Spirit in the World

The Roman Catholic Church has named a Jesuit as the new Pope. He has taken the name Francis. And he is from Argentina. Those three powerful symbols alone tell us that we are at a unique , threshold moment in history.

“We live in [Argentina, 3rd world] the most unequal part of the world, which has grown the most yet reduced misery the least…” “The unjust distribution of goods persists, creating a situation of social sin that cries out to Heaven and limits the possibilities of a fuller life for so many of our brothers.”

“We have to avoid the spiritual sickness of a self-referential church. It’s true that when you get out into the street, as happens to every man and woman, there can be accidents. However, if the church remains closed in on itself, self-referential, it gets old. Between a church that suffers accidents in the street, and a church that’s sick because it’s self-referential, I have no doubts about preferring the former.”