Pope Francis -- what a change his 3 years brings

We are approaching the third anniversary of the sudden resignation/retirement of Benedict for health reasons and the naming of the Argentine Cardinal Bergoglio as his successor Pope Francis.   What a difference this man of humility and service has brought to the Vatican and to worldwide Roman Catholicism.

Gone are many of the fancy trappings  -- the luxurious papal apartments, the limousines, the red shoes, the gold and glitter -- replaced by the simple, homespun, self-effacing style of the man who chose for his papal name that of the gentle, 12 century man of the people:   Francis of Assisi.

In his three years as Pope Francis, this former teacher and Franciscan priest has become known for his humility, his concern for the poor, and his emphasis on God's grace and mercy rather than on the numerous sins of mankind.

Although he has not sought to overturn church doctrine on abortion, divorce, gay marriage, or the ordination of women, he has declared that the church has been "obsessed" by those issues;   and he has encouraged a more inclusive and compassionate attitude toward people who have transgressed.   If he has not changes the rules, he has changed the tone.

Francis has chosen to speak out more on issues involving poverty, global warming, consumerism, and cooperation with other faith groups.   He played an active, though largely unpublicized, role in helping to restore diplomatic relations between the U.S. and Cuba.

He has also overhauled much of the entrenched and corrupt operations of the Vatican, and he has addressed more forthrightly than his predecessors the scandal of sexually abusive priests and their enablers in the church hierarchy.

His world-wide popularity is shown by being chosen "Person of the Year" for 2013 by both Time and The Advocate magazines, while Esquire named him "best-dressed" man for his simpler vestments and style.   Fortune magazine ranked him as #1 of it's list of 50 greatest leaders in 2015, and Forbes picked him for the fourth place slot on its list of "Most Powerful Person in the World."

What really matters most, though, is the example being set by this man of the people -- whether or not one is catholic.  He deserves a place in our modern pantheon of worldwide men of peace:   Albert Schweitzer, Mahatma Gandi, Martin Luther King, Jr., Nelson Mandela, Bishop Desmond Tutu, the Dalai Lama, and Jimmy Carter.

Let's not forget that there are some good things happening in the world today.

Ralph