Yes, I like Pope Francis. Sue me

[Hekate]

60. He refused to move into the palace -- and make no mistake, it's a palace.

When he was a cardinal he also refused to live in the ornate residence cardinals were expected to inhabit in his city, but instead lived in a small apartment, cooked his own meals, and traveled by public transportation. He could have had an entire staff waiting on him, including chauffeur.

Even more so in Vatican City -- he could live cocooned in splendor, it's all there, bolstered by hundreds and hundreds of years of tradition. But he would be in a Medieval to Renaissance bubble, and he would give up the independence of his own movements in the world.

So he moved into the Vatican guest house and afaik still lives there among people who are not tasked with waiting on him, nor are they self-appointed to "guide" his thoughts and present issues to him as they want him to see them. Don't know if he still cooks his own meals or simply eats what everyone else is having that day. But he's not living in the palace.

There is a Popemobile, and it has a bullet proof glass dome (ever since the 1981 assassination attempt against John Paul II) so the pope can sit up high and wave at the crowds. Also a chauffeur, and guards. He doesn't seem to want to use that, either. Ha! So he bought a very used car and he drives it himself.

The College of Cardinals elected this man, and they got him -- all of him -- but they sure can't control his movements or his actions. This isn't "just" symbolism. He seems to be shaking things up considerably, not just by this behavior but in other ways. I think his bank reforms are going to result in some people going to jail in the secular world, but right now heads are rolling and desks have been cleaned out.

The Church has become corrupt, and the whole world knows it by now. I sure won't argue that point, and I'm glad now that my parents left the Church for reasons of their own while I was still an infant.

But as to why we should care about what Pope Francis chooses to do with the opportunity he's been presented, know this: There are 1.2 billion Roman Catholics in this world, and the vast majority of them are just trying to live their lives as best they can, like the rest of humanity. Among their numbers are Joe Biden, and the Berrigan brothers, Cesar Chavez, the Kennedys, and countless others who have used their faith to do real good in this world. I won't stand for the broad-brush smear that says every member of the laity and clergy are corrupt and exist to hurt children, women, gays, lesbians. That's as much a lie as claiming the Church is without stain.

I'm not even a Christian anymore, but I do care very much whether the church of my ancestors manages to clean itself up. Given enough time, Francis could make great strides and lay the groundwork for more. Untangling their warped attitudes and teachings and behaviors regarding human sexuality is not the work of a single day or even year, but it's got to start somewhere, and he may well be the man to to begin it.