To Know Pope Francis

Amazing how one normal, honest reposter makes 100 Catholic "talking heads" look so, well, like so many "talking heads."

George Conger, "Would the Real Pope Please Stand" (The Media Project, August, 5, 2014): "Who is Jorge Mario Bergoglio? The Argentine cardinal who 500 days ago became Pope Francis? Why, from a journalistic perspective, do we know so little about someone who talks so much?"

Among the offerings, are The Catholic News Service's translations of the pope's 10 lessons for happy living:

1. “Live and let live.”
2. “Be giving of yourself to others.”
3. “Proceed calmly” in life.
4. Have “a healthy sense of leisure.”
5. "Sunday is for family.”
6. Be “creative” with young people and find innovative ways to create dignified jobs.
7. Respect and take care of nature.
8. Stop being negative. “Letting go of negative things quickly is healthy,” he said.
9. “The worst thing of all is religious proselytism, which paralyzes.”
10. Work for peace. “We are living in a time of many wars,” he said. “The call for peace must be shouted.”

Concludes Conger:

Of Francis' eleven interviews, ten have been with secular reporters from secular newspapers. The results are interviews that show a Francis who is curiously similar to his interlocutor. Is the pope manipulating the press or is the press manipulating the pope? After 500 days in office, the real Jorge Mario Bergoglio remains elusive.

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And if you want to have some "fun," search Google for responses to this article.

[Hat tip to JM]