THE LIFE OF

POPE FRANCIS
Nicolas Zarate & Wrenina Yu

1
BACKGROUND
Born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on 17 December 1936 in Buenos Aires,
Argentina, to Italian immigrants
Eldest of five children
First Latin American and Jesuit Pope

VOCATION te primera, springs on you 2

Theme of ministry: Compassion

Motto: “Miserando et eligendo” - “through the eyes of
mercy and choosing him.”

MINISTRY JESUIT
3
Served as Jesuit provincial of Argentina (1973)
Came to fully identify with the ‘slum priests:’ “If you touch
him, you touch me.” 4
Considers time in Cordoba as exile, mentioning that it was
‘a time of great interior crisis.’ 5
Called out of his exile to become a bishop.6

BISHOP/ARCHBISHOP
7
Named bishop of auxiliary of Buenos Aires (1992)

CARDINAL
played an active role in CELAM 8

POPE (266th) 9
Made drastic changes in the Vatican bureaucracy, taking
up the challenge of a radical renewal in the Church

DOCUMENTS
Lumen Fidei (2013) 10
Evangelii Gaudium (2013)
Addresses every believer, lay or cleric, reminding the
entire Church of its missionary commitments
Invocation of Mary

1 Allan Moss, “A Profile of Pope Francis,” Grace & Truth 37, no. 2 (August 2017): 7.
2 Ibid
3 Cf.Moss, "A Profile of Pope Francis," 8.
4 Cf. Ibid.
5 Cf. Ibid.
6 Cf. Ibid.
7 Cf. Ibid.
8 Cf.Moss, "A Profile of Pope Francis," 9.
9 Cf.Moss, "A Profile of Pope Francis," 10.
10 Ibid..
 Laudato Si’ (2015) 11
Calls for the recognition of the immense dignity of each
person, ‘who is not just something, but somebody.’
Concludes with attention to Mary, Mother and Queen of
all creation.

Amoris Laetitia (2016) 12

Focuses on the importance, spirituality, and marriage of
family, which is basic to the renewal in the Church
Concluded with an invocation to the Holy Family.

Gaudete et Exsultate (2018)

Papal bull ‘Year of Mercy,’ Misericordiae Vultus 13

Arises from the depths of his spirituality an experience
Fervent proclamation of love to be read as a passionate

14
Apostolic letter Misericordia et Misera
Emphasizes how we are all called to celebrate mercy.

15
WHO HE IS

Bold and unpredictable, intending the Church to be seen

in its authenticity.

He believes in reforming the Vatican bureaucracy and

prelates must undergo purification to serve the Church
better.

He strives to be leor goyim lihyoth yeshuati - ‘a light to

the nations, that salvation may reach to the ends of the
Earth.’

His resolve is to ‘preach the Lord Jesus and to lead the

people with wisdom and strength.’

He knows that the merciful heart of Jesus is stronger than

that of sin.

11 Ibid., 12.
12 Ibid., 10.
13 Ibid., 12.
14 Cf. Ibid., 13.
15 Cf. Ibid., 13-14.