1.He was deeply
fascinated by a girl while in the seminary
While still the archbishop of
Buenos Aires, the then Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio said as a young seminarian he
had been dazzled by a girl he met during his uncle’s wedding. He stated that
after the wedding he was unable to pray for over a week as the image of the
girl kept popping up in his mind until he had to make a choice.
He added that celibacy is “a
matter of discipline and not faith” and not every priest is able to make the
decision, further urging those who fall into the trap to just quit priesthood
instead of living a double life.
2. He was once a club
nightclub bouncer
The Pontiff was once a
bouncer at a nightclub in his native Argentina and also swept floors before he
joined the seminary. His vocation to be a priest came unexpectedly as he passed
by a church on his way to meet friends, but even after he joined the seminary
he never stopped serving.
In the 1980s then known as
the Reverend Jorge Bergoglio, he did laundry for the priests he had been tasked
with the responsibility of leading at a Jesuit seminary. Jesuits are a group of
Roman Catholic priests and brothers who are otherwise referred to as Soldiers
of Christ. The Jesuits have a vow to live in poverty and chastity in
obedience to Christ and the Pope.
3. He only has one
lung
As a young man, Jorge
Bergoglio had an infection that led to the removal of one of his lung. Aged 21,
he was diagnosed with pneumonia and two cysts that eventually led to the
removal of the lung. Although doctors have said the lung deficiency is not a
threat to his health, the Pope often has back problems and avoids engaging in
strenuous physical activities.
4. He was a
frontrunner in the 2005 conclave that made Pope Benedict XVI
In the 2005 conclave,
Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio emerged a runner’s up to the then Cardinal Joseph
Ratzinger who went on to become Pope Benedict XVI. According to reports in
Italian media, he impressed cardinals in the pre-conclave “general
congregation” meetings where they discussed problems facing the Church.
Although he lost votes during last round of the election, it was reported that
he begged the cardinals not to elect him opting to continue with his cardinal
work.
5. He worked as a
laboratory technician
Jorge Bergogolio has a título
in Chemistry. In the Argentine education system, a título is earned after an
extended secondary program and is equivalent to a diploma in our local
education system. Jorge Bergoglio graduated in chemistry from the Escuela
Técnica Industrial No. 12, which is a state-run technical secondary school. He
worked as a technician in the food section of an Argentinian laboratory before
joining the Jesuits.
6. He is fluent in
four languages, but English is not one of them
Pope Francis is fluent in his
native Spanish, Italian, German, and Latin, the official language of the
Vatican. He has also addressed crowds in clear but heavily accented English,
French, Portuguese and Ukrainian. It is therefore likely that he will make most
of his addresses in English while in Kenya and maybe occasionally have a
translator.
7. He stays at
Vatican guesthouse
After he became Pope Francis,
he refused to move into the luxurious and spacious papal apartments and opted
to stay in the Vatican guesthouse where he stayed during the 2013 conclave that
saw him elected as pope. He has always stressed that he wants a poor church for
the poor and urges priests to live simpler lives, perhaps an explanation why he
relinquished the papal apartments.
8. He has never
watched TV since 1990
Pope Francis has never
watched television since July 15 1990 when he made a promise to the Virgin of
Carmen (Our Lady of Mount Carmel). In order to remain informed, the reads one
newspaper in the morning, Italian daily La
Repubblica and does not even visit internet sites.
9. He is a football
fan
Pope Francis supports San
Lorenzo, an Argentinian football club based in his home town Buenos Aires.
Since he does not watch TV thus unable to follow live matches of his favorite
team, he relies on Swiss Guards, a team of trained soldiers who guard the Pope,
for updates on match results.
10. He loves his
sleep
Pope Francis is usually in
bed by latest 10pm and wakes up without the help of an alarm clock at 4am to
meditate and pray before the morning mass. Whenever he is not travelling, he
takes an afternoon nap of about 40 minutes, a practice he says helps him
recharge.
Props; Nairobinews.
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