By: Tyler Grundi
Contributing Writer
Pope Francis has been the topic of discussion for some time now. With liberals and conservatives attempting to make him “their pope,” some may be confused as to what this pope truly stands for.
In a simple phrase, Pope Francis is the people’s pope. He belongs to neither party nor ideology; he is the voice of the Church and the people it serves.
This week, St. Bonaventure was fortunate enough to send nine students to witness the pope’s arrival in the United States. Amidst many speeches to the White House and Congress, many are anticipating what the pope may say.
This week, the pope made it clear that he will not let politics get in the way of preaching the Gospel and truth. Wednesday morning at an address at the White House, Pope Francis continued to echo the call for a “truly tolerant and inclusive” church, which rejects, “every form of unjust discrimination.”
Francis has made the ecological crises the focus of his papacy thus far. He stressed Wednesday the need for a renewed protection of our “common home,” addressing issues such as climate change and sustainability.
Conservatives like Marco Rubio are worried that Francis’ rhetoric is excluding hard issues such as abortion and gay marriage. Pope Francis makes sure that such issues are not ignored but rather expanded upon in a more holistic approach to human dignity.
After a front-row view of Pope Francis’ parade, St. Bonaventure students returned to the William Penn House for an environmental seminar. Students and faculty discussed the connection Pope Francis makes between care for the earth and care for each other.
In his Encyclical Laudato Si, Pope Francis states “When we fail to acknowledge …the worth of a person… it becomes difficult to hear the cry of nature itself.”
According to Pope Francis, the protection of our natural resources is essential in combating poverty and creating a greater sense of human dignity for all.
Later Wednesday evening, St. Bonaventure students and faculty broke bread with interfaith leaders at an environmental vigil. Catholics, Protestants, Sikhs and Jews came together to honor the pope in a very special way in celebrating environmental justice. The communication of faiths echoed Francis’ call for inclusivity in the church and the plea for everyone to respect our common home regardless of faith or background.
gruditj15@bonaventure.edu
