Pope Francis Condemns the Death of George Floyd

Posted on June 3, 2020 by Tom Castaneda

Pope Francis is speaking out against racism…

During a speech from the Vatican on Wednesday, the 83-year-old Argentine pontiff and leader of the Catholic Church, whose full name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio, condemned the death of George Floyd.

He directly addressed “brothers and sisters in the United States,” saying he has “witnessed with great concern the disturbing social unrest in your nation in these past days,” following the officer-involved death of Floyd, an unarmed black man in Minnesota.

“My friends, we cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form and yet claim to defend the sacredness of every human life,” he said. “At the same time, we have to recognize that the violence of recent nights is self-destructive and self-defeating.”

Floyd died in policy custody last week after a white officer knelt on his neck, sparking protests across the United States – most of them peaceful. Some demonstrations have turned violent and looting has been seen in cities nationwide.

The Pope said nothing is gained by violence and much is lost.

He also lead a prayer for Floyd “and of all those others who have lost their lives as a result of the sin of racism.”

“Let us pray for the consolation of their grieving families and friends and let us implore the national reconciliation and peace for which we yearn. May Our Lady of Guadalupe, Mother of America, intercede for all those who work for peace and justice in your land and throughout the world. May God bless all of you and your families,” he prayed.

We cannot tolerate or turn a blind eye to racism and exclusion in any form. At the same time, we have to recognize that violence is self-destructive and self-defeating. Nothing is gained by violence and so much is lost. Let us pray for reconciliation and peace.
— Pope Francis (@Pontifex) June 3, 2020

Fernando Meirelles to Direct the Pope Francis-Themed Film “The Pope”

Posted on September 6, 2017 by Tom Castaneda

Fernando Meirelles is ready to take you to (Catholic) church…

The 61-year-old Brazilian filmmaker is set to direct Netflix’s feature film The Pope, starring Jonathan Pryce as the leader of the Roman Catholic Church, Pope Francis.

Anthony Hopkins is in talks to play his predecessor Pope Benedict.

Meirelles, best known for helming City of God, will direct the film from a script

by Anthony McCarten, who wrote The Theory of Everything about Stephen Hawking. McCarten adapted his stage play.

The film tells the story of Pope Benedict’s election, and his subsequent resignation from the papacy. That opened the door for Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Argentinian Cardinal who became the first Jesuit pope, the first from the Americas and the first Pope from outside Europe since the 8th Century.

The drama conveys his reluctance to take the top post in 2013. His humility and devotion to the poor has made him a galvanizing force for tolerance and change.

Filming will begin November in Argentina.

Pope Francis Opens Instagram Account

Posted on March 20, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Pope Francis is expanding his social media network…

The 79-year-old Argentine pontiff, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, has joined Instagram gaining 325,000 followers in a matter of two hours.

In his first post on the photo-sharing application, the 266th Pope of the Roman Catholic Church, who holds the username @Franciscus, wrote “I am beginning a new journey, on Instagram, to walk with you along the path of mercy and the tenderness of God I want to walk with you along the way of God’s mercy and tenderness.”

He also shared an image of himself kneeling, bedecked in his white robe with the caption “Pray for me” in nine languages.

Instagram is the second social media channel that the beloved Catholic leader has joined.

In 2013, Pope Francis took over both the Papacy from Pope Benedict XVI and his Twitter account (@Pontifex), which has 8.89 million followers.

He also shared the news of his most recent account on Twitter, informing his followers, “I am beginning a new journey, on Instagram, to walk with you along the path of mercy and the tenderness of God.”

Pope Francis to Visit Colombia in 2017

Posted on January 26, 2016 by Tom Castaneda

Pope Francis is planning to visit Colombia next year…

The 79-year-old Argentine pontiff, born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, will travel to the South American country in 2017, the president of Colombia’s Episcopal Conference, Luis Augusto Castro, announced after meeting with the pontiff at the Vatican.

“The conclusions (of the meeting) are not so extraordinary but they are certain. The first is that the pope will definitely go to Colombia. He simply reaffirmed his pleasure at visiting us in Colombia,” he said.

He said the second conclusion of the meeting is that the Pope’s visit to the Latin American nation “will only be possible in the first or second quarter” of 2017, because “his agenda this year is full.”

Castro added that “the pope wants to meet with the largest possible number of Colombians who want to hear him and be with him.”

“We’re not going to pick a sanctuary in some little private place. No. He wants to be accessible to the greatest number of Colombians possible,” he told the press.

He added that it is “almost certain” he will visit Quibdo in the western province of Choco.

