Pope Francis

The Cardinals of the Roman Catholic Church have chosen the Archbishop of Buenos Aires, Jorge Mario Bergoglio as the new pope.  He will be known as Pope Francis.

Bergoglio, of Italian ancestry, was born in Argentina in 1936.  he is a Jesuit intellectual who is known to eschew private limousines and to travel by bus.  He is said to have a great compassion and burden for the poor and places great emphasis on spirituality and personal holiness.

Though many Catholics, especially in the United States and Europe, had hoped for a "progressive" pope, Bergoglio has made known his opposition to the legalization of same-sex marriage, the adoption of children by homosexuals, abortion, euthanasia, and liberation theology.

Christians

At some time during their lives, the following people have publicly identified themselves as Christian. Inclusion in this list does not indicate approval or disapproval of the person, their religious beliefs, or their actions. This is a recurring segment in this blog.

Nobis: (b. Wales - d. 873/874) Bishop of St> Davids in Dyffed, Walws. Relative of Asser, Bishop of Sherborne.

Wulsige: (fl. 892) Bishop of Sherborne.

Koyama Kosuke: (b. 1929, Japan – d. 2009) Theologian seminary professor, missionary in Thailand, He taught a form of Liberation Theology and sought a Christian-Buddhist dialogue. He thought that instead of being academic, theology should be accessible to peasants living in underdeveloped countries.

Jessie Hale Downs (b. 1917 – d. 2009) aka. “Mama Downs,” “Sister Jessie.” Co-founder with her husband, of the Jimmie Hale Mission in Birmingham, a mission to homeless men. Jessie’s Place for Women and Children is named for her.

Vincent Damon Furnier (b. 1948, Michigan) aka: Alice Cooper. Shock rocker, rock singer, songwriter, broadcaster, film actor, restaurantuer.