2025 Philadelphia Tango Festival
April 30, 2025
Cardinal McCarrick speaks about Argentine Pope Francis
Attached is a discussion with Cardinal Emeritus Theodore McCarrick of Washington, D.C.. Held at the prestigious Inter-American Dialogue, it covers how the Pope is elected, and some of the insights on how and why Pope Francis (Jorge María Bergoglio) was chosen, in addition to the priorities that the Pope faces. McCarrick notes that the number of Catholics in the Southern Hemisphere weighed, and the fact that Latin America has twice the number of Catholics that Europe has. An excerpt from introduction:
“Pope Francis’ commitment to the poor was a recurring topic. Many, including McCarrick, have pointed to the pontiff’s work alleviating poverty as a cornerstone of his career. An audience member asked whether the church would begin to “learn economics,” that is, focus on proven poverty reduction strategies rather than simply extolling charitable giving. McCarrick, as well as other participants who knew the pontiff, asserted that Pope Francis is quite familiar with the subject. Even President Dilma Rousseff of Brazil has publicly commented on the Pope’s knowledge of social programs in her country. This may be a sign that the Church may take a more active and technical role in the fight against poverty in the years to come.”
