When the Rev. Jon Reardon originally heard on Wednesday that Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio would become the next pontiff to lead the world’s 1.2 billion Catholics, he was surprised because he was unfamiliar with the name.
But when Reardon, a priest at the Newman Catholic Center at the University of Massachusetts, found out that Bergoglio was adopting the name Pope Francis, he said that choice shed a bit of light onto how the next pope might lead the church.
“I think that the choice of his name, Francis, reveals that his papacy will be marked by humility,” Reardon said in an email.
Bergoglio, 76, is the first pope to honor the name of St. Francis of Assisi, who was highly regarded for his work with the poor.
St. Francis of Assisi was also known for the simple life he lived, a quality that the Rev. Gary Dailey, another priest at the Newman Catholic Center, believes Bergoglio possesses.
Bergoglio, Dailey said, demonstrated that when he rode back to the hotel on a bus with the cardinals rather than taking a ride in the pope’s private vehicle.
“Those kind of things relate to us,” Dailey said. “I think he’ll be a very strong leader.”
The name Francis wasn’t the only first for Bergoglio. He is also the first non-European pope in nearly 1,000 years and the first Jesuit pope.
Newman Student Association President Emily Crain said she was excited when she found out Bergoglio was Latin American because her mother’s side of the family has a Latin American background.
Crain’s mother, despite not being a practicing Catholic, was the first person to call her and give her the news.
“I think it’ll be good because it will bring a lot of pride because they have a pope of their sphere of the world,” Crain said. “I’m just proud that.”
Dailey believes that with the large number of Latin Americans who are Catholic, Bergoglio could give a “great boost to Latinos everywhere.”
Because Pope Benedict XVI cited his advanced age as a reason for stepping down last month, it came as a surprise to some that at 76 years old, Bergoglio was named as Benedict’s successor. Dailey said he expected someone in his late 60s at the oldest to be selected.
Sophomore Kaitlyn Magnus, a communication and psychology dual-major who also works at the Newman Catholic Center, wasn’t as surprised that an elder cardinal was selected for the post.
“I think you have to serve a bit until you get to the point where you’re chosen,” she said. “So I think that he’s the new pope for a reason.”
Bergoglio takes over during a challenging time for the Catholic Church, which is still reeling from sex abuse scandals and conflict within the church’s hierarchy that consumed much of Benedict’s time as pope.
Crain said she wanted a pope that could bring about change, and make the church more progressive, especially on issues like gay marriage and birth control. However, she said that she is concerned that given his age he will be more likely to take a more conservative approach on such stances.
Magnus, on the other hand, thinks changes within the church need time to be implemented.
“That would certainly open the doors for a younger generation,” she said, “but the Catholic Church is not very apt to change, it takes a long time.”
For some, the selection of Bergoglio shows the church is heading in the right direction.
“By his governance, his teaching and examples of a life of simplicity, he will guide the church and point us to Jesus,” Reardon said. “He gives us hope that Christ still guides the church. I’m excited to learn from him.”
“The jury’s out,” Dailey said, “but I think he’s going to touch a lot of hearts.”
Nick Canelas can be reached at [email protected].
