This man was silent during the military junta's reign of terror (1976-83) when thousands of innocent people were "disappeared".

With his record of silence in State sponsored murder how can he be expected to address the problems within the Church and being a humane leader of his Church?

Well, let's see. Steve is harsh and Darby is hopeful and willing to take improvements in "baby steps". I think Steve is being his usual inflamatory, fire first - aim later self and that Darby is going too easy. The Vatican has been in full moral retreat for about 30 years - the last time it attempted attempted to act "Christian". This guy is just taking over the driver's seat and keeping things on automatic pilot. He abhors gays, wants to keep women barefoot, pregnant, and powerless, blah blah blah. There seems to be a lot of evidence that he turned a blind eye on human rights atrocities - and, dare we jump to the conclusion that this skill qualified him to continue the Vatican's policy of enabling child molesters? What bothers me the most about this selection is that he is a Jesuit - a truly honorable order dedicated to social justice. I suggest that you catholics who have been reluctantly tolerating the Vatican's and American bishops' cruelty hoping things would change, make the change themselves and try another religion - Catholic-Light, anyone?

If he's conservative then I don't see much hope for married clergy or women priests. Since his history appears to be one of living low then it's possible some of the opulence, pomp and crap that existed yesterday may hopefully disappear.

Having traversed the Holy See I was overwhelmed by the riches. It made me sick to see it doing nothing except being there.

Would also hope he hangs out to dry those officials who covered up the young boys' abuse. There has to be consequences for this...and I don't see there having been any.

guess who - well said!!!!!!!!! and thanks

If they would find a Nun who has really and kindly worked with the poor and one who correctly realizes that all people - gay and straight should be loved and honored and that family planning is necessary and personal and that Priests who molest children should be punished by law and not protected and that the wealth of the Vatican should be used to help the poor and disenfranchised and not paid out in settlements to silence victims or used to paint more gold on icons - and make HER Pope - then that would work for me.

A female Pope! Yesssss!!!!! Perhaps female leadership at the Vatican would get their eye back on the ball - you know, all of that Sermon on the Mount stuff we christian americans seem to have forgotten about (e.g., Romney's 47%ers speech and the 48% of the electorate who voted for that world view).

- any organization that is completely ruled by men with no female contribution, (football, military, Catholic Church, Taliban ------) is a big problem.

based on margie's opinion, christ and the 12 MALE apostles would qualify as a big problem.

The Man has not been the POPE for 24 Hours. You are a great Bunch of people. Real Christians, and one Muslim. Ocean City I didn't know there were so many perfect without sin people

The ordination of women, despite the fact that I have no problem with it, will not happen anytime soon. To understand why you need to know the difference between church custom and doctrine. It is customary that priests remain unmarried, however the fact that priests are men is church doctrine. A lot of people confuse religion with politics. A religion has its doctrines and customs and is not subject to the cause du jour. If you don't agree with the faith's tenets, leave. If women/gay clergy is your thing, the Anglican Church would love to have you. Any of the Protestant denominations welcome married ministers, they'd love to have you as well. Francis I is a conservative. He was plucked from obscurity by John Paul II to be Archbishop of Buenos Aires. I say "obscurity" because he was banished to Argentina's hinterlands for not supporting the current and previous regimes' socially liberal stance on abortion homosexuality etc. To accuse him of being silent when a fascist regime is in power and not to mention his history with the current liberal regime is to paint an inaccurate picture.

Beach View - what if tolerance, compassion, generosity, and kindness are your thing? Should we "leave"? The objection to the church is not limited to the fact that there are not (sanctioned, open) gay clergy or female priests; it goes much deaper. The objection is to the church institutionally promoting discrimination, bigotry, etc..(and in the most hypocritical way) and the objection also includes, perhaps most importantly, revulsion at the churches enabling of child molesters, hardly a "cause du jour".

Maybe it's just me, a rather older male, but I'd love to see a woman priest. Wouoldn't mind married priests, love to hear about molesters....going to jail...and why haven't we heard anything about nuns and abuse???? Maybe because there aren't any???

Put 5 children through 12 years of Catholic school. My wife's entire salary and a good piece of mine paid for it.....it was worth it..but then we found out 7 teachers at Cardinal Dougherty were abusers. Two were there when I went to high school.... Should have hung them out to dry...and their bosses...especially the decision makers....

