UNITED STATES
USA Today
David Gibson, Religion News Service September 23, 2015
Pope Francis is widely viewed as the “pope of change.” But just how is he changing the Catholic Church — and the world? What matters most to him? Here’s a look at 7 main elements of his pontificate.
1. Walking the walk
Every pope is first and foremost a teacher of the faith. A firm faith is the foundation for all that the Catholic Church does and preaches. But for Francis, more than most pontiffs, faith is expressed in deeds more than in sermons. He likes to cite the adage attributed to St. Francis of Assisi, whose name he took when elected pope: “Always preach the gospel — use words if you have to.”
For Francis, this is the essence of Christianity, and it is how the church must live in order to be true to the gospel — and to have any credibility going forward. He has modeled that mission by shunning the trappings of the office, living simply and trying to get the Vatican to do the same: He has installed showers for the homeless near St. Peter’s Square and sends a personal aide into the streets of Rome to dispense charity to the needy.
Francis says the Catholic Church must focus outward if it is to find its true self, and that’s a revolution in the way the institutional church has worked.
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