March 14, 2013. (Romereports.com) Spanish Cardinal, Antonio Maria Rouco Varela knows Pope Francis, quite well.
A few years ago
Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, now Pope, led a series of
Spiritual Exercises for Spanish Bishops. Cardinal Rouco explains that by choosing the name 'Francis,' the Pope wants to pay homage to Saint Francis of Assisi, a young man from a wealthy family who left everything to follow Christ.
CARD. ANTONIO MARIA ROUCO VARELA Archbishop of Madrid (Spain)
“The figure of Saint Francis of Assisi was absolutely decisive in the conversion of Saint Ignatius of Loyola. The Society of Jesus was founded on a similar spirit as that of Saint Francis. It is one of total detachment even in their obedience to the Pope. The Jesuit priest goes wherever the Pope sends him no matter where it may be.”
Archbishop Rouco Varela explains that the first Latin American Pope represents a renewal of the Church, which began with the Second Vatican Council. He says the New Evangelization is very important for Pope Francis.
CARD. ANTONIO MARIA ROUCO VARELA
Archbishop of Madrid (Spain)
“The New Evangelization needs to go deeper. It needs focus on the very foundation of the Christian experience. This personal experience comes from accepting the faith and saying 'yes'. This will be a critical issue in the life of the Church these coming years. The Year of Faith will get a good push with this new Pope.”
The Cardinal says that the Pope's first greeting out in the balcony, is the most 'religious' greeting of its kind, he can remember. The Pope asked the people at the square, to pray together in silence for him, a gesture that had never been seen before.
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