More Than a Priest
On March 13, 2013, Jorge Mario Bergoglio succeeded Pope Benedict XVI and became the 226th Pope of the Catholic Church. Bergoglio took the name Francis and has been known as Pope Francis since. Since his inception as the figurehead of the Catholic church, Pope Francis has made great strides towards equality in and out of the church.
Pope Francis has stood for causes nearly no other religious figure has. He heavily supported the COVID-19 vaccine and encouraged people in and out of the Vatican to get it, saying that Catholics have a “moral obligation” to get vaccinated. In 2023 he approved blessings for same-sex couples within informal Catholic settings, and considers climate change to be a threat to our safety. His radical stance on these topics has encouraged many Catholic individuals to lean into these ideas, creating a wider understanding of differences in the Catholic Church, something that has not been so easily welcomed before.
Despite his work towards a brighter future for all, Pope Francis faces health hardships, just like anyone else. On February 14, Pope Francis was hospitalized for what was originally thought to be just double pneumonia. Doctors have since determined he is experiencing some signs of kidney failure. Double pneumonia can be deadly and possible kidney failure can prove fatal for any 88-year-old, but the Pope continues to defy the odds. Despite being in and out of critical condition with an oxygen tank by his side, he has continued to advocate for change. Two days into his hospitalization he video-called with the only priest of Gaza’s only Catholic Church, telling him that his support for Palestinian rights has not wavered. Pope Francis has been a catalyst for change since his inception as the Pope and it seems no amount of health scares can change that.
