A Man Of The People?

Cardinal Bergoglio, now Pope Francis I, riding the bus to work in Buenos Aires.

I was born and raised Catholic and despite my issues with organized religion I always took an interest in the Vatican and their politics. I was a great admirer of John Paul II and his ability to relate to people. He used his power to bring about real change in the world.

I like the idea of the newest Pope not being a Vatican insider. One of the reasons I disliked the last placeholder Pope Benedict (aside from the abuse cover-ups and his Nazi youth past) was that he was entrenched in Vatican politics and NOTHING was going to change if he had his way. Nothing changes very quickly in the Catholic Church anyways but anything is better than nothing.

That place needed someone to come in and sweep clean the many problems that the Church has dealing with these modern times. Personally I would like to see them relax their opposition to condom use, especially in Africa, where AIDS still is devastating the population.

Plus any Cardinal that rides that bus to work is my kind of Jesuit. Those guys take their vow of poverty seriously.