Although some Slovaks might have hoped for another European Pope, for the first time in 1,300 years this did not happen. At the age of 76, Cardinal Jorge Bergoglio became the first South American pontiff, and the first to take the name Francis, in honour of St. Francis of Assisi, the 12th century saint who spurned wealth to pursue a life of poverty. The President of the Slovak Bishops' Conference Stanislav Zvolenský was surprised that the new Pope Francis was chosen so quickly, but he takes it as a manifestation of the unity of the Catholic Church. Zvolenský has confirmed that after Easter Pope Francis will get an invitation to Slovakia. His visit should mark the 1,150th anniversary of the arrival of missionaries - Saints Cyril and Methodius in what is today Slovakia.
An editorial in the Slovak daily SME concluded that despite the latest attempts of internal reflection on the coexistence between the Catholic Church and a rapidly changing world, the result of the vote was a strengthening sense that the Catholic Church must be firmly grounded in his ideological origins. And that its main task is to offer its view to the world, no matter whether those living outside appreciate it or turn their back on it. Another Slovak daily, Pravda, adds it can hardly be expected that Pope Francis will challenge the conservative direction of the Catholic Church. He strongly opposes abortion and euthanasia, and sticks to the Church’s position on homosexuality, although he admits the need to respect gay individuals as human beings.
Anca Dragu
