“Papa Pancho,” that’s what his fellow Argentines are already calling Pope Francis. “Pancho” is the Spanish diminutive for Francis. Francis, of course, was originally a nickname of sorts too, meaning “Frenchie,” for Saint Francis’s father's trading contacts with the south of France and for Francis’s own love of the poetry and songs of Provence.
In dubbing Pope Francis “Poncho,” his fellow Latin Americans are showing their affection for the former cardinal archbishop of Buenos Aires, but also an appreciation for his humble, familiar style. In choosing Francis as his papal name, the new pope signaled a real change in papal leadership. Invoking St. Francis as his patron brought focus on the new pope’s simple living, his apartment living, use of public transportation and even cooking for himself, and for his vigorous defense of the poor.
Some found it odd for a Jesuit to choose the name of the Franciscan founder for his papal name, but it is not odd at all. St. Ignatius Loyola, our Jesuit founder, greatly admired Francis. During his convalescence and conversion, Inigo read the lives of the saints and aspired to great things for God, as Dominic and Francis had. He particularly admired Francis’s poverty, and for years he imitated Francis’s mendicancy, begging to support his own life as a scholar.
When I heard the name Francis, I thought of another aspect of Francis’s life, the re-evangelization of the 13th century church. A key moment in Francis’s own conversion was a call he heard from the crucifix at San Damiano calling, ”Francis, rebuild my church.” For some time, Francis went about Umbria rebuilding dilapidated and ruined churches, taking the call with his customary literalness. In time, he came to understand the call in a deeper way as a mission to recall the church to the gospel. (Link: www.wikipedia/wiki/
According to the Franciscan legend, recorded by Giotto in one of the great frescoes at the Basilica of Saint Francis, the pope at the time, Innocent III, had a dream of a church collapsing and a small man in a rude robe holding it up at the corner. So, when Francis came to Rome to ask approval for his way of life and that of the “little brothers” who accompanied him, the pope gave his approval. There were many religious movements of poor men at that, but the Franciscans received approval. In their popular preaching, they gave new life to the church. The San Damiano crucifix now hangs in a side chapel of the Church of Saint Clare in Assisi. When I visit there, I used to pray beneath the cross for the good of the Church. I sincerely pray as Pope Francis begins his time as pope, he will hear the call of Francis, “Francis, rebuild my church.”
