Pope Francis: He mixes and mingles with us

If the plan Pope Francis mentioned goes well, Uganda will soon receive its third papal visit some time this year. Pope Paul VI visited in 1969 while Pope John Paul II came in 1993. Given how rare these visits are, whatever time later in the year does qualify as the near future, the intervening waiting period notwithstanding. It’s time we familiarise ourselves a little more with Pope Francis. Here are some things to know.

His education background
Before joining the seminary, he trained to be a chemical technician.
He studied humanities in Chile.
Then, Philosophy in Argentina.
And finally Theology.

Jobs he has held
It is hard to believe, but at some point, Pope did not report to work in a white cassock. But way back, when he was still Jorge Mario Bergoglio, he tried his hand at other occupations.
He swept floors as a teenager for money.
To help pay for his pre-ecclesiastical studies, he has also admitted to working as a bouncer at a club in Buenos Aires.
He taught Literature and Psychology at a college in Argentina as he went on with his priesthood training.

Journey to the top of the church
He joined seminary after his first degree.
He was ordained as a priest in 1969.
He was consecrated archbishop primate of Argentina Buenos Aires.
He was appointed cardinal in 2001 by then Pope John Paul.
Served as president of Argentine Bishops conference from 2005 – 2011.
Elected as Pontiff on March 13, 2013 after Pope Benedict XVI resigned.

The cool pope
He has been called the rock star pope, the cool pope, making it to Times Person Of The Year in 2013 and being nominated for a Nobel peace prize in his first year of office. Here a few things that set pope Francis apart from the traditional pope image.
He worked as a bouncer at a club in his youth.He has admitted to loving dancing, specifically the tango and also to once having a girlfriend.

He once owned a Harley Davidson after the bike makers presented one to him in a few months after he became pope. His holiness never rode it, as far as it is known, but he did sign his name on the it and the accompanying leather jacket. Both items were later auctioned and the money given to charity. However, the fact remains that Pope Francis is the first Pope to own a Harley.

He is on Twitter which has earned him no less than 12 million followers and still counting having sent out his first tweet in February last year. He turned down the bullet proof glass cased pope mobile for more modest open roof vehicles that do not lock him away from the people.

Pope Francis takes selfies. He eschewed the red specially made papal shoes preferring to keep on his well-worn black loafers.

The pope of the people
In two years, he has been seen mingling with ordinary people more than any other pope in recent history. Here are some of the most popular documented times.

A child wandered onto the altar when he was preaching and grabbed hold of his leg, and he did not seem to mind.
He has been seen holding and kissing babies of the faithful.
He also stopped to kiss and bless several adults mostly sick and severely disfigured.

Washing and kissing the feet of women and one Muslim man thus deviating from the tradition where previous popes only did the ritual with disabled Christian men. He chose to ride in a bus with fellow cardinals after being ordained pope rather than a special vehicle set aside for him.

The pope who always has something to say
His comments on various matters have opened debate worldwide, from where atheists stand with God to birth control. Here are snippets of the pope’s views on various topics.

Evolution and creation
After saying God is not a magician with a magic wand, he explained why creation and evolution theories are both right. “Evolution in nature is not opposed to the notion of creation, because evolution presupposes the creation of beings that evolve.”

Birth control
Despite the Catholic Church’s tough stance against artificial contraception methods, the pope told the press “ ‘God gives you methods to be responsible,’ he continued. “Some think that — excuse the word — that in order to be good Catholics we have to be like rabbits. No.”

Freedom of expression versus religious freedom
It’s true, one cannot react violently, but if Dr (Alberto) Gasbarri, a great friend, says a swear word against my mother, then he is going to get a punch. But it’s normal, it’s normal. One cannot provoke, one cannot insult other people’s faith, one cannot make fun of faith.”

Comment on atheists
“The Lord has redeemed all of us, all of us, with the blood of Christ: all of us, not just Catholics. Everyone! ‘Father, the atheists?’ Even the atheists. Everyone! And this blood makes us children of God of the first class! We are created children in the likeness of God and the Blood of Christ has redeemed us all! And we all have a duty to do good. And this commandment for everyone to do good, I think, is a beautiful path towards peace.

If we, each doing our own part, do good to others, if we meet there, doing good, and we go slowly, gently, little by little, we will make that culture of encounter that so much. We must meet one another doing good. ‘But I don’t believe, Father, I am an atheist!’ But do good: we will meet one another there.”

The holy has also warned faithful not to turn people away from Christianity with their actions saying, “How many times we’ve heard in our neighborhoods, ‘Oh that person over there always goes to church, but he badmouths everyone, skins them alive.’ What a bad example to badmouth other people. This is not Christian, he said last October adding such behaviour would cause others to think “Hey, if that is being Christian, I’ll be an atheist.’ That’s because our witness is what makes people see what it is to be a Christian.”

POPE FRANCIS QUICK FACTS
He was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is the firstborn in a family of five children in Buenos Aires Argentina in1936. His parents were children of Italian immigrants to Argentina.

Only one member of his nuclear family is still alive, his 64-year- old younger sister Maria Elena Bergoglio. He is the first pope from the Americas and the first one from outside Europe in recent history, which means in the last 272 years.

The church has gone through seven popes in Pope Francis lifetime.
He was made cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II. He was part of the conclave that put his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI in office back in 2005.

He is the first pope to choose to take on the name of St Francis of Assisi, the patron saint of the environment and animals known for his choice to abandon riches and identify and work with the poor, hence the lack of roman numerals in his name. Most popes in recent history had chosen the names of previous popes hence the need for Roman numeral after their chosen name to differentiate them from the past popes. He is the first pope in history to come from the Jesuit order.