“He wants to meet with ethnic minorities, with those of African descent. So I believe that is settled. The rest has to be worked out,” said the head of the Episcopal Conference, who is also the archbishop of Tunja.

“The Pope wants to do so much; he told us he also wants to visit other places. He said ‘Brazil is waiting for me and Argentina is yelling.’ But Colombia is the priority,” he laughed.

As for the peace process between the Colombian government and the guerrillas, Castro Quiroga said “the pope is very interested in the matter,” but “the peace process won’t influence his visit.”

Taking part in the papal audience besides Castro were the archbishop of Bogota, Cardinal Ruben Salazar Gomez; Msgr. Oscar Urbina Ortega, the archbishop of Villavicencio and vice president of the Episcopal Conference of Colombia; and the secretary general of the conference, Jose Daniel Falla Robles, bishop of Calama and auxiliary bishop of Cali.

Pope Francis is the Subject of an Upcoming Biopic

Posted on February 9, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

It may be easy to learn more about Pope Francis’ story without flipping a single page…

Entitled Llamenme Francisco, an upcoming biopic is currently being filmed in Buenos Aires. It will trace the life of Jorge Mario Bergoglio from his youth in the Argentine capital all the to his election as Pope Francis at the Vatican.

“We want to tell the human journey of this man who today is the greatest spiritual leader of our time,” Italian director Daniele Luchetti said during the presentation of the project.

Llamenme Francesco begins in 1963 with Bergoglio in his late 20s, depicts his life during turbulent times in Argentina, including the 1976-1983 military dictatorship and the country’s devastating 1998-2002 economic depression, and charts his rise to archbishop of Buenos Aires and eventually the papacy.

The Spanish-language film will look back at Bergoglio’s youth, showing “his path, his doubts, his mistakes, his strong points,” Luchetti said.

Rodrigo De la Serna, an Argentine actor best known for his role as Alberto Granado, future revolutionary Che Guevara’s traveling companion, in The Motorcycle Diaries, will star as the young Bergoglio in what he calls a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity.”

Argentine actress Mercedes Moran, for her part, will portray Esther Ballestrino, an exiled Paraguayan communist who – despite their differences – strikes up a friendship with Bergoglio during the dictatorship.

“The figure of the pope takes on a very human and very real dimension, and the film provides … a look at a really special historical period for us,” Moran said.

Chilean actor Sergio Hernandez, who depicts Bergoglio in the latter stages of the film, said his role is “a really big challenge.”

Argentina’s Martin Salinas wrote the screenplay, which is based on the bestselling book Francisco. El Papa de la gente by his countrywoman, journalist Evangelina Himitian.

Pope Francis: The Most Admired Living Latino in the World

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Tom Castaneda

Pope Francis is the most admired Latino in the world…

The 78-year-old Argentine pontiff of the Catholic Church appears on Gallup’s poll of the most admired living men and women on the planet.

Pope Francis, who was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, comes in at No. 2 on the list of the most admired living men with 6% of the count, behind President Barack Obama with 19%.

Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI in February 2013, a papal conclave elected Bergoglio as his successor in March of that year.

Throughout his public life, both as an individual and a religious leader, Pope Francis has been heralded for his humility, his concern for the poor and his commitment to dialogue as a way to build bridges between people of all backgrounds, beliefs and faiths.

Pope Francis is the only Hispanic person to appear on either list.

Former U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, meanwhile takes the top spot on the list of admired living women for the 13th year in a row. Oprah Winfrey ranks second.

Pope Francis Named to Barbara Walters’ Most Fascinating People of the Year List

Posted on December 3, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

Since being proclaimed the new leader of the Catholic Church, Pope Francis has captivated the world with his charm and humility… And, now the first Pope of the Americas has been named one of this year’s most fascinating people.

The 76-year-old Argentinean church leader, whose birth name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio, has been named to Barbara Walters’ list of the Most Fascinating People of the Year, the broadcast journalist’s annual batch of the people who’ve enthralled the masses during the past year.

In March, Pope Francis was chosen to lead the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics as the first pontiff from Latin America.

Bergoglio, the first non-European pope in nearly 1,300 years, is the first pontiff to pick the name Francis, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, revered among Catholics for his work with the poor.

One month later, Time magazine named him to its list of the 100 Most Influential People in the World.

Walters’ other picks include Miley Cyrus, Jennifer Lawrence, the cast of A&E‘s Duck Dynasty, Good Morning America anchor Robin Roberts, NSA whistleblower Edward Snowden, Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, and Duchess Kate and Prince William’s baby George.

Barbara Walters Presents: The 10 Most Fascinating People of the Year will air on December 18 at 9:30 pm ET on ABC.

