Pope Francis: Early Life and Journey in the Catholic Church
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3 September 2024 19:55 WIB
TEMPO.CO, Jakarta - Pope Francis has arrived in Indonesia for his apostolic journey today, September 3, 2024. In Indonesia, the leader of the World Catholic Church is scheduled to make several visits.
On September 4, 2024, the Pope will meet President Joko Widodo at the Merdeka Palace in Jakarta. The next day, Pope Francis will attend an interfaith meeting at the Istiqlal Mosque.
He will then continue his activities by meeting with beneficiaries of charitable organizations at the Office of the Bishops' Conference of Indonesia (KWI). After that, he will lead the Mass at GBK Stadium.
Pope Francis’ Journey in the Catholic Church
Pope Francis, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, is the leader of the World Catholic Church and the Head of State of the Vatican City. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina on December 17, 1936, he is the 266th Pope, succeeding Pope Benedict XVI, and the first Pope of the Americas.
Pope Francis is the son of Italian immigrants. His father, Mario, was an accountant for a railroad company, while his mother, Regina Sivori, was a housewife.
Bergoglio graduated as a chemical technician and then chose the path of the priesthood, entering the Diocesan Seminary of Villa Devoto. On 11 March 1958, he entered the novitiate of the Society of Jesus.
After completing his studies in Chile and earning a philosophy degree from the Colegio de San José in San Miguel, Bergoglio taught literature and psychology in Santa Fé and Buenos Aires from 1964 to 1966. He continued his theology studies and obtained a degree from the Colegio San José in 1970.
He was ordained a priest on December 13, 1969, and continued his training at the University of Alcalá de Henares, Spain. On April 22, 1973, he made his final profession with the Jesuits. Back in Argentina, he taught and served as an academic at the Theological Faculty of San Miguel, Provincial Consultor of the Society of Jesus, and Rector of the Colegio Máximo.
On July 31, 1973, he was appointed Provincial of the Jesuits in Argentina. On May 20, 1992, Pope John Paul II appointed him Titular Bishop of Auca and Auxiliary Bishop of Buenos Aires. He received his episcopal ordination on May 27 and chose the episcopal motto “miserando atque eligendo.”
Bergoglio was elected Pope in a Papal Conclave on March 13, 2013. He previously served as Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998 and was consecrated cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II.
Pope Francis is known for his humility, empathy, and concern for the poor, as well as his commitment to interreligious dialogue. He is a supporter of gender equality and has stressed the need for the Church to be more open to all communities while fighting discrimination.
A former academic, Francis has sharply criticized unbridled capitalism, consumerism, and overdevelopment, while encouraging a focus on environmental sustainability and climate change prevention. He has also opposed the death penalty and called for its abolition globally.
In international diplomacy, Pope Francis has played a role in mediating conflicts, such as between the United States and Cuba and the refugee crisis in Europe and Central America. In 2022, he also apologized to the indigenous people in Canada.
RADEN PUTRI ALPADILLAH | FRANCISCA CHRISTY ROSANA | EIBEN HEIZAR
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