Pope Francis
Lives simply.  A good sign.
Has an ambiguous relationship to right-wing death squads.  Not a good sign.
May redirect church attention from the bedroom to the poor.  A good sign.

EJ Dionne sounds cautiously optimistic about the new Pope and, as if often the case, I agree with him.

‘In the end, it is Pope Francis’ standing as a Latin American and as an advocate of the poor that may well define him.

His connection to Argentina is not without ambiguity. He has come under criticism for not speaking up strongly against the brutal Argentine junta that ruled the country from 1976 to 1983. Yet he is unlike some past leaders in the Latin Church who allied themselves with privilege.

He gave up the archbishop’s mansion in favor of a small apartment, and used public transit. He’s worked in his nation’s slums and asked his priests to do the same. He has outlined the shortcomings of unregulated capitalism, and of the International Monetary Fund.

For many Catholics, a great deal of hope rests on the new pontiff’s choice of the name Francis, the saint who disdained formal authority, devoted himself to a simple life, cared passionately about the marginalized, and saw actions as counting far more than proclamations.

It is said that St. Francis once declared, “Preach the Gospel always. If necessary, use words.” For a pope, it’s a challenging approach.’