Pope’s power still relevant
Francis continues to make strong statements in his recent visit to the U.S.
History was made late September when Pope Francis visited the U.S. and became the first pope to address Congress. Many questions were raised when Francis first began his journey on American soil as he addressed social, moral and political issues through his services and speeches.
Catholic — Pope Francis visited the White House last week in his tour of the Western Hemisphere. Google Images
His views have been called into question the past few weeks, but one thing remains true: Francis still has immeasurable influence.
Roman Catholicism, the denomination over which the pope rules, is practiced by an estimated 1.2 billion people worldwide, according to BBC. With so many people a part of the denomination, stances taken by the pope and the Vatican impact the world greatly.
“The Catechism of the Catholic Church,” written by Pope John Paul II in 1992, describes the pope as holding “full, supreme, and universal power over the whole Church, a power which he can always exercise unhindered.”
Seen clearly in history, the pope’s power in the Catholic Church is almost unlimited as the primary decision maker.
“Kings knelt before popes; crusades were launched by popes; the calendar was redefined by a pope; Latin America was divided between Spain and Portugal by a pope,” James Carroll of
The New Yorker said.
Francis, however, is breaking this pattern of papal supremacy. The first non-European pope in more than 1,200 years, according to the New York Times, has spent time taking a stand on social, moral and political issues and humbling himself among people all over the world while changing the tides in what defines Roman Catholicism.
In addition to opting out of living in the papal apartment of the Vatican and choosing to live in the guesthouse, according to the Washington Post, Francis also skipped a lunch with politicians during his visit to D.C. last month to spend time with the homeless population in Washington.
“The son of God knew what it was to be a homeless person,” Francis said, according to The Huffington Post. “What it was to start life without a roof over his head.”
Taking time to serve those in the community so openly and freely is something we have not seen from a pope in years. In addition to serving those less fortunate than himself, Francis also uses his power to take a stand for what he believes in.
During his visit to the U.S., Francis became the first pope to ever address Congress, according to the New York Times. During the speech, he reminded members of Congress about the need for hope in today’s world.
“Our efforts must aim at restoring hope, righting wrongs, maintaining commitments and thus promoting the well-being of individuals and of peoples,” Francis said.
Even with many left-leaning comments made in recent months about gay rights and climate change that I do not agree with, Francis is making an honorable effort to bridge a gap between the leaders of the Catholic Church and the people.
“The Golden Rule also reminds us of our responsibility to protect and defend human life at every stage of its development,” Francis said according to the New York Times.
As a Catholic myself, I view the pope in a different light than those who do not identify with the Catholicism. Nevertheless, the pope’s influence cannot be negated. As the leader of one of the largest denominations in the world, the pope holds a special seat in the world’s eye, traveling the globe and bringing the Bible with him.
“[The best moments of Francis’ visit] were when the schoolchildren sang to him, when he greeted prisoners one by one, when he encouraged refugee families,” Elizabeth Dias of TIME said. “Each place we went, thousands, sometimes hundreds of thousands of people, had been waiting for hours to catch a glimpse of him, sometimes on roads, in fields or in churches. … Presidents fawn over him, children run to him, and he commands the situation, even without signaling he is doing so.”
While changing the Catholic Church, Francis is making history and using his influence on about 1.2 billion people around the world to create a positive influence.
STEFANICK is an opinion writer.