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Table of Contents
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church in March 2013, becoming Pope Francis. He is known for his humility and outspoken support of the world’s poor and marginalized people and has been actively involved in political diplomacy and environmental advocacy.
See the fact file below for more information on Pope Francis or alternatively, you can download our 23-page Pope Francis worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.
Key Facts & Information
Pope Francis
- He was popular as the First Pope from (or of) the Americas. He was an Argentine Jesuit Archbishop of Buenos Aires.
- Despite his prominent position, he chose to live a simple life. He traveled across the continent for fifteen years during his episcopal ministry.
- He has sympathy for the poor and prefers to live in the House of Saint Martha, where he cooks his supper, rather than the Papal Apartments.
- He encourages his priests to be welcoming to all and to be courageous in their apostolic work. He points out self-centeredness as the worst thing that could happen to the Church.
- Before he was appointed Archbishop, he became a source of inspiration for his strong ideologies during the 2001 financial crisis in Buenos Aires.
Early Life
- Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in Flores on December 17, 1936. His father, Mario Jose Bergoglio, worked as an Italian immigrant accountant. His mother, Regina Maria Sivori, was born to a northern Italian family in Buenos Aires.
- During his sixth grade, he attended Wilfrid Barón de Los Santos Ángeles, a Salesians of Don Bosco school. He finished technical secondary education at Escuela Técnica Industrial N° 27 Hipólito Yrigoyen where he graduated with a chemical technician’s diploma.
- He used the skills he acquired in studying by working in the food section of Hickethier-Bachmann Laboratory for several years.
- He suffered from severe pneumonia and had three cysts when he was 21 years old. A part of his lung was excised.
Vocation
- He was on his way to celebrate Spring Day when he found his vocation to the priesthood. A priest in a church he passed by inspired him.
- He enrolled in the Inmaculada Concepción Seminary in Buenos Aires in 1955. On March 11, 1958, he became a novice in the Society of Jesus. He had second thoughts about pursuing a religious career after developing feelings for a girl he met. Nonetheless, he continued in his profession. In 1960, he became a Jesuit.
- He earned a diploma in philosophy from San Miguel’s Colegio Máximo de San José. He became a literature and psychology teacher at the Colegio de la Inmaculada Concepción and at the Colegio del Salvador.
Presbyterate
- He enrolled in the Facultades de Filosofa y Teologa de San Miguel in 1967 to begin his theological studies.
- On December 13, 1969, he was ordained to the priesthood. He later on became the master of novices and a professor of theology.
- In 1973, he took his solemn vows as a Jesuit after completing his spiritual training in Alcalá de Henares, Spain, and served as the provincial superior of the Society of Jesus in Argentina. When he became a provincial superior, he traveled to Jerusalem, but he had to leave immediately due to the Yom Kippur War.
- He was appointed rector of San Miguel’s Philosophical and Theological Faculty in 1980. He traveled to Ireland to study English. During his tenure, he emphasized popular religiosity and direct pastoral work, prompting Jesuit superior-general Peter Hans Kolvenbach to replace him with a social justice advocate.
- For possible dissertation topics, he looked into the work of theologian Romano Guardini. He went back to Argentina to work as a confessor and spiritual director for the Cordoban Jesuit community.
- Authorities asked him not to live in Jesuit houses after tensions between Jesuit leaders and scholars erupted in 1992.
Pre-Papal Episcopate
- In 1992, he became the Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires and was consecrated as the titular bishop of Auca by Cardinal Antonio Quarracino. His episcopal motto was Miserando atque eligendo, which was inspired by Saint Bede’s homily on Matthew 9:9-13, which stated, “because he saw him through the eyes of mercy and chose him.”
- On June 3, 1997, he succeeded in being the coadjutor archbishop of Buenos Aires. Following Quarracino’s death the following year, he was appointed metropolitan archbishop. He was able to establish new parishes and work on reorganizing the archdiocese’s administrative offices. He also established a divorce commission.
- He was called the “Slum Bishop” because he worked on increasing the number of priests assigned in the slums of Buenos Aires.
- He converted the archdiocese’s shares in multiple banks into normal accounts in international banks. He did this to force the church to exercise greater financial restraint, as the archdiocese was on the verge of bankruptcy.
