I am (not practicing) Catholic. He is opening the door to change-a very good thing!

ML

I spent most of my childhood as an expat in Buenos Aires and I'm not surprised. It was a great place to grow up and Pope Francis is a great example of the spirit/personality of the people of Argentina.

I was raised Catholic and went to Catholic school till 8th grade, but I haven't been in a church in 40 years. I saw too much hypocrisy in the way they treated the parishioners. I saw the five nominees on the news last night and said the Pope deserved it. I never thought I'd hear the things he's said. I don't quite trust that social changes will be made, but I'm hopeful. We'll see how vocal they are in the next election. I do not believe religious organizations should be involved in politics.

I was raised Catholic (now non-practicing and want nothing to do with any religion) but I really like Pope Francis. He is compassionate towards the sick and the poor. I saw a story where he met with hundreds of persons with disabilites and he took the time to meet and greet with every single individual. His manifesto on greed a week or so ago was amazing.

OTOH I feel Time took the easy way out instead of naming Edward Snowden.

As a friend of mine said (lapsed Catholics both of us) ... Francis is making me feel hopeful, or rather, popeful! Time will tell.

Raised Catholic (Catholic schools) but no longer practice. Yes, Pope Franics is a breath of much needed fresh air in the Catholic church and I'm glad he was chosen; however, given some of the other nominees...is it really such an honor?

I'm another lapsed catholic here. I like the new pope, seems more human than many of the others.

I think Religions who involve themselves in Politics should lose their non profit status and pay taxes.

It is interesting how little so many know about the Catholic religion. Pope Francis is living the Gospel. Living the way all Catholics know they were directed by Christ to live. I get that American's get privacy and secrecy confused, and I get that when Americans are told NO about something they WANT to do, they whine but truly Pope Francis like JPII, and Benedict is only a human who has been raised to a command with no larger responsibility in the entire world. I know of no one who could live up to the ideal. Humans fail time and time again. To expect perfection is to expect more than any mere human could deliver. Pope Francis, like Benedict and JPII need our prayers. I know they are/were praying for us!!

My Aunt and Uncle were so committed to the Catholic Church that they left their entire Estate to the Sacramento Diocese with instructions that the church set up a scholarship fund for underprivileged children to go to college. Specific in their wishes, they also requested anyone mentioned in their Will should receive money for College.

My children were left. $2.000 each and the promise of a College Education. When the time came, I called the Diocese to ask for an application. They said they did not set up the Scholarship and my children were not eligible. I had a copy of the Will so I copied it and sent it to them.

I receive a very terse letter saying I was not to contact them about college funds again. I had a Lawyer friend look at the Will. Because the Aunt and Uncle did not chose a family member to oversee the scholarship, we could do nothing. This was shortly after the huge molestation settlement.

Very human thing to do indeed. I'll bet Auntie and Uncle would be turning over in their graves to learn that and the Church stole four children 's college money.

Goldust, that is horrible, how many more might have done this.

Lapsed catholic here and very much agnostic. However, I attended catholic schools from prek-12 then a large catholic university for undergrad. I love the new pope and believe he is getting back to the "universal" Church. I love his focus on social change. The core beliefs of Catholicism are very much at odds with capitalism-- it's refreshing to hear a pope state it so plainly. It's also refreshing to see a pope stress human decency, compassion and empathy when referencing homosexuality, divorce etc. However I find it odd how he is polling the laity to gauge feeling on doctrine. I wonder if he will be changing canon law based on popular opinion? If so, it seems to contradict the belief in ordained popes and ability to speak gods will. In particular when he speaks on matters that in the past would have been considered infalliable, will those declarations of infalliability be directly guided by popular opinion of the laity? I have no more faith in the man made institution of the Church than I did before this man became pope.

Gold- all churches steal. Unfortunately it's not reserved for one particular faith. I've read anecdotes very similar to yours in many Protestant denominations. Just as sexual abuse happened across many religions unfortunately te hierarchy of the Catholic Church as well as the unique aspects of confessions and act of contentions allowed the horrifying atrocities to continue long after the acts could have been stopped. It's disgusting that they allowe those priests to be shuffled around and hide behind the cloth. Not trying to justify the gross abuses, I am merely pointing out they occur across all denominations. I find all religious institutions corrupt political machines used to exert some form of social control. IMHO, Marx was right religion is the opium of the masses.

However this pope atleast seems willing to use the power of religion to influence positive social change in the world rather than to sit in an ivory tower and write academic edicts while ignoring the most oppressed or needy. For that I guess he is deserving of times man if the year. He seems to have captured the worlds attention with his refreshing attitude. Time will tell if he brings about the positive changes.