Walters will unveil her pick for most fascinating person during the 90-minute special.

Peña Nieto Among the Eight Latinos Named to Time’s “100 Influential People” List

Posted on April 18, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

He’s been Mexico’s leader for less than five months, but Enrique Peña Nieto is already making his influence felt…

The 46-year-old Mexican politician, who officially became Mexico’s 57th president on December 1, 2012, is one of the eight Latino luminaries named to Time magazine’s 100 Most Influential People in the World list.

Peña Nieto, who served as governor of the State of Mexico from 2005 to 2011, was heralded for his charisma and self-deprecating humor by former New Mexico governor Bill Richardson.

“Since his narrow election victory, Peña Nieto’s stock has skyrocketed, with near unanimous praise from across Mexican society,” writes Richardson in his essay on the Mexican leader. “He signed a ‘Pact for Mexico’ in December with the two opposition parties and has enactedsignificant labor reforms. He’s proposed significant changes in the energy and telecommunications sectors, as well as improvements in the nation’s finances. At the Organization of American States, he has led the fight against countries like Ecuador that seek curbs on press freedoms.”

“The U.S. shouldn’t treat Peña Nieto like a patsy,” Richardson continues. “He combines [Ronald] Reagan’s charisma with [Barack] Obama’s intellect and [Bill] Clinton’s political skills. This is a leader to watch.”

Argentine Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, who became pontiff last month after the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI, also made the list. Known as Pope Francis, the 76-year-old Bishop of Rome was lauded by Cardinal Timothy Dolan.

“In his first official sermon, six days later, he continued to captivate us, as he encouraged us, Do not be afraid to love! Do not be afraid to be tender!,” writes Dolan. “The Cardinal sitting next to me remarked, ‘He talks like Jesus!’ To which I replied, ‘I think that’s his job description.’”

Meanwhile, Susana Martinez is one of only two Latinas to make the list. The 53-year-old New Mexico governor was honored by Karl Rove, the senior adviser to President George W. Bush.

“… in 2010, she was elected America’s first Latina governor and New Mexico’s first female governor,” writes Rove. “Though her state usually votes Democratic, that hasn’t stopped this Republican from working with a Democratic legislature to turn a structural deficit into a surplus, pass education reforms to rate each school’s performance, enact comprehensive tax reform and focus on a pro-growth jobs agenda.”

Other Latinos making the list include The Voice’s Christina Aguilera, Chicago pastor Wilfredo De Jesús, Brazilian chef Alex Atala, R&B singer Miguel and the first black president of Brazil’s Supreme Court Joaquim Barbosa.

Click here to see the complete list on honorees, who are divided into the following categories: Titans, Leaders, Artists, Pioneers and Icons.

Bergoglio Becomes the Catholic Church’s First Latin American Pope

Posted on March 14, 2013 by Tom Castaneda

It’s official… The Catholic Church has its first pontiff from the Americas… And his name is Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio.

The 76-year-old Argentinean church leader, who served as the archbishop of Buenos Aires, appeared on the central balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica shortly after white smoke poured from a chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel, signaling that 115 cardinal electors had chosen him to lead the world’s 1.2 billion Roman Catholics as the first pontiff from Latin America.

Bergoglio, the first non-European pope in nearly 1,300 years, is the first pontiff to pick the name Francis, in honor of St. Francis of Assisi, revered among Catholics for his work with the poor. St. Francis is considered a reformer of the church, who answered God’s call to “repair my church in ruins.”

During his first public address to 150,000 people packed in St. Peter’s Square, the new pope broke with tradition, asking the crowd to pray for him before blessing the crowd.

“Let us say this prayer, your prayer for me, in silence,” he told the enthusiastic crowd below.

Pope Francis, wearing white papal robes, appeared the crowd shortly after being elected by cardinals in what apparently was the fifth round of voting on the second day of the conclave.

“It seems to me that my brother cardinals have chosen one who is from faraway. But here I am. I would like to thank you for your embrace,” he said.

He’s the first South American pope, representing the largest Catholic population in the world. Latin America is home to 480 million Catholics. By choosing Bergoglio, the cardinals sent a strong message about where the future of the church may lie.

“As the first pope from the Americas, his selection also speaks to the strength and vitality of a region that is increasingly shaping our world, and alongside millions of Hispanic Americans, those of us in the United States share the joy of this historic day,” said President Barack Obama of Bregoglio’s election.

The new pontiff – he 266th pontiff in the Church’s 2,000-year history –will deliver the traditional Angelus blessing from the Vatican on Sunday, according to the Vatican.

Francis will be formally installed as pope at a Mass on Tuesday.

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