Source: CNN
(CNN) — Does it matter that the new pope comes from Argentina? It matters greatly, because Argentina shaped the life and the views of Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio, now Pope Francis. Through Francis, Argentina will help shape the church.
More than any country in Latin American, Argentina is a nation of immigrants, with an unlikely mix of inhabitants — including one of the world’s largest Jewish communities. It is nation that has undergone enormous political upheaval, where the human rights abuses of a cruel military dictatorship remain an open wound. It is country of great natural wealth and a proud culture on impressive display, but one in which poverty and inequality remain urgent problems.
Categories: Americas, Argentina, Catholic Church