By Matthew Laurrie
Copy Editor
I need to preach a hearty “hallelujah” to Pope Francis. As a self-declared fallen Catholic, I applaud @Pontifex’s attempts to undertake his position with a progressive mindset and become what the Catholic Church so desperately needs: a pope for the people.
My pessimism was certainly more audible than my prayers when Francis assumed the papacy in March. “What a surprise – another conservative old white man will sit on the throne of hypocrisy,” I remember bellowing when news broke that the Church had a new leader. Yet, His Holiness has, thus far, proved to be a blessing.
A few weeks ago, Pope Francis made headlines for taking a “selfie-esque” photograph with a group of students visiting the Vatican, according to an Aug. 31 Yahoo News story. Aside from wondering which Instagram filter the pontiff selected (I’d bet my best pair of nonexistent rosary beads on Earlybird), I was dazzled at how this notion truly marks a heaven-sent change within the church and some of its officials.
Besides making his mark as a quasi-social media maven, Pope Francis has voiced his opinion on a few other topics. Just months ago, @Pontifex released statements regarding his open-minded views on some extremely controversial subjects including abortion, gay marriage and contraception.
I’ve always envisioned His Holiness sitting in an ornately decorated room at the Vatican, fervently reading the Bible while an organ drones on in the background. However, it is evident that the Pope is using his head-honcho status as a platform to reach out to Catholics and become the leader this generation needs.
His Holiness doesn’t necessarily want to drastically alter traditional beliefs; instead, he intends to focus on the value of unity and universal inclusivity for all individuals within the institution. Together with his dynamic prospects for the future and his widespread appeal, Pope Francis has the ability to restore faith and liveliness within the Church – something his negligent predecessors have ignored. I’m not here to crucify past popes. I’m simply stating that I can’t think of a single pontiff in the past few decades who has worked so hard to identify with ordinary parishioners.
I often classify myself as hell-bent on criticizing the Catholic Church for its duplicitous beliefs, antiquated values and downright hideous garb. But it certainly is refreshing to have a down-to-earth pope who is able to keep up with the ever-changing world and work toward creating a healthy, more welcoming image for the church.
“The thinking of the Church must recover genius and better understand how human beings understand themselves today, in order to develop and deepen the Church’s teaching,” Pope Francis said.
While I’m not quite ready to head over to the Doyle Chapel or extend God’s blessing to every Bonnie I encounter, I am moved by the way in which Pope Francis is using his papacy to reevaluate the true meaning of the church community. His advocacy for love and inclusion rather than judgment and rejection is spot-on.
Amen, Pope Francis, amen.
