*Drumroll* The New Pope is Bergoglio of Argentina

[cali]

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/mar/13/papal-conclave-chooses-pope-day-two-live-coverage

[Dawson Leery]

1. Another right wing reactionary.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Bergoglio

[Arugula Latte]

4. Qu'elle surprise.

[cali]

9. He's also 76 years old

[Blue_Tires]

68. I don't get it...is there some unofficial rule that the guy has to be over 70?

don't they want some stability in the position? or are they happy to do this every 5-6 years?

[Puzzledtraveller]

21. It's the Catholic Church, what were you expecting?

Even progressive in the RCC is extremely right wing.

[Cali_Democrat]

32. The new pope also says adoption by homosexuals is a form of discrimination against children.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Bergoglio#Abortion_and_euthanasia

Fuck this guy.

[Hissyspit]

2. Pope Francis

[arely staircase]

6. as in "lighten up, francis"? eom

[meow2u3]

13. No--as in St. Francis

Next thing you know, pets will not only be allowed, but encouraged, to attend Mass.

[arely staircase]

19. oh, i've had my dog blessed

epispopal, not catholic, but close enough.

[meow2u3]

31. I had my cats blessed

It was in the Catholic church, only the blessing took place outside the rectory.

[Hissyspit]

26. Well, technically

Francis of Assisi and/or Francis Xavier, first Pope to ever be named after him, they say. But maybe he is a fan of "Stripes," too.

[GoCubsGo]

54. Or, he could be named after Francis Borgia, or Francis of Rome, or...

...Francis Galzani, or Francis of Nagasaki, or Francis Solano, or any of the other dozens of other saints named "Francis".

http://www.catholic.org/saints/stindex.php?lst=F

[bklyncowgirl]

29. I'm guessing Francis of Assisi

[lpbk2713]

61. Francis the Talking Tool ?

Or mabe as in Pizza Man?

[AngryAmish]

3. no fucking way!

Actually, I never heard of this dude before

[Benton D Struckcheon]

8. A Jesuit???!!!???!!!???!!!???

I might have to build a bunker. Must be the End of the World.

[AngryAmish]

14. This is very interesting

A complete repudiation of John Paul II.

[Recursion]

57. Not only that, a Jesuit who calls himself "Francis"

Loyola is rolling in his grave right now...

[Benton D Struckcheon]

63. Francis Xavier, one of the first Jesuits

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Xavier

[LittleBlue]

5. Fascinating

Finally a South American pope. They say he's a very down-to-earth character.

[arely staircase]

17. down to earth is, i'm sure, a very relative concept with cardinals

it's like "more western leaning" kremlin insiders during the Cold War or "moderate" iranian clerics.

[LittleBlue]

22. Interesting name, Francis. A focus on poverty, then environment, and animals then?

This could be very promising.

[geek tragedy]

27. No, his main thing is bashing gays. nt

[bklyncowgirl]

7. NPR says he's a Jesuit

They have a reputation for being intellectuals and, for the church, progressive. The priest on NPR is crying. Says he's a simple holy man known for taking the busses around Argentina.

[Arugula Latte]

15. The dude is no progressive.

Not by a long shot.

Another rightwing stinkbomb dropped on the masses...

[FreeState]

18. +1 hes anti-gay, ant-women - no progressive n/t

[Le Taz Hot]

10. He's a Jesuit?

That's surprising.

[KoKo]

34. Chris Matthews was delighted...Says Jesuits have "big brains."

Anyway we know how Matthews raves...but, thought that was OTT.

And, yes I know the reputation of the Jesuits.. But, still.

[joeybee12]

11. He tows the party line, that's for sure...

Asshat

[HangOnKids]

23. He Toes The Line Not Tow

He is not pulling anything, he is keeping his TOE from crossing conventional ideology.

[joeybee12]

39. Shame on me...

[HangOnKids]

45. Sorry if that sounded harsh

Really, I am home with a broken elbow and my mood is cranky.

[joeybee12]

46. Yikes...that doesn't sound like fun...

Tows/toes is something I always get wrong...I'm sure i'll do it again!

[HangOnKids]

48. Just remember one pulls things

The other is what you put hot pink polish on. Well this sounds quite risque.

[joeybee12]

49. Or you let someone else put the polish on!

Oh my!

[HipChick]

12. 76? So in about 10years, we will be back to picking another Pope and polluting the enviroment

[LiberalFighter]

42. They will probably pick sooner than that.

[Canuckistanian]

16. Pope Francis

Damn, wikipedia is fast

[rollin74]

20. first non-European pope

interesting

[sarisataka]

40. Not quite

There have been Popes from North Africa and the Middle East. I think it has been about 1500 years the Europe has held the monopoly

[RZM]

55. The Mediterranean world at the time was essentially a Greco-Roman space

There were of course schisms and doctrinal differences. And North Africa had its own brand of monasticism. But culturally I think the Popes from there were similar to their contemporaries across the water.

Then again, how different is this guy from your average European Cardinal? Probably not a whole lot.

[sarisataka]

69. Hierarchies do tend to select leaders

from a similar mold.

I believe the new Pope's parents are Italian so he is likely similar to his European counterparts.

What I wonder is being a bit of an "outsider", seemingly conservative and his age... I think he may be a place holder. His job is to clean house and improve the image of the Church, not make many doctrinal changes. Time will tell.

