There’s nobody arguing the fact that the Roman Catholic Church is in major trouble.  It’s arguably what tore Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI apart and ravaged him in stress so much the past eight years of his life.

Between corruption, internal bickering in the Vatican, and the east-west divide on issues such as contraception — not to mention, the continually growing sex-abuse scandals that never seem to end; the biggest thought in my mind during Sede Vacante was ‘I don’t envy the new pope his upcoming tasks.’

For the first time in history, the world sees two Holy Fathers — the now Bishop of Rome Emeritus, Benedict XVI and his successor, the first Francis, named after Saint Francis of Assisi; which has definitely fit the former Cardinal Bergolio’s actions as supreme pontiff thus far.

Can the election of a jesuit pontiff who shuns many of the traditional papal symbols and stereotypes of office bring the Catholic Church the shot in the arm of change it needs?  Does he, with the wisdom of his predecessor, an arm’s length away within the Vatican; and his jesuit and Saint Francis’ roots give him the necessary tools to reform the Catholic church in it’s most turbulent days since the time of the Great Split?

Related articles

• Relevancy of the Roman Catholic Church in the 21st Century (tnrajaachieve2020.wordpress.com)
• Editorial: Pope Francis reminds us what matters (suntimes.com)
• New pope is 1st Francis, saint of peace, poverty (sacbee.com)
• Pope shocks his flock by washing women’s feet in Maundy ceremony (thetimes.co.uk)
• Pope Francis Washes Women and Muslim Prisoners’ Feet in Easter First (goldenageofgaia.com)
• Pope Francis washes feet of Muslims in unprecedented Easter rite (rawstory.com)
• Pope washes feet of young detainees in Holy Thursday ritual (worldnews.nbcnews.com)