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Helping to bring good Pope Francis is bringing a new, more accepting face to the Catholic Church. Pope Francis is shocking the public with each interview and public appearance he makes. And I mean shocking in a good way. Never before has another pope been so frank and expressed the views that Pope Francis has in his casual, easy tone. He is bringing a refreshing perspective and a more open attitude to the Catholic Church, which is exactly what is needed right now. Pope Francis believes that for too long the church has been focused on the same things, even openly stating that it is obsessed with things like abortion and gay marriage. That Pope Francis is bringing a new perspective to topics that have been so thoroughly covered in the past is a cause for hope and celebration. What Pope Francis is bringing to the Catholic Church is an awakening, one that allows for more inclusion and a shift of focus. In a revealing interview conducted by Antonio Spadaro on September 30, 2013 for the America Magazine, Pope Francis said that he sees the church as a field hospital after battle. Its aim should be to heal and recover, rather than to continue with a constant focus on the same things. Already, the pope has gone to prisons and washed the feet of prisoners, hugged disabled children, and visited refugee centers. He washed the women prisoners feet instead of just mens, something never done by a pope before. Backlash at Pope Franciss views are inevitable, yet there doesnt seem to be much as of now. The public truly admires and looks up to him. They are pleasantly surprised at his open support of same sex-marriage and his vision of equality in the Church. His now famous quote on homosexuality, Who am I to judge?, is a

reflection of the significant steps that much of society is making and the shifting attitude in regards to same-sex marriage. Even some non-Catholic appreciate Pope Francis. In a time of global struggle and turmoil, it is nice to have something going right. What people around the world need now is something to be happy and hopeful about. With the news being dominated by the Syria decision, another mass shooting and the looming government shutdown, it is important to keep morale up and the pope is helping achieve this. When times are hard many people turn to the Church, and with a leader like Pope Francis, they have good reason to. More people feel included in the Church because of the popes simple words of Gods acceptance. The pope has the right idea in his vision of what the Catholic Church should be to benefit all people. He is calling for less attention on the same issues, more acceptance, and an embrace of all people who want to be a part of it. The pope argues that the church has been hyper-focused on small-minded rules for too long. What makes him so likeable and different from other popes is his conversational tone and easygoing personality. How could one not like him? He uses public transportation and lives in small quarters, having asked for them instead of the usual luxurious homes occupied by popes. While it seems as though a change is coming, it wont be immediate. The pope himself admits that real change takes time and a solid groundwork. If he continues on this path, the change will be powerful and overall good for the Catholic community and the world. Those who say that the pope can talk about change but wont actually take action need to give him time. Change takes time, and with Pope Francis pioneering it, there is a good chance it is going to come.