V stredu 13. 3. 13 bol zvolený nový rímsky biskup. Stal sa ním Argentínčan s talianskymi koreňmi Jorge Mario Bergoglio SJ (1936), ktorý prijal meno František. Nový pápež je predovšetkým teológ, ale má aj prírodovedné- chemické vzdelanie. Po 13 storočiach má Cirkev na čele Neeurópana. Pre podstatu všeobecnosti či univerzality, teda katolicizmu Cirkvi je to pozitívny moment. Zvlášť ak ide o prvého pápeža z už tradične prevažne katolíckeho kontinentu. Fakt, že nový pápež je prvým členom Spoločnosti Ježišovej za takmer 500 rokov jej existencie na tomto poste, je dôležitý a zaujímavý sám osebe. Práve jezuiti sa vyznačujú vernosťou Petrovmu stolcu. Jorge Mario Bergoglio pozná situáciu v Latinskej (aké dnes symbolické) Amerike, kde sa striedali(jú) pri moci rôzne experimenty „kultúry smrti“. Tým nám môže byť blízky. Navyše slúži aj vo východom obrade, čo je o to viac potešiteľné, pretože jeho blízkym pomocníkom mu bude arcibiskup Cyril Vasiľ SJ. Prijatie úplne nového pápežského mena František, tohto pre Cirkev mena tak dôležitého, tiež o Františkovi veľa vypovedá. Tešíme sa!
Živ, Bože, Otca Svätého, námestníka Kristovho!
To, že kardinál Bergoglio bol jedným z favoritov, sa dá vytušiť aj z „wikileaks“ pred voľbou Benedikta XVI:
BERGOGLIO, Jorge Mario: Born December 17, 1936 in Buenos
Aires, and ordained December 13, 1969 during his theological
studies at the Theological Faculty of San Miguel. Bergoglio
served as Jesuit Provincial (elected leader of the order) for
Argentina (1973-79) and rector of the Philosophical and
Theological Faculty of San Miguel (1980-86). After completing
his doctoral dissertation in Germany, Bergoglio served as a
confessor and spiritual director in Cordoba. In 1992, the Pope
appointed him Assistant Bishop of Buenos Aires; then in 1997, he
was appointed Coadjutor Archbishop (deputy archbishop with right
of succession) of Buenos Aires; ultimately becoming Archbishop
on February 28, 1998. Bergoglio is the vice-President of the
Argentine Bishops Conference and serves on the Vatican’s
committee for the worldwide synod of bishops (a grouping of all
bishops conferences). He speaks Spanish, Italian and German.
Bergoglio exemplifies the virtues of the wise pastor that many
electors value. Observers have praised his humility: he has
been reluctant to accept honors or hold high office and commutes
to work on a bus. What could count against him is his
membership in the Jesuit order. Some senior prelates,
especially conservatives, are suspicious of a liberal streak in
the order, perhaps most pronounced in the U.S., but also present
elsewhere. Bergoglio is said to prefer life in the local Church
as opposed to a bureaucratic existence in Rome’s ecclesiastical
structures, but at the same time he has been willing to serve on
the Vatican’s various supervisory committees. This could
indicate an ability to bridge the curia/local church divide that
splits the College of Cardinal Electors, making him a good
compromise candidate.