Random notes about the new Pope.

<< Pope Francis,  he is "in" and taking the reins from a retiring and retreating Pope Benedict XVI.  

Update:  Francis is a protege of Benedict who is or was a protege of Pope John Paul II.  None of these men believe in evolution,  abortion, gay marriage or birth control.  The Pope is the one political figure over which the American secularist church has no control.  

He refused an elevated stand to greet the other Cardinals

After his election,  He rode in a bus with the other Cardinals,  not a limo or armored car.

24 million Catholics of the 68 million American Catholics.

After his appointment,  he wore a white beanie instead of the traditional Pope headdress.

He is from Argentina and is the first non-European Pope to be chosen in some 1,300 years;  the first Pope ever to be chosen out of the Americas. 

He is conservative on social issues,  against gay unions and so opposed to abortion that he has, in the past,  refused  (as a Cardinal) communion to pro-abortion politicians.

Retiring Benedict XVI

He appears to be at the center of social justice issues,  however,  and is considered a champion of the poor.  Understand that this editor,  that would be me,  is fine with social justice issues as long as that is the work of the Church.  The New Testament scriptures are not a mandate to a secular society.  That politic needs conversion,  not justice.   And in the midst of an unconverted secular society,  Christ’s church,  whether Roman Catholic or charismatic evangelical is that body of disciples that administer social justice.  

His name as Pope will be “Francis,”  and is the first “Pope Francis” in Catholic history.  I am not a Catholic,  but I am told that his selection of “Francis,”  is an emboldened sign to all within the Catholic Church,  that unity will prevail.  As a Cardinal,  this Pope was a Jesuit priest,  not a Franciscan.  Over the centuries,  dating back to the 1500’s ,  there is been no little competition between the two priestly concerns. 

He is the 266th pontiff if you believe the church was so organized as to have a pope in the early centuries after Christ.  Personally,  I do not.  There is absolutely nothing in Holy Scripture that celebrates Peter as the first Pope.  In fact,  the Apostle Paul was the larger luminary in the First Church,  without question.  But we all have our traditions.  I will allow Catholics,  theirs. 

His selection is an effort at dealing with impending scandal within the Catholic Church.  Under the past retiring Pope,  Benedict XVI,  an investigation was conducted,  into the coming and goings of Roman priests.  Apparently,  the results were most discouraging,  so much so,  that the Benedict retired.  Many believe that he simply did not have the energy to required in dealing with this problem.  It is hoped that Francis has the strength and will to deal with such issues.    

 One bit of curiosity is the fact that this Pope is aggressively anti-abortion,  and Obama has decided to send the pro-abortion freak,  Joe The Blow Biden to the papal reception.