ARGENTINA: Pope stood up to power, but has his critics

Record ID: 277818

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Pope stood up to power, but has his critics
  • Date: 15th March 2013
  • Summary: BUENOS AIRES, ARGENTINA (MARCH 14, 2013) (REUTERS) STREETS OF POOR NEIGHBORHOOD WITH CHILDREN PLAYING VARIOUS OF NEIGHBORHOOD; CAR IN PIECES, SHOE ON STREET, CHILD ON BIKE VARIOUS OF RECYCLER WITH CART VARIOUS OF INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF CHURCH HUGO CABRERA AND ANGELA ESPINOLA LOOKING AT PICTURES THEY TOOK WITH NEWLY-APPOINTED POPE FRANCIS (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) ANGELA ESPINO
  • Embargoed: 30th March 2013 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVA2DXNG04TL3GOSAKN9LBXHBD9W
  • Story Text: Argentina's pope, Jorge Bergoglio, is a fearless critic of the powerful and a bold advocate of the poor, but critics say the Church's record during the "dirty war" dictatorship raises some questions while gay activists question his stance on key issues.
    In recent years, Bergoglio's criticisms of those in power have been a constant of his leadership of Argentina's Roman Catholics.
    At the height of a devastating economic crisis in 2001-02 that plunged millions into poverty, Bergoglio's criticism of those in power was blunt.
    He sometimes visited the poor Buenos Aires neighbourhoods like this one, where he mixed freely with locals.
    "He sometimes came with the people at noon and served food to everyone. He ate standing up and would serve everyone and have them sit at the table," said one local church-goer, Angela Espinola.
    Hugo Cabrera, a Paraguayan immigrant, added Bergoglio was an approachable figure.
    "Because he's so humble, you're not ashamed to approach him and greet him or ask him for a picture. He's just like another friend who comes here," Cabrera said.
    However, links between some high-ranking Roman Catholic clergymen and the military regime that kidnapped and killed up to 30,000 leftists between 1976 and 1983 tarnished the Church's reputation.
    Some critics of Bergoglio, a Jesuit and the former archbishop of Buenos Aires, allege he failed to protect priests who challenged the dictatorship, and that he has said too little about the complicity of the Church during military rule.
    Bergoglio, who led the Jesuit order in Argentina during the dictatorship era, gave evidence at a major human rights trial and said he asked junta leaders to free two kidnapped priests, while his defenders say he helped many dissidents flee.
    Taty Almeida, one of the leaders of the Mothers of the Plaza de Mayo who marched for years outside the presidential palace to demand information on their missing children, said the Church as a whole, including Bergoglio, has a responsibility to the past.
    "(Bergoglio) has an unresolved matter pending, because we really know this was a civic, military and clerical coup. It makes you think the complete complicity of the church's hierarchy continues even today because from the pope down they've never mentioned it. Not this pope or the last pope or the one before that. They've never apologized," Almeida told Reuters.
    Bergoglio's relationship with activists and the national government, hit a recent low when Congress passed a law in 2010 making Argentina the first Latin American country to approve gay marriage.
    Bergoglio has spoken out strongly against gay marriage, denouncing it in 2010 as "an attempt to destroy God's plan."
    Pedro Paradiso is a lawyer and general secretary for the Argentine gay rights organization Cha.
    "In Argentina, Bergoglio was a violent opponent of same sex marriage and the gender identity law. During that time, in 2010, he called it 'God's war', a rather remarkable delirium. But fortunately for democracy, for Argentina, his war failed," said Paradiso.
    Bergoglio is not expected to stray far from Church doctrine on divisive matters of sexuality, divorce and abortion.
    He must overcome crises that have arisen because of child abuse by priests and the leak of secret papal documents that uncovered corruption and rivalry inside the Church.
    Some think Bergoglio's bold approach to problems will prove an asset as he takes the reins of a troubled Church shaken by scandal.
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