Pope Francis Named TIME's Person of the Year 2013

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This week, TIME magazine named its Person of the Year for 2013! Every year, TIME dedicates a magazine issue to a person, group, idea or object that "for better or for worse, ... has done the most to influence the events of the year." This year, the magazine has chosen Pope Francis, the current leader of the Catholic Church.

Ever since he was elected as the Pope in March following the resignation of Pope Benedict XVI due to ill-health, Pope Francis has captured the attention of many across the world.

As the Pope, he is less formal than the popes before him. Francis doesn't live in the papal palace. He drives a Ford Focus instead of a Mercedes. He doesn't wear the red Prada shoes or the gilded cross, opting instead for an iron one around his neck.

When he was elected, he told journalists that he chose the name Francis (in honour of Saint Francis of Assisi) because he was especially concerned for the well-being of the poor. From the beginning, he told an Archbishop, "You can sell your desk. You don't need it. You need to get out o the Vatican. Don't wait for people to come ringing. You need to go out and look for the poor."

He has since earned the nickname "Pope of the Poor." It was recently revealed that the Pope often sneaks out of the Vatican at night dressed as a regular priest to help the homeless. When he was a Cardinal, he even bought food to the homeless and sat and ate with them on the streets.

Although he has shown support for the Catholic Church's present teachings, Pope Francis has said that Catholics have become too obsessed with "small-minded rules" that they have forgotten about the greater need for tenderness, mercy, compassion, and as TIME puts it, "the vast possibilities of grace." He has urged the Catholic Church to emphasise compassion over condemnation of topics such as abortion, gay rights and contraception. As TIME writes, "Don't preach; listen, he says. Don't scold, heal."

As the Catholic Church is one of the world's oldest and largest institutions, change does not come easily. It has also been the subject of much criticism because of the scandal and corruption that goes on inside. But instead of passing harsh judgements, Pope Francis has reminded the Church and its followers about the importance of compassion, and in doing so, he has started to bring the Catholic Church back to its mission of healing – serving and comforting those in need – and balancing judgement with mercy.

"I see the church as a field hospital after battle. It is useless to ask a seriously injured person if he has high cholesterol and about the level of his blood sugars!" Pope Francis said.

Sources:
TIME Magazine: "Pope Francis, the Choice" & "Pope Francis, The People's Pope"
The Guardian: "Pope Francis named Time magazine person of the year for 2013"
Wikipedia: "Pope Francis", "Time Person of the Year"
Yahoo: "'Pope of the Poor' Secretly Living Up to His Nickname"
American Magazine: "A Big Heart Open to God"