March 13, 2013, marked the day the Roman Catholic Church began a transformation into an institution founded on acceptance and love. This was the day, 76-year-old Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected pope. Since the day his popehood began, Pope Francis has revolutionized the Roman Catholic Church and taken great initiative in matters involving sexual abuse, climate change, gay rights and much more. Pope Francis’ message of acceptance, love, forgiveness and unity has sparked what appears to be a religious revival and a new modern take on catholicism.
The Roman Catholic Church has a history of sexual abuse dating back to the early 20th century. According to the John Jay School of Criminal Justice, “in the U.S. alone, between 1950 and 2002, hundreds of thousands of children have been sexually abused by Catholic Clergy”. This is why the world was pleased when Pope Francis approved a Vatican tribunal for judging religious figures of the Catholic…show more content… He was quoted as saying, “It is not necessary to believe in God to be a good person. In a way, the traditional notion of God is outdated. One can be spiritual but not religious.” By accepting those who do not share the same beliefs and hold the same values as himself, he is truly opening the door to all of God’s children and sending a message of inclusion and love to everyone. Francis continues to make strides towards helping the less fortunate and motivating everyone to do better. On Holy Thursday after his election, he broke the long practiced tradition of washing the feet of twelve priests. Instead, Francis washed and kissed the feet of twelve inmates at a Jail in Rome, Italy. These inmates included people of different religions and genders. His involvement in saving refugees drowning in the seas near the Sicilian island of Lampedusa in their quest for a better life, is only more proof of his caring
