Pope Francis

Lesson made on March 17, 2025

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Reading Lesson:

Pope Francis is the leader of the Roman Catholic Church. He became pope in 2013. Pope Francis is the 266th pope and the first one from the Americas. His birth name is Jorge Mario Bergoglio, and he was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in 1936. His parents were Italian immigrants. Before joining the church, he studied to be a chemical technician and worked in the food industry.

Francis worked as a teacher and leader in schools for priests. He later became a bishop, an archbishop, and a cardinal. When the previous pope resigned, church leaders met to choose a new pope. They chose Bergoglio, who took the name Francis. He named himself after St. Francis of Assisi, who is known for helping the poor and living simply.

As pope, Francis focused on helping people who are poor or treated unfairly. He wanted the church to care for everyone, including people who are not Catholic, people of other religions, and even those without a religion. He supported same-sex civil unions, talked about women’s rights, and stood up for refugees and migrants. However, he still followed many of the church’s traditional teachings, such as opposing abortion, same-sex marriage, and allowing women to be priests.

Francis spoke out about climate change, saying that harming the environment is wrong. He said that greed and selfishness hurt both people and the Earth. He traveled to many countries to spread kindness and peace, and to promote friendship between religions.

Francis also worked to fix problems in the church. In 2021, he changed church laws to punish priests who abused others. He made it clear that abusing people or hiding abuse is a serious crime.

Comprehension Quiz:

1. Which of these statements is false?

a) Pope Francis was born in Argentina.
b) Pope Francis is not his original name.
c) Pope Francis allows women to become priests.
d) Pope Francis speaks out about climate change.

2. Why do you think Francis chose the name “Francis”?

a) He liked the sound of it.
b) It reminded him of Argentina.
c) It was a popular name in his family.
d) It showed his love for helping the poor.

3. What are Pope Francis’s views on the environment?

a) He believes climate change is not important.
b) He thinks greed and selfishness harm the Earth.
c) He does not care about environmental issues.
d) He believes only scientists should talk about the environment.

4. Which is the correct order of events?

a) He became a bishop → He became pope → He studied chemistry.
b) He worked in the food industry → He became a bishop → He became pope.
c) He became pope → He became an archbishop → He worked in the food industry.
d) He became a bishop → He studied chemistry → He became pope.

5. What can we guess about Francis’s opinion on people from different religions?

a) He doesn’t care about them.
b) He says that they cause all of the world’s problems.
c) He believes they should be treated with kindness and respect.
d) He thinks they are wrong and should be ignored.

6. What can we guess about Francis’s views on women’s rights?

a) He doesn’t think women should have rights.
b) He supports women’s rights in some areas but maintains certain church traditions.
c) He wants women to become the leaders of the church.
d) He ignores the topic.

7. What does Pope Francis’s opposition to abortion suggest about his beliefs?

a) He is against all modern ideas.
b) He doesn’t think about women’s rights.
c) He supports changing all church laws.
d) He follows some traditional church teachings.

8. What does Pope Francis’s focus on the poor suggest about his values?

a) He believes in equality and helping those in need.
b) He only cares about rich people.
c) He does not think the church should help people.
d) He wants to ignore social issues.

9. How might Francis’s immigrant background influence his views on migrants?

a) He might understand their problems better.
b) He might think they are unimportant.
c) He might want to stop migration.
d) It has no effect on his views.

10. What is the main idea of the article?

a) Pope Francis is the first pope from the Americas.
b) The Catholic Church has a long and interesting history.
c) Pope Francis is a religious leader who focuses on helping people.
d) Pope Francis wants to change all church traditions.

Speaking and Writing Activities:

– Discuss these questions with a partner or a small group.

– Choose one topic and write a response to it. Show your writing to a classmate or teacher.

1. If you could choose a new name for yourself, what would it be and why?

2. Pope Francis cares a lot about helping poor people. What are some ways to help people in your community?

3. How can people from different religions live together peacefully?

More Reading Practice:

Organization of the Catholic Church

The Catholic Church has a clear structure of leadership, with different roles and responsibilities. At the top is the Pope, who is the leader of the entire Catholic Church worldwide. He is considered the spiritual head and makes important decisions for the Church. Below the Pope are the cardinals, who are senior leaders chosen by the Pope. They help advise him and can vote to elect a new Pope when needed.

Next are the archbishops, who oversee large and more important regions. They have a higher level of responsibility than bishops and often guide multiple areas. Below the archbishops are the bishops, who oversee specific regions. They are responsible for guiding priests and Catholics in their area.

Below the bishops are the priests, who lead individual churches, called parishes, and work directly with the people. They perform religious services, such as Mass, and provide guidance to the community. Finally, there are deacons, who assist priests and bishops. They often help with charity work, teaching, and other tasks in the Church. This structure helps the Catholic Church organize its work and support its members around the world.

How is a new Pope chosen?

Popes are elected through a process called a conclave, which happens when the position of pope becomes vacant, usually because the previous pope has died or resigned. The election is carried out by a group of high-ranking church officials called cardinals. These cardinals are chosen from different parts of the world and are responsible for selecting the new pope.

During the conclave, the cardinals gather in the Sistine Chapel in Vatican City, Rome. They vote in secret to choose the new pope. For a cardinal to be elected pope, he must receive at least two-thirds of the votes. If no one reaches this number, the cardinals vote again. This process continues until a new pope is chosen.

After each round of voting, the ballots are burned. If no pope has been elected, black smoke comes out of the chapel’s chimney to signal that the decision is still pending. When a pope is finally elected, white smoke appears, and the cardinals announce the new pope to the world. The newly elected pope then chooses a name and appears on the balcony of St. Peter’s Basilica to greet the public for the first time.

Pope Francis’ Health

Pope Francis, who is 88 years old, has been in the hospital in Rome since February 14, 2025, because he got a serious lung infection that turned into pneumonia in both of his lungs.

Recently, doctors said his condition is getting a little better. He is using less oxygen and needing less help with breathing. On March 16, the Vatican shared the first picture of the Pope since he was hospitalized. The photo shows him sitting in a wheelchair while he was holding Mass in the hospital chapel.

Even though he is improving, it is still not clear when he will be able to leave the hospital. He is getting treatment, including physical therapy and help with his breathing.

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