# What sort of pope will Pope Francis be? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 13, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845 "2013-03-13T19:43:50Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 7:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/1 "2013-03-13T19:43:50Z")
Clearly not a GQ. Interesting that he is from the America and took a regnal name that had never been used before but I don’t think this indicates a reform pope. He seems very conservative and especially anti-homosexuality. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 7:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/2 "2013-03-13T19:57:00Z")
he will pasture his sheep in many tribulations, and when these things are finished, the city of seven hills will be destroyed, and the dreadful judge will judge his people. The End ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 8:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/3 "2013-03-13T20:39:31Z")
Pretty much same as the old pope. You don’t get elevated to cardinal if you have different views. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/4 "2013-03-13T20:46:48Z")
People are always shocked, SHOCKED, to find that the Pope is (gasp!) CATHOLIC! What did people expect? Pope Garry Wills? Pope Richard Dawkins? Francis seems like a decent man, but he’s 76, which means 1. He’s not likely to have a long reign 2. He isn’t going to iimplement the kinds of reforms liberals want 3. He isn’t likely to have the energy or forcefulness to crack the whip in the way conservatives want. He looks like a caretaker Pope, a “safe” choice by people who are content to muddle through for a few more years. And given trends in the Church, that’s not good news for conservatives, either. ---
**Author:** ![NurseCarmen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/5daacb/32.png) [@NurseCarmen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NurseCarmen)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/5 "2013-03-13T20:46:51Z")
He’s just as conservative as the last pope, but hopefully he’s less tainted by the pedophilia scandal. Ratzinger’s crew was up to their necks in it. Latin America hasn’t had as much of an issue with it. ---
**Author:** ![tagos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@tagos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tagos)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/6 "2013-03-13T20:49:51Z")
> [@NurseCarmen](#): > > He’s just as conservative as the last pope, but hopefully he’s less tainted by the pedophilia scandal. Ratzinger’s crew was up to their necks in it. Latin America hasn’t had as much of an issue with it. Let’s ask him what he was doing while the fascist junta was murdering tens of thousands in The Dirty War. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 8:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/7 "2013-03-13T20:58:37Z")
Everything I’ve read about the new pope indicates that he is more Curia-insider than reform-minded. It goes without saying that he’s conservative. The fact that he’s from Argentina instead of Italy or Europe makes him more palatable. I think the best hope for those who want change is the old saying: only Nixon could go to China. An insider has the best chance to change things. A slim hope, for sure. (I’m Methodist and anti-papist, so don’t take my opinions too strongly.) ---
**Author:** ![KarlGrenze](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dbc845/32.png) [@KarlGrenze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KarlGrenze)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 9:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/8 "2013-03-13T21:05:07Z")
Well, they got 2 out of my 3 wishes (Latin American and Jesuit). Maybe the next time they can get the third, and most wanted (liberation theology follower). OTOH, those who follow that are likely to NOT be in positions of power, due to the nature of their calling. But man, that would be so much cooler. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/9 "2013-03-13T21:07:28Z")
There’ll be no changes on the hot-button issues like abortion, homosexuality and women priests, but we’ll get someone with a bit more focus on the poor and with a better understanding of the Third World. It’s not an earthshaking change but it’d be a change in the right direction. ---
**Author:** ![BlueMit11](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7feea3/32.png) [@BlueMit11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BlueMit11)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 9:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/10 "2013-03-13T21:21:58Z")
This is a good description: [http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/conclave-23131/](http://vaticaninsider.lastampa.it/en/the-vatican/detail/articolo/conclave-23131/) ---
**Author:** ![MandaJo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ac91a4/32.png) [@MandaJo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MandaJo)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 9:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/11 "2013-03-13T21:26:20Z")
He chose FRANCIS . That is such a bold choice. Francis was arguably the single most transsformative, radical figure between Gregory the Great and now. That name choice does not say status quo. ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/12 "2013-03-13T21:35:08Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > Everything I’ve read about the new pope indicates that he is more Curia-insider… I pretty much agree with what you say except regarding the Curia. He refused positions in the Curia and stayed away from the Vatican as much as he could. ---
**Author:** ![Kepler1571](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/db5fbb/32.png) [@Kepler1571](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kepler1571)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/13 "2013-03-13T21:37:41Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > He chose FRANCIS . That is such a bold choice. Francis was arguably the single most transsformative, radical figure between Gregory the Great and now. That name choice does not say status quo. Even the recent “conservative” popes have looked like Jane Addams on the wealth gap with zero effect on the plutocracy, but it is still good to see this pope take the name Francis for symbolic value. One hopes that he will point out even more forcefully that the perpetuation of poverty in a rich world is the signature moral failing of our time. ---
**Author:** ![Kepler1571](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/db5fbb/32.png) [@Kepler1571](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kepler1571)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/14 "2013-03-13T21:38:45Z")
> [@MoodIndigo1](#): > > I pretty much agree with what you say except regarding the Curia. He refused positions in the Curia and stayed away from the Vatican as much as he could. I think the poster may have confused his Argentinians. The other one was the consummate Curia insider. ---
**Author:** ![MoodIndigo1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e8c25b/32.png) [@MoodIndigo1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MoodIndigo1)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/15 "2013-03-13T21:38:55Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > He chose FRANCIS . That is such a bold choice. Francis was arguably the single most transsformative, radical figure between Gregory the Great and now. That name choice does not say status quo. I’m still uncertain which Francis he had in mind. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/16 "2013-03-13T21:53:01Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > He chose FRANCIS . That is such a bold choice. Francis was arguably the single most transsformative, radical figure between Gregory the Great and now. That name choice does not say status quo. Or it could be that he was watching an old Donald O’Connor movie when he got the text message, and it was the first name to spring to mind. ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/17 "2013-03-13T22:05:48Z")
> [@MandaJo](#): > > He chose FRANCIS . That is such a bold choice. Francis was arguably the single most transsformative, radical figure between Gregory the Great and now. That name choice does not say status quo. On the other hand, since he’s a Jesuit, he may have been thinking of Francis Xavier. ---
**Author:** ![Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aji_de_gallina/32/260_2.png) [@Aji\_de\_Gallina](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aji_de_Gallina)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/18 "2013-03-13T22:08:47Z")
He eschewed most of the pomp of being an Archbishop. He’s famous for riding the subway (“el subte”) instead of being driven. I imagine he chose Francis for St. Francis Xavier missionary jesuit. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/19 "2013-03-13T22:21:45Z")
> [@MoodIndigo1](#): > > I’m still uncertain which Francis he had in mind. Probably the talking mule. 😉 How does one say in Latin: Meet the new pope, same as the old pope. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [March 13, 2013, 10:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845/20 "2013-03-13T22:23:11Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > he will pasture his sheep . . . Is that what the kids are calling it nowadays? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-sort-of-pope-will-pope-francis-be/652845.md?page=2)