Servant Leader #3: Pope Francis

   
     Pope Francis in an example of a modern day servant leader. Even before he became Pope, he has been an example of how to live selflessly and has been an advocate for the poor and suffering around us. He continues to be an advocate for the poor and is continuing the Church's emphasis on Catholic social justice teaching and the importance of caring for God's creation.
    Pope Francis was born Jorge Mario Bergoglio in Buenos Aires on December 17, 1936. He was born to two Italian immigrants. Although he first graduated as a chemical technician, he later choose the path of priesthood and entered seminary. While in seminary, he chose to enter the Society of Jesus, a religious order also known as the Jesuits, and was ordained a priest in 1969. He then became a bishop, then archbishop of Buenos Aires, and was appointed a Cardinal in 2001 by Pope John Paul II. Finally, he was elected Supreme Pontiff on March 13, 2013 and is now the current Pope of the Catholic Church.
    From his beginnings as a priest and bishop, Francis has always been concerned about the poor. As a Cardinal he said "My people are the poor and I am one of them." He personally has always lived a lifestyle of simplicity in solidarity with the poor and has been an advocate for others to be attentive to their needs. Even as a Cardinal, he used public transportation, cooked his own meals, and urged people not to come to his Celebration when he was made Cardinal but to instead donate that money to the poor. As Pope, he has continued to life a life of simplicity and has moved away from some of the traditional comforts of being Pope and lives in a modest apartment rather than the tradition Papal housing in the Vatican.
     Pope Francis is a true servant leader. He has been the first of many things in Church. The first Pope to come from an non-European nation, the first Jesuit Pope, and even the name he picked has never been chosen before. However, he has not wavered in his commitment to put others first and serve the poor. He is also a visionary and has a vision for the Church and its response to the modern world. He continues to be an advocate for Catholic teaching and urges all to see Christ in all around us and love each one of them with the love of God. His ideas of radical love and firm adherence to Catholic social justice issues have been criticized by many, but Francis remains dedicated to this cause and his vision for a united and caring Church.
    Pope Francis is a man who lives the life of a servant leader even as Pope of the Catholic Church, Throughout his life and his papacy, he has continually put others first and tried to care for their needs. His commitment to the poor, the environment, and social justice issues set him apart as one who truly cares for the needs of the Church and its people. His commitment to service and others makes him a wonderful modern example of a true servant leader.    

References:
https://www.google.com/search?q=pope+francis&rlz=1C1CHZL_enUS714US714&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiI5LWGr43TAhXm7YMKHX9tAd8Q_AUIBygC&biw=1280&bih=591#imgrc=N7HsOvNEiXCgvM:
http://w2.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/biography/documents/papa-francesco-biografia-bergoglio.html