Pope Francis, Short Bio

BERGOGLIO, S.J., Jorge Mario
(1936- Birth. December 17, 1936, Buenos Aires, Argentina. The family emigrated from Piedmont, Italy, to Argentina. Son of Mario Bergoglioa railway worker, and Regina Sivori, a housewife who took care of the intial education of the five children. When he was a teenager, he had a lung removed die to an infection.
Education. Obtained the diploma of technician in chemistry. Entered Seminary of Villa Devoto, Buenos Aires. Joined the Society of Jesus on March 11, 1958. Novitiate in Chile (humanities); Colegio Máximo San José, San Miguel, Buenos Aires (licentiate in philosophy); professor of literature and psychology in Colegio de la Inmaculada, Santa Fe, and in Colegio del Salvador, Buenos Aires; Colegio Máximo de San Miguel, (theology). Besides his native Spanish, he also speaks Italian and German.
Priesthood. Ordained, December 13, 1969, by Ramón José Castellano, titular archbishop of Giomnio. Further studies, 1969-1971; third probation, Alcalá de Henares, Spain, 1971-1972; took the final vows, April 22, 1973. Master of novices, Villa Barilari, San Miguel, 1972-1973; professor in the Theological Faculty; consultor of the Jesuit province and rector of the Colegio Máximo. Elected provincial of Argentina, July 31, 1973. During the Argentinian military dictatorship, he helped hide people being sought for arrest or disappearance by the military because of their political views, helped others leave Argentina and lobbied the country s military rulers directly for the release and protection of others. When the dictatorship was raging and some of his confrères were ready to embrace the rifle and apply the lessons of Marx, he energetically opposed the tendency as provincial of the Society of Jesus in Argentina. Spent some time in Germany. On his return, assigned to Colegio del Salvador, Córdoba and then, spiritual director and confessor, Jesuit Church, Córdoba. Rector of Colegio Máximo de San Miguel and of its Philosophical and Theological Faculties, 1980-1986. He published Meditaciones para religiosos, 1982; Reflexiones sobre la vida apostólica, 1986; and Reflexiones de esperanza, 1992.
Episcopate. Elected titular bishop of Auca and appointed auxiliary of Buenos Aires, May 20, 1992. Consecrated, June 27, 1992, cathedral of Buenos Aires, by Cardinal Antonio Quarracino, archbishop of Buenos Aires, assisted by Emilio Ogñénovich, bishop of Mercedes-Luján, and by Ubaldo Calabresi, titular archbishop of Fondi, nuncio in Argentina. His episcopal motto is Miserando atque eligendo. Attended the Ninth Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Vatican City, October 2 to 29, 1994. Promoted to archbishop coadjutor of Buenos Aires, June 3, 1997. He moved from the episcopal palace to a small apartment, took public transportation and cooked his own meals. Attended the Special Assembly for America of the Synod of Bishops, Vatican City, November 16 to December 12, 1997. Succeeded to the metropolitan see of Buenos Aires, February 28, 1998. Ordinary for the faithful of the Oriental rite in Argentina without an ordinary for their own rite, November 30, 1998. Grand chancellor of the Catholic University of Argentina. Second vice-president of the Episcopal Conference of Argentina.
Cardinalate. Created cardinal priest in the consistory of February 21, 2001; received the red biretta and the title of S. Roberto Bellarmino, February 21, 2001. Member of the Congregations for Divine Worship and the Discipline of the Sacraments, for the Clergy, for the Institutes of Consecrated Life and the Societies of Apostolic Life; of the Pontifical Council for the Family; and of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America. Attended the Tenth Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Vatican City, September 30 to October 27, 2001; relator general adjunct. Participated in the conclave of April 18 to 19, 2005, which elected Pope Benedict XVI. Attended the Eleventh General Ordinary Assembly of the Synod of Bishops, Vatican City, October 2 to 23, 2005. On November 9, 2005, he was elected president of the Episcopal Conference of Argentina for the triennium of 2005-2008; reelected for the triennium 2008-2011 on Novembr 11, 2008. Participated in the Fifth General Conference of the Latin American Episcopate that took place from May 13 to 31, 2007, in Aparecida, Brazil. Named member of the Pontifical Commission for Latin America on February 23, 2013.
Papacy. Elected pope on March 13, 2013. Took the name Francis.

Links. Photograph and biography, in Spanish, Agencia Informativa Católica Argentina (AICA); photograph and biography, in English, Press Office of the Holy See; photograph and biography, in Italian, Sala Stampa della Santa Sede; and his photograph and arms, Araldica Vaticana.

Article from http://www2.fiu.edu/~mirandas/bios-b.htm