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VOL.6 ISSUE 1 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 15-16, 2013
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HABEMUS PAPAM. Pope Francis I (Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina) is named the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church. [From the wires]
Emphasis on Church
Indulge
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Bishop Capalla hails election of new Pope
By EJ Dominic Fernandez
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HE new Pope, Pope Francis, will bring emphasis on the Roman Catholic Church, not changes. This is the statement of former Archbishop Fernando Capalla who described his feelings yesterday as “very” happy and grateful that the Catholic Church has a new Pope in a short period of time after the resignation of Pope Benedict the XVI. Capalla told Edge Davao his expectations of the new Pope saying, “’Changes’ would not be a proper word, emphasis would be more appropriate.” He said, “I knew him personally at the synod of 2005 where he presided over the workshop group.” “Even then some were already whispering he could be the next Pope,” said Capalla.
A man of many firsts, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio of Argentina, now the newly elected Pope Francis I, is known as a man with the spirituality of humility and poverty. He is the pope that is known for his care for the people with Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and is also known for his concern for single mothers with children denied with baptism in his archdiocese. His election was historical because he is the first Jesuit pope, first non- European Pope since the 8th century, the first from the Latin America, and the very first Pontiff to take the name of Francis. He is also known for his simplicity. The new pope refused to reside in the archbishop’s palace, he takes public transport everyday, and he cooks his own meal.
The new pope took the name Francis, the very first for papal names, to honor St. Francis of Assisi who is a lover of nature and a servant of the poor and the destitute.
The choice of the name itself was tagged “precedent shattering”. The name symbolizes poverty, humility, simplicity and the rebuilding of the Catholic Church. Because of the new
pope’s humble characteristics, he is now called the “Pope of the People” and the “back-to-basics Pope.” Pope Francis is the successor of Pope Benedict the XVI who retired.
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