At 88, Pope Francis dances the tango with the global Catholic Church amid its culture wars
- Written by David M. Lantigua, Associate Professor of Theology, Co-Director of the Cushwa Center for the Study of American Catholicism, University of Notre Dame
Jorge Mario Bergoglio was 17 years old when he first received his vocation to become a priest. It happened on Sept. 21, 1953 – the beginning of spring in Buenos Aires – during a spontaneous visit to the confessional, or what Catholics call the sacrament of reconciliation.
This spiritual turning point for the future Pope Francis has been...