Christ is the center, not the Successor of Peter: Pope Francis
March 16, 2013: ‘Christ is the center, not the Successor of Peter’, said newly elected
Pope Francis while addressing tens of thousands of professional communicators on Saturday,
in the Paul VI hall in the Vatican. ‘Christ is the key reference, the heart of
the Church. Without Him, Peter and the Church would not exist’ reiterated the Pope.
Citing the often repeated phrase of Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, he said Christ is
present and leads his Church. Ultimately Holy Spirit is the protagonist of all that
happened. He has inspired the decision of Benedict XVI for the good of the Church
and He has sent the Cardinals for the election, explained pope Francis.
The
Pope shared with the communicators his story of choosing the name ‘Francis’. ‘In the
election, I was sitting next to Archbishop Emeritus of São Paulo and Prefect Emeritus
of the congregation for the Clergy, Cardinal Claudio Hummes, a great friend! “When
the thing became ‘dangerous’,” he continued, “[Card. Hummes] comforted me, and when
the votes reached the 2/3 level, there was the expected applause, because the Pope
had been elected – and [Card. Hummes] embraced me, and kissed me, and said to me:
‘do not forget about the poor.’ And that word is in here: the poor. Then, just in
relation to the poor I thought of Francis of Assisi…. And Francis is a man of peace.
“And that,” he said, “is how the name came to me.” Francis of Assisi. The man of
poverty, the man of peace, a man who loves and preserves the creation……. And 'the
man that gives us the spirit of peace, the poor man ... Oh, how I wish a Church of
the poor and for the poor! His story delighted the thousands of media professionals
arousing enthusiastic applause.
Pope Francis began his remarks by thanking
the journalists for their service in recounting the events of the sede vacante, the
Conclave and especially the Papal election. “You’ve been busy [these past few days],”
said Pope Francis. “Your profession requires study, sensitivity and experience,” he
said, adding, “[the journalistic profession] requires particular attention to truth,
goodness and beauty – and this brings us particularly close together, because the
Church exists in order to communicate precisely this: Truth, Goodness and Beauty in
person.”
The Pope then continued his account of the name choice by saying
how some had suggested he take the name Pope Adrian, because of his association with
reforming the Church. And in reference to the fact that he is a Jesuit, the Pope added
how others said he should call himself Clement XV to get back at Clement XIV who suppressed
the Society of Jesus in 1773…
Pope Francis concluded his encounter with representatives
of mass media from all round the world by extending his best wishes to them, their
work and their families. He imparted his apostolic blessing, however, in silence
– out of respect, he said, for the fact that “not everyone present belongs to the
Catholic faith and others do not believe.” “I respect the conscience of each one of
you”, he said, “knowing that each one of you is a Child of God. May God bless you”.