From Argentina to Italy/ The life story of Pope Francis

2025-04-21 11:29:00, Kosova & Bota CNA

From a young age, he knew he would become a priest. When the Pope was 21, he fell ill with severe pneumonia and had part of his right lung removed. This reason connected him more to his faith.

In 1958, Jorge Mario Bergoglio, the Pope's real name, entered the novice order of the Society of Jesus and two years later he took his first vows as a Jesuit. In 1963, after returning to Buenos Aires, he studied philosophy at the San Miguel Seminary.

From Argentina to Italy/ The life story of Pope Francis

Between 1964 and 1965, he taught literature and psychology at a Jesuit high school in Santa Fe, Argentina, and in 1966, he taught at the prestigious Colegio del Salvador high school in Buenos Aires.

In 1967, he returned to his theological studies and was ordained a priest on December 13, 1969. After his permanent profession as a Jesuit in 1973, he became master of novices at San Miguel. Later that same year, he was elected superior of the Jesuit province of Argentina and Uruguay.

From Argentina to Italy/ The life story of Pope Francis

From 1979 to 1985, Father Jorge served as rector and theology teacher at Colegio Maximo, before completing his doctoral thesis in Germany.

In 1992, Father Jorge was appointed auxiliary bishop of Buenos Aires. He was one of three auxiliary members and spent most of his time taking care of the Catholic university, advising priests, and preaching and hearing confessions.

From Argentina to Italy/ The life story of Pope Francis

On June 3, 1997, Bishop Bergoglio was appointed coadjutor archbishop. He was appointed as the new archbishop of Buenos Aires on February 28, 1998. As archbishop, he was known simply as "Father Jorge" and maintained the position that the Church belongs to the street. He built chapels and missions in poor areas and sent seminarians to serve them.

From Argentina to Italy/ The life story of Pope Francis

He often spoke out against injustice, such as the treatment of migrant workers from neighboring countries, and against social issues such as abortion and same-sex marriage.

In 2001, Bishop Bergoglio was elevated to the rank of cardinal, and later that year he served as an official of the Synod of Bishops at the Vatican . That same year, Cardinal Bergoglio began a six-year term as head of the Argentine bishops' conference.

From Argentina to Italy/ The life story of Pope Francis

He was installed as the new Pope on March 19, 2013, the feast of Saint Joseph, before tens of thousands of people gathered in Saint Peter's Square in Rome.