From a March 3 National Catholic Reporter profile of Cardinal Bergoglio, now Pope Francis I:
Bergoglio has supported the social justice ethos of Latin American Catholicism, including a robust defense of the poor.
“We live in the most unequal part of the world, which has grown the most yet reduced misery the least,” Bergoglio said during a gathering of Latin American bishops in 2007. “The unjust distribution of goods persists, creating a situation of social sin that cries out to Heaven and limits the possibilities of a fuller life for so many of our brothers.”
It appears from the article that the new Pope has been a critic of liberation theology and that he “has generally tended to accent growth in personal holiness over efforts for structural reform.”
Read the full article here.
Which means he supports a conservative (as in maintaining the system or structures) approach to poverty
J,
That does seem to be the case. However, I tend to find that even a conservative Catholic view of social justice is refreshing compared to the typical American view. That…and I am being an optimist given that it is only his first day. 🙂