- He reconciled with Jerónimo Podestá in 2000. Podesta was the bishop who was suspended because he opposed the military dictatorship that ruled Argentina during the 1972 revolution. He defended Podesta’s wife against the Vatican‘s attacks on their marriage.
- He celebrated every Holy Thursday ritual by washing feet in jails, hospitals, retirement homes, and slums. In 2007, he established a fixed place where a weekly Mass may be held.
- In 2005, he served his first term as president of the Argentine Episcopal Conference after he got elected on November 8. When his first three-year term expired, he was re-elected for a second three-year term. During his tenure, he issued a public apology for the church’s failure to protect people from the Junta during the Dirty War.
- He stepped down as Archbishop of Buenos Aires in December 2011. He remained in his position while the Vatican appointed a replacement.
Cardinalate
- On February 21, 2001, he was appointed cardinal priest of San Roberto Bellarmino. Jesuits served in the church. He was in charge of five positions in the Roman Curia. When Cardinal Edward Egan flew to New York, he took over as recording secretary for the Synod of Bishops.
- He was known as a cardinal for his humility, conservatism, and commitment to social justice. Instead of living in the bishop’s residence in Olivos, he chose to live in a small apartment. He led a simple life, commuting to work and preparing his meals.
- In 2005, he participated as a cardinal elector in the papal conclave where he became a frontrunner. In their September issue, the Italian magazine Limes stated that he had emerged as the main challenger to Cardinal Ratzinger.
Papacy
- In 2013, he got elected to the papacy as Pope Francis. His health conditions were not an issue to him doing his responsibilities, though back in 2007, his sciatica attack prevented him from attending a consistory.
- He was the first person from the Americas and the Southern Hemisphere to hold such a position.
- His approach as Pope was unusually less formal, making him approachable to many people. He paid a visit to Cardinal Jorge Mara Meja in the hospital and spoke with the patients and staff.
- Rather than living in the official papal residence, he chose to live in the Vatican guest house, where he could receive visitors and hold meetings.
- He is paid $400,000 per year as the head of the Vatican Church, but he does not live a lavish lifestyle. Instead, he donated most of his earnings to the poor and children’s education.
- He valued his papal name because he wanted to follow in the footsteps of Saint Francis of Assisi‘s willingness to reach out to the poor and show concern for nature. His papal life is guided by the motto “Miserando atque eligendo,” which translates to “having mercy and choosing.”
- His papacy’s central theme of God’s mercy caused conflict with traditionalists because they disagreed on issues such as the reception of Communion by remarried Catholics.
- He addressed real-life issues by directly appealing to the essence of having Jesus. He emphasized broad consultation and dialogue, as well as uplifting the people and criticizing clericalism.
- Most of his critics see his concern for the poor as a form of capitalism that he was controlling.
- One of his visions was to separate the Church from the Vatican, with control centered on local bishops. High-ranking conservatives rebuked him for allowing local bishops to decide on Communion issues for divorced and remarried Catholics.
Pope Francis Worksheets
This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Pope Francis across 23 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Pope Francis worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who was elected the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church in March 2013, becoming Pope Francis. He is known for his humility and outspoken support of the world’s poor and marginalized people and has been actively involved in political diplomacy and environmental advocacy.
Complete List Of Included Worksheets
- Fast Facts
- Papal Coat of Arms
- My Coat of Arms
- Five Finger Prayer
- Religious Orders
- A Little Helping Hand
- The Popes on TIME
- The Quotable Pope
- Around the World with Pope Francis
- Dear Pope Francis
Frequently Asked Questions
How much does Pope Francis make a year?
He is paid $400,000 per year as the head of the Vatican Church, but he does not live a lavish lifestyle.
What is Pope Francis famous for?
He was popular as the First Pope from (or of) the Americas.
Why is Pope Francis so beloved?
His approach as Pope was unusually less formal, making him approachable to many people.
What has Pope Francis done for the world?
Pope Francis donated most of his earnings to the poor and children’s education.
What does Pope Francis believe in?
He sympathizes with the poor and prefers to live in the House of Saint Martha, where he cooks his supper, rather than the Papal Apartments.
He encourages his priests to be welcoming to all and to be courageous in their apostolic work. He points out self-centeredness as the worst thing that could happen to the Church.
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Link will appear as Pope Francis Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, October 9, 2018
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