“Style is man. »» If it was necessary to summarize what was the pontificate of Pope Francis, that would be this. As soon as it appeared at the Saint-Pierre balcony [en 2013] Whoever had just chosen the name of François in reference to the poor of Assisi imposed an unprecedented style and tone. A simple “good evening”, a request for prayer for itself before blessing the crowd, the refusal to occupy the pontifical apartments: these first gestures do not fall under a simple artifice of communication. During these twelve years, François assumed this rupture by embodying a closer, more humble papacy, in other words, closer to the message of the Gospels.
The message is simple and understandable by all: the Pope is at the service of the weakest and most vulnerable, because they are at the heart of the Gospel. Those whom the world perceives as “last” are the first in the hearts of God. John Paul II had wanted to restore a form of power and authority of the Catholic Church, Benoît XVI was on the side of rigor and reason, at the risk of rigidity. François is the one who leans towards the poorest, south and what he calls “The peripheries”and he said to them: “God is on your side. »»
His way of being, without prison, without primer, has amply contributed to restoring a positive image of the papacy in global public opinion. On the other hand, he disappointed, even irritated, those for whom Catholicism is an identity that he is of their duty to protect.
From July 2013, during his trip to Lampedusa, he set the tone. By throwing a crown of flowers into the sea, he pays tribute to the thousands of dead migrants while trying to cross the Mediterranean and denounce “The globalization of indifference”. It is a spiritual and moral position. Since then, tirelessly, he has condemned restrictive migration policies, has been criticizing the selfishness of the rich northern nations and preaching a duty of unconditional hospitality in time. He is accused of doing politics, he retorts that it is the Gospel.
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Source: Lemonde