CANADA
CBC – Current
In Buenos Aires the faithful were jubilant over one of their own, the first Pope from Latin America known for his humility and austerity… a man who rode the bus, who even as Cardinal chose to live in a spare apartment rather than the appointed opulent official church residence. Jorge Mario Bergoglio’s transition to Pope Francis the First comes at a time of tenacious difficulties in the Roman Catholic Church … thus far he remains untouched by the sexual abuse scandal but he may yet be haunted by his ties to another unsavory chapter of Church history concerning Argentina’s Dirty War. Today, we’re asking about the many facets of the man whose own religious journey has intersected with political turmoil.
Retired Argentinian Ambassador, Luis Mendiola
Jorge Mario Bergoglio originally studied as a chemist. But it was some remarkable Alchemy that transformed the former archbishop of Buenos Aires into the first Pope from the New World. And the man who will oversee the Catholic church as Pope Francis has more challenging transmutations ahead.
Outrage over the sexual abuse scandals that plague the Church has driven many Catholics away. His orthodox views on abortion, same-sex marriage, and contraception would seem unlikely to attract many 21st century converts. And Argentina’s own relationship with the Catholic Church from the time of its Dirty War remains controversial.
All daunting issues to tackle, but our next guest thinks Pope Francis is up for the job. Luis Mendiola is a retired Argentinian ambassador. In the 1980s, he served as councillor of the Argentinean Embassy to the Holy See in Rome. Today he joined us from Buenos Aires.
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