Last Thursday, following our weekly “news quiz”, the Sophomore class entered an interesting conversation about Pope Francis and his continually evolving role in the world (a very kairotic conversation considering the Pope is currently visiting the United States). During the discussion, some of the points that were brought up included the surprising nature of recent backlash against the Pope from religious conservatives, and how Pope Francis has strayed from the beliefs and actions of previous popes. A few people even spoke out against the Pope, saying that the Pope has no place in dealing with issues that are largely political, such as immigration in the United States. However, the one point that was emphasized most was the Pope’s immense popularity among both the religious and non-religious pockets of society. It seems like his popularity has reached an unprecedented level, especially for a religious leader.
Our discussion inspired me to investigate exactly what it is about Pope Francis that has made him such a popular public figure. Is it the selfies he has taken with his younger followers? Is it his constant presence on social media sites such as Twitter? An article in Relevant Magazine (a progressive, Christian lifestyle magazine) suggests that, ironically, the pope’s popularity stems from his “un-popelike” tendencies. For example, it cites the Pope’s frequent use of public transportation back when he was a cardinal in Argentina. The article also mentions Pope Francis’s “Christ-like character,” which backs up his well-known Christ-like rhetoric. His actions demonstrate what it means to be a servant leader, and the qualities every leader should possess. For example, before the Holy Thursday Mass in 2013, the Pope spent time washing the feet of young women incarcerated in a prison—the first time a pope had ever washed the feet of women.
In addition, his popularity across all people has certainly been helped by his genuine nature of acceptance. Before celebrating his first Christmas Mass as pope in 2013, Pope Francis made an appeal to atheists and followers of other faiths. In his “Urbi et Orbi” (Latin for “to the city and to the world”) speech, he urged “every man or woman … who hopes for a better world,” even nonbelievers, to unify and help those ravaged by war. It seems as if the more the Pope deviates from traditional and expected behavior, the more people respect and revere him.
I believe Pope Francis’s growing popularity has transformed him into a world leader, rather than an exclusively Catholic leader, as past popes were considered to be. As a devout Hindu myself, the Pope’s publicized messages and speeches have made me curious to learn more about Catholocism and Christianity, and to find the parallels between Christianity and Hinduism. Pope Francis preaches a message of love—to love all humankind and to love the Earth we call our home, a message of love that is universal across every religion and culture. He preaches acceptance of those different from us, and he calls on everyone to unite for peace. His understanding of human nature is what I think makes him so easy to identify with, even for people in non-Christian societies. He is much like the Dalai Lama, the sprititual leader of Tibetan Buddhism, both of whom are revered and lauded worldwide. Essentially, Pope Francis’s popularity boils down to this: the message of care and compassion that he preaches is not applicable to only Catholics or Christians, but rather to all of mankind. It’s these universal messages that make this pope so much more endearing than past popes have been.
Articles / Further Reading:
http://www.relevantmagazine.com/current/why-pope-so-popular
http://www.businessinsider.com/pope-to-atheists-we-need-your-help-2013-12
Follow Us!