By David Zhang and Mary Levine
Pope Francis’s papacy began on March 13, 2013, and ever since, the Pope has guided the Catholic church on a path no pope has ever been down. Throughout his life, he has helped the poor and tried to connect together different people from different backgrounds and different faiths.
The church has been taken firm stances. on controversial issues such as abortion, contraception and homosexuality in the past. However, Francis, unlike his predecessor, has shown a willingness to consider these modern ideas.
A nearby church official at the Corpus Christi-St. Bernard Parish, Tom Griffin, believes that the new pope has truly embraced the fact that this is a global church.
“What seems to be making him appear different than previous popes is his willingness to step out from behind the fanfare of being the pope to be with ordinary people,” Griffin said. “He has shown up in soup kitchens, poor neighborhoods, spoken out for the needy, etc.”
Pope Francis demonstrated his differences from previous popes early in his papacy. In March, Francis opted against living in the traditional but extravagant living quarter meant for the pope and instead chose to reside in a simple apartment.
Camila Hernandez, a Catholic student, views the pope much differently than previous popes.
“He’s made a large impact in the church mostly because of his ability to be open to modern ideas such as acceptance of gay rights, which has been a conflicted issue in the church for many years,” Hernandez said. “He’s shown many people that it’s OK to accept these new ideas, and it’s OK to stray from the strict rules they once followed.”
Though the Roman Catholic Church is a less powerful institution than it was before, it is still the biggest religious organization in the world. Francis has truly embraced the modern society of which the church is now a part, and used it to connect to people, Griffin said.
“He’s appeared on the cover of many religious publications as well as secular magazines, like The Rolling Stone and GQ magazine,” Griffin said. “He has become a facebook, twitter and social media sensation in a very short time, unlike the pope before him.”
Hernandez believes that Pope Francis’ differences make him a better pope.
“He’s able to put himself down to any level in order to understand the pressing issues he faces,” Hernandez said. “He doesn’t see himself as more important than anyone else, and whenever given the chance, he interacts with his public, no matter what social class they are from.”
