"Pope Francis is a beacon for acceptance"

Zach Geldert

I am not a religious person, I only go to church on Christmas eve, but I greatly admire Pope Francis for his leadership. I admire him for his liberalization of some church policies that have opened the church to being more accepting of persons in society who were traditionally shunned or outcast. I believe Francis has already brought about change in the world by being a beacon for acceptance, tolerance, and community in a world that is increasingly marred by intolerance, seemingly irreconcilable difference, and hate for other persons based on their culture, religion, or ethnic origin. I believe these messages are important for all of humanity to adopt, not necessarily in a religious capacity, but in a general sense, if our species wishes to advance culturally. I hope that Francis will bring a shattering change to the Catholic Church, in my opinion the most likely change will be the acceptance as women as priests as it seems to be the least controversial.

As Zach says Pope Francis is a beacon for tolerance, especially religious tolerance. In a meeting with religious leaders in his trip to Azerbaijan, including Sheik Allahshukur Pashazade, the region’s chief imam, he quoted a muslim poet saying; “If you are human, mix with humans, because people go well with each other.” He said that religion is a compass that points in the direction of what is good, and what is good is found in God and in our neighbour. Brotherhood is not found in those who want to highlight divisions but in those who desire the common good and are in dialogue with others. There will always be those in any religion who oppose tolerance and community with those of other faith backgrounds but according to Pope Francis “A religion worthy of its name, opens individuals to God and to one another. It makes people more human, seeing themselves as part of a greater whole created by God.”