Pope francis from argentina biography
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BIOGRAPHY
OF THE HOLY FATHER
FRANCIS
The first Pope of the Americas Jorge Mario Bergoglio hails from Argentina. The 76-year-old Jesuit Archbishop of Buenos Aires is a prominent figure throughout the continent, yet remains a simple pastor who is deeply loved bygd his diocese, throughout which he has travelled extensively on the underground and by bus during the 15 years of his episcopal ministry.
“My people are poor and I am one of them”, he has said more than once, explaining his decision to live in an apartment and cook his own supper. He has always advised his priests to show mercy and apostolic courage and to keep their doors open to everyone. The worst thing that could happen to the Church, he has said on various occasions, “is what de Lubac called spiritual worldliness”, which means, “being self-centred”. And when he speaks of social justice, he calls people first of all to pick up the Catechism, to rediscover the Ten Commandments and th
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Key Events Before his Papacy
December 17, 1936: Jorge Mario Bergoglio was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, to Italian immigrant parents.1957:Falls severely sick of pneumonia at age 21, and his right lung is partially removed.
March 11, 1958: Enters the novitiate of the Society of Jesus.
March 12, 1960: Takes his first vows as Jesuit.
1961-1963: Studies philosophy at San Miguel Seminary in Buenos Aires.
December 13, 1969:Is ordained priest.
1973:Professes his perpetual vows as Jesuit.
1973 – 1979:Serves as superior of Jesuit province of Argentina and Uruguay.
1979-1985:Serves as theology teacher and rector of Colegio Maximo.
1986:Finishes his doctoral thesis in Germany.
June 27, 1992:Is ordained auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires.
June 3, 1997:Is named coadjutor archbishop of Buenos Aires.
February 28, 1998:Is installed as archbishop of Buenos Aires.
February 21, 2001:Is elevated to cardinal.
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Pope Francis | Biography
Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio on Dec. 17, 1936 in Buenos Aires. His father was a railway worker who immigrated to Argentina from Italy, and his mother was a housewife of Italian origin. Bergoglio had four siblings.
After earning a secondary school degree as a chemical technician, Bergoglio felt a call to the priesthood as a Jesuit, joining the novitiate in 1958, at the age of 22.
He was ordained a priest on Dec. 13, 1969. In 1973 he made his perpetual vows in the Society of Jesus and the same year was elected Jesuit provincial for Argentina. He would go on to serve as a seminary rector, a pastor, a professor, and a spiritual director.
In 1992 Fr. Bergoglio was consecrated an auxiliary bishop of the Buenos Aires archdiocese. He became the archdiocese’s coadjutor archbishop in 1997, and succeeded as archbishop the following year. St. John Paul II named Archbishop Bergoglio a cardinal in 2001.
As archbishop of Buenos Aires, Bergog