urged Francis to stand against China's human rights violations. The Chinese government repeatedly violated the deal with the Vatican. Three months later, Francis recognized Shen Bin's appointment; the Vatican secretary of state, Pietro Parolin , said that the pope had done so "remedy the canonical irregularity created in Shanghai, in view of the greater good of the diocese and the fruitful exercise of the bishop's pastoral ministry.

In November , Francis named China's Uyghur minority among a list of the world's persecuted peoples. He wrote: "I think often of persecuted peoples: the Rohingya [Muslims in Myanmar], the poor Uighurs, the Yazidi —what ISIS did to them was truly cruel—or Christians in Egypt and Pakistan killed by bombs that went off while they prayed in church.

In , during the Hong Kong pro-democracy protests , Francis was criticized by Zen and other Catholic clergy in Hong Kong for failing to taking a stand against China's repression and instead being quoted as saying, "I would like to go to China. After earning a secondary school degree as a chemical technician, Bergoglio felt a call to the priesthood as a Jesuit, joining the novitiate in , at the age of He was ordained a priest on Dec.

In he made his perpetual vows in the Society of Jesus and the same year was elected Jesuit provincial for Argentina. He would go on to serve as a seminary rector, a pastor, a professor, and a spiritual director. In Fr. Bergoglio was consecrated an auxiliary bishop of the Buenos Aires archdiocese. As archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergoglio was known for his humble demeanor.

He stayed in a modest apartment and took public transit. He also showed a special regard for the poor, whom he frequently visited. On March 13, , Bergoglio was elected to the papacy, at the age of He was the first Jesuit and the first Latin American to become pope. The early months of the Francis papacy included several surprises, amplified by social media coverage which helped build his unanticipated popularity.