[geek tragedy]

24. Fred Phelps type of gay-hating bigot. Screw him. nt

[meow2u3]

25. Pope Francis is a moderate

That's good news for moderate and progressive Catholics. He had his followers give the money that would have gone on plane tickets be given to the poor, to name one.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/interactive/2013/mar/12/choose-your-own-pope-pontifficator#jorge_mario_bergoglio

[Kingofalldems]

33. He a Jesuit and they are thinkers

It's a good thing. I would predict he lines up with the Orthodox on married priests.

[Ikonoklast]

52. He is against married clergy...and women, and gays, and anything progressive in nature.

He is a throwback and another blow against Vatican II.

[Kingofalldems]

53. He came out for contraception

One of the few I have seen to do that.

[progressoid]

67. Not exactly. He approved of it only to prevent the spread of disease.

Not to prevent pregnancy. Apparently God's OK with condoms for gonorrhea only.

Also, he opposes the free distribution of contraceptives.

[Recursion]

58. He's also against wealth inequality

You're not going to get a Pope who has disagreed with previous doctrine. You can get a Pope who will make new doctrine in the future.

[Ikonoklast]

59. Oh, they're all against that, c'mon now.

What Pope, knowing that he is spending huge sums in Africa recruiting some of the poorest people on Earth to his Church, would say anything different about wealth inequality?

A good salesman sticks with his spiel, even if he doesn't believe a word he says himself.

[Posteritatis]

65. Considering the guy rented an apartment, took the bus, cooked his own meals, etc.. (nt)

[Ikonoklast]

66. And now he'll live in a palace.

And wear clothes that cost a year's salary for a common worker.

[FreeState]

38. Moderate? LOL - look up his anti-gay and women statements n/t

[Posteritatis]

64. Now compare those and his other statements to the church at large. Moderate. (nt)

[dbackjon]

43. No, he is NOT a moderate.

[Paul E Ester]

28. Does his bio say what he was up to during the dirty war?..nt

[Paul E Ester]

36. From wikipedia

On April 15, 2005, a human rights lawyer filed a criminal complaint against Bergoglio, accusing him of conspiring with the junta in 1976 to kidnap two Jesuit priests, whom he, as superior of the Society of Jesus of Argentina in 1976, had asked to leave their pastoral work following conflict within the Society over how to respond to the new military dictatorship, with some priests advocating a violent overthrow. Bergoglio's spokesman has flatly denied the allegations. No evidence was presented linking the cardinal to this crime.[6]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Bergoglio

[superpatriotman]

44. OMG! Neil Rogers twin brother!

...from another mother, of course

[RandiFan1290]

50. Neil Pope!

[cali]

35. From the Guardian blog:

The archbishop of Buenos Aires is a Jesuit intellectual who travels by bus and has a practical approach to poverty: when he was appointed a cardinal, Bergoglio persuaded hundreds of Argentinians not to fly to Rome to celebrate with him but instead to give the money they would have spent on plane tickets to the poor. He was a fierce opponent of Argentina's decision to legalise gay marriage in 2010, arguing children need to have the right to be raised and educated by a father and a mother. He was created a cardinal by John Paul II on 21 February 2001.

[Ikonoklast]

37. The RCC is losing ground and influence in South America to other Christian sects.

There was no need for an African Pope, the RCC is on a recruiting tear there; this is a delaying action against declining church enrollment and attendance in South America.

But a Jesuit Pope from Argentina, ex-Italy?

Just as bad as Benny the Rat.

Bergoglio is an accomplished theologian who distanced himself from liberation theology early in his career. He is thought to be close to Comunione e Liberazione, a conservative lay movement.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jorge_Bergoglio

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comunione_e_Liberazione

[Dawson Leery]

47. As South America gains affluence and education (freedom)

the populations will leave the church. The Vatican knows this. As you said, they are delaying the inevitable.

[Ikonoklast]

51. Threw them a bone...but it won't stop the losses.

The RCC has been the biggest tool used by those wielding political power to oppress the populations of that continent ever since it arrived on their shores.

Liberation Theology was a short-lived phenomenom, the Fascist Curates in the Vatican made certain it failed.

[dbackjon]

41. Fuck that homophobic asshole

He is the true work of Satan. Not gays like he says we are.

[DevonRex]

60. I'm praying

something bad, I confess. See my post below. I guess it isn't possible though, after all, that he would have lied like a politician and said he disapproved just until he got to be Pope and then suddenly got a vision or something that changed his mind.

As I said below, the one Catholic Church I've been to in years was in St Louis a couple of years ago. Jesuit priests there. And the congregation is half LGBT families with adopted children. They take part in all the ceremonies like everyone else. It was wonderful to see.

I'm a spiritual person but don't usually go to church. I would if I found one like that. Even if I had a hard time with it being Catholic. I'd have to make sure none of my money went to Rome so I could only donate my work for causes to help people and not the church. Alas, I don't live in St Louis.

[DevonRex]

56. As a group, I like Jesuits quite a lot

especially compared to some of the other types of priests. They are more progressive and concentrate on education. The Catholic church i attended in St Louis that joyfully celebrates its LGBT families has Jesuit priests.

And the Jesuits defied the Catholic Church during WW2 and actively rescued Jews: http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Society_of_Jesus#section_10
"Jesuits rescue efforts during the Holocaust"
Snip
"Jesuits were a target for Gestapo prosecution and many Jesuit priests were deported to concentration camps.[67]"
snip

[flamingdem]

62. I like this as a move to stem the rise of evangelicals in Latin America

I dislike the fire and brimstone crap

[whistler162]

70. Is he mulish and does he sound like Chill Wills?