Pope Francis: Bridge Builder
By Ian MacMillan (COL'19)
Almost five years after white smoke poured out of the chimney atop the Sistine Chapel announcing his election, Pope Francis has achieved an almost rock star-like status unlike any of his predecessors. Georgetown’s Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life unraveled the myth and the man at its Dialogue "The Francis Factor at Five Years."
Preceding a panel discussion, Father Antonio Spadaro, editor-in-chief of La Civiltà Cattolica and a key advisor to Pope Francis, offered his own reflection on the Pope's progress over the last five years. Father Spadaro explained that the Pope's primary goal is to dialogue effectively and bring peace to an embattled world and offered a look into Pope Francis' mind that only a key adviser could, setting the stage for the panel discussion.
John Carr, director of the Initiative on Catholic Social Thought and Public Life at Georgetown, led the discussion, which included Greg Erlandson of Catholic News Service, Sister Norma Pimentel, the executive director of Rio Grande Valley Catholic Charities who was personally recognized by Pope Francis for her humanitarian work, and Kirsten Powers of CNN. The panel cut down to precisely what the "Francis Factor" is, specifically, the guy walks and talks like Jesus.
Before going to the Dialogue, I had not thought about how the Pope acts and the message that he projects. Pope Francis embodies the same ideals and values that are taught at thousands of churches and schools, such as Georgetown University, around the globe. As a physics major at most other universities, I would not be exposed to the Pope or any religious classes, which is unfortunate. As Kirsten Powers noted during the discussion, this Pope is not just a Catholic leader but a moral one as well. Non-Catholics can learn about dignity and justice from observing how he lives his life.
The Dialogue concluded with the simple conclusion that Pope Francis brings the Catholic Church back to its roots. He operates on a fundamental level, leading the Catholic Church by example and building bridges across religious lines. Pope Francis truly embodies the idea of the original meaning of pontiff: bridge builder.
Ian MacMillan (COL'19) is a junior in the College studying physics.