Give this new pope a chance...he may surprise us all.

small case vic, ONE of the apostles turned out to be a big problem for Christ, didn't he? And Tom, I do not need to be a lesbian to recognize that organizations that lack a femal influence are a problem - like football (Penn State and the cover up) like the Catholic Church (child molestation and the cover up) the Taliban - unleashed butality, the military - thousands of rapes per year (male and female victims) and the cover up - or tolerance of same - all male organizations are a problem

margie equated men to big problems. i looked up christ and the apostles and they all qualified as "men". margie qualified as "big problem".

And vic one of the apostles was a bit of a problem (what was his name?) but Frightened is correct I would hardly call that group an organization comparable to the others Oh small case vic - you seem to be a bit of a problem yourself not because you are a man but because you are just a dope and Tom yikes "gays are an abomination?" really? abortion is murder? "Priests were -- not handled very well?"
Muslims want to kill everyone? Your ignorance about the world is astounding! If Christ knew what was being said in His name, he would be appalled.

Not a lot of tolerance on this thread, is there? Live, let live, love let love.........or, Just shut up....... Good evening.

Where there's smoke don't be surprised by fire...

http://orwellwasright.wordpress.com/2013/03/14/washingtons-pope-who-is-pope-francis-i-cardinal-jorge-mario-bergoglio-and-argentinas-dirty-war/

steve, part of the article that you quote states that there was a covert united states initiative to have a pro-us pope elected, and that the us was able to influence the 115 voting cardinals to elect a favorable to the us pope. REALLY????

@ steve. I went to the site which is a blog - anybody can start one up - and tried to see who operates the blog. Even if a blog or aggregator does not have someones name - like 'Drudge Report' or 'Huffington Post' - you can usually find the bloggers name and bio on the site somewhere. When i cant find it, i am more likely to discount the information.

Eleanor - child abuse has been a problem in the "other"religions, you say? - what other religions are you referring to and be specific?There is child abuse everywhere but specifically in what religions has it occurred and where did you get that information? And was it rampant and covered up in those religions you refer to? If the Catholic Church has been good to the poor, it is the Nuns who have made that happen for the most part. And the child molestations and cover up in the Catholic Church has been enormous - because it has been covered up and the offending priests moved from parrish to parrish with no accountability. It appears you discount information when you don't agree with the information from your postings on the Patch. Spare us, will you?

and now to the mainstream press....

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2293032/Jorge-Mario-Bergoglio-Did-Pope-Francis-I-fail-stand-Argentinas-brutal-junta.html

Eleanor - none of this comes anywhere near the level of the corruption of the Catholic Church in regard to child abuse. There is child abuse in the world - but none at the level of the Catholic priests - that was orgnaizationally covered up and perpetuated by the church at the same time. If you want to strike the comparison and that makes you feel better - go ahead. There is sexual abuse in the Boy Scouts too that was covered up - there is sexual abuse in the world - none on the level and extreme of the Catholic Church worldwide. One of the Cardinals who voted for the Pope was involved so he has not been held accountable and is over in Rome voting on the new Pope. No accountability. No comparison - but if that makes the Catholic religion palatable to you - fine. Most Catholics I know are totally appalled by the priest scandal but you brush it off because there is child abuse everywhere. And some people who are practicing Catholics do not agree with their stand on birth control, or gay rights or women in the clergy but they can still be Catholics - just not on the same terms as you.

And Steve: proving once again, no accountability in the Catholic Church.

Here we go again -- you are right about Eleanor

Jeff, Jeff, Jeff. Point to what I said that 'brushes off' abuse. I said that in certain religious communities there is child abuse and that the abuse and that the abuse in the Catholic Church is the one the media has covered the most. How pervasive it is elsewhere is something we may not know until it is covered with equal ink by the media. You also seem to assume that I am a Catholic. I'm not. I think the Catholic church has the right to set its own rules - whether people who attend mass choose to follow those rules in their every day life is up to them, but if you believe in gay marriage, abortion, divorce, contraception (tho i hear the new pope is flexible on that), women in the clergy maybe the Catholic religion is not for you. There is nothing wrong with picking another church.
And maybe you and 'Here We Go Again' could refresh my memory - exactly where have we met? Because you seem to make the kind of assumptions about me that no simple blog commenter would make when they don't know you.

I base my impression entirely on what you write on The Patch. That is sufficient to cover the scope of my conclusion.

So Eleanor, the Catholic Church child abuse has just gotten more media attention than the Mormans, the Jews, the Muslims, etc.? And its not that there has been much, much more worldwide abuse by priests and coverup by their superiors in the Catholic church, it is the media attention? That makes no sense but I guess you made an incorrect statement and you are sticking with it. No - I do not have any idea who you. I have only seen your posts here on the Patch and I agree with Here we go again.