See our playlist "Dealing with Roman Catholicism, Idolatry & the Virgin Mary" at http://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLFFA8D69D1B914715 with 96 videos & counting. Larry Wessels, director of Christian Answers of Austin, Texas/ Christian Debater (YouTube channel CANSWERSTV at https://www.youtube.com/user/CAnswersTV; websites: http://www.BIBLEQUERY.ORG, http://www.HISTORYCART.COM, & http://www.MUSLIMHOPE.COM) actually attends the same church in Austin, Texas with former Roman Catholic priest for 22 years Richard Bennett (website: http://www.BEREANBEACON.ORG) so this opportunity to present Richard's research is truly by God's providence. Francis (Latin: Franciscus; Italian: Francesco; born Jorge Mario Bergoglio, 17 December 1936) is the 266th and current Pope of the Catholic Church, in which capacity he is Bishop of Rome and absolute Sovereign of the Vatican City State. Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Bergoglio worked briefly as a chemical technician and nightclub bouncer before entering the seminary.He was ordained a Catholic priest in 1969, and from 1973 to 1979 was Argentina's Provincial Superior of the Society of Jesus. He became the Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998, and was created a Cardinal in 2001. Following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI on 28 February 2013, a papal conclave elected Bergoglio as his successor on 13 March. He chose his papal name in honor of Saint Francis of Assisi (the priest who preached unbiblical heresy & was known for baptizing and preaching to birds and animals). Francis is the first Jesuit Pope (the Jesuits were the primary tool used by the Catholic Church during the Spanish Inquisition to persecute and murder tens of thousands of true believers in the Lord Jesus Christ), the first Pope from the Americas, the first Pope from the Southern Hemisphere and the first non-European Pope since Pope Gregory III in 741, 1272 years earlier. Pope Francis stated he desires to evangelize the world and to "re-evangelize" the areas of the world that they are a predominant force. Pope Francis has challenged his flock of 1 billion Catholics not to be "starched Christians" who chat about theology over tea. Meanwhile, here are eye-openers Francis has uttered thus far. 1) There's a "gay lobby" inside the Vatican Meeting with Catholic leaders from his native Latin America and the Caribbean on Sunday, the pope said that there's a lot of holy people in the Curia, Catholicism's Rome-based bureaucracy. But there is also a "stream of corruption," Francis said, including a "gay lobby." "We need to see what we can do," he added, somewhat cryptically. Only the pope knows exactly what he means. The Vatican has clammed up, refusing to explain. Catholic experts believe Francis was referring to a secret dossier presented to his predecessor Pope Benedict XVI that investigated a series of embarrassing leaks from Vatican insiders to Italian journalists. The dossier referred to a Vatican network of sexually active gay clergy who might have been subject to blackmail, according to Italian reports. 2) All atheists go to heaven? During a homily in Rome on May 22, 2013 Francis said that God redeems everyone -- not just Christians, but atheists, as well. "We must meet one another doing good," the pope said. 'But I don't believe, Father, I am an atheist!' But do good: we will meet one another there." So, was the pope saying that people can go to heaven, even if they don't believe in God? Probably not, say church experts. Catholicism has long held that salvation is open to everyone -- but with a really big caveat. If you know about the church and don't become a member, the door to heaven is likely closed, a Catholic spokesman later clarified. Many American atheists say they appreciated the olive branch from the pope, however unclear his remarks may have been. 3) "I didn't want to be pope" Meeting with Catholic students from Italy and Albania on June 7, Francis ditched his "boring" speech and instead took questions from the children. A little redhead in a blue scarf elicited laughter by bluntly asking, "Francis, why did you want to become pope?" "I didn't," Francis answered. In fact, "a person who wants to become pope doesn't love himself. And God doesn't bless him," the pontiff said. 4) Sleepy prayers In May, 2013 the pope shared intimate details about his spiritual life, "Sometimes I doze off, the fatigue of the day makes you fall asleep, but God understands," Francis said. 5) Christians should mind their own beeswax In some of his sharpest comments as pope, Francis criticized Christian busybodies. 6) Throwing food away is stealing from the poor The first Latin American pope has made fighting poverty a top priority of his papacy. Scarcely a speech or homily ends without a mention of the homeless and disabled.

• published: 18 Mar 2014
• views: 160