What You Should Be Reading: Francis I

via nytimes.com

I think everyone knows that we have a new Pope. When I say we, I mean the entire world. I think it goes without saying that most, if not all of the world’s people know who the Pope is.

Not everyone will be able to meet him, but, thankfully, we can get to know him from articles and features on him. I’ve found more than enough to get a real picture of who Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio is and will be.

I point you here, here, here, here and here.

Pope Benedict XVI’s departure and Pope Francis I’s arrival can already be called this year’s story of the year. And it’s only just begun. We all still have to find out what he’s thinking and where the Church will be headed.

As a journalist, it’s like a field day for me. There’s almost too much to read on both men. If you don’t believe me, just try a Google search of the men and see how many millions of hits you get. It’s pretty amazing.

For Pope Francis I’s  speech as the new Pope go here.

Jonathan

What You Should Be Reading: Conclave

via CNN

Conclave is here. The chimney going up is one of the first signs of the process.

Why am I doing an entire post on this? I’m not overly religious. I just find the entire process insanely captivating. I remember when Benedict was chosen not long ago. I was completely absorbed with the process, how it happened and everything that followed.

I know that may sound weird, but conclave hasn’t changed in, well, ever.

Who will it be? I have no idea. Thankfully the NYT is on it, though. Their interactive breaks the 115 Cardinals down by continent, country, age and appointer. It’s addicting to go through them all and they are all pretty different, as well. Religious or not, this “event” is a big deal. A very big deal.

via 206tours.com

For a complete interactive I send you here. The Vatican Insider is a great resource. Not all of it is in English, which is fine, but it really gives you a step-by-step process to everything. I’ve gone through it a couple times and I highly recommend it to anyone that still has questions. Believe me, it’s a pretty complex process, with laws older than everything else.

And before I go, conclave starts on Tuesday.

Jonathan