eFM News

<Soundbite 10secs - Vatican Speech>

<In his first speech to the world as pontiff, Pope Francis addressed over 150,000 people in St. Peter's Square focusing on the values of charity and love for all mankind.>

Cardinal Jorge Mario Bergoglio was elected to lead the Roman Catholic Church last March, following the unprecedented retirement of Pope Benedict XVI.

Francis is the first ever Jesuit chosen to the papacy and the first non-European pope in more than 1,200 years

Born in Argentina, the 77-year-old worked as a chemist and even nightclub bouncer before being ordained as a priest in 1969 and later appointed Archbishop of Buenos Aires in 1998.

He chose his papal name after St. Francis of Assisi, described as a the man of poverty, peace, and creation.

And it's these core values that the Pope has committed to in shaping the new face of the Church, often calling on world leaders to serve the poor and encourage a more inclusive society.

Francis has led by example by trading in the red and golden robes of his predecessors for a plain white tunic and forgoing luxuries such as flashy cars and accommodations.

<Dubbed the "people's pope," Francis's unorthodox methods have also garnered legions of new fans and critics alike.>

Breaking away from tradition, the pontiff washed and kissed the feet of several of women and a Muslim man during a pre-Easter ritual this past year.

He's also angered many conservatives by criticizing church leaders who he described as being obsessed with issues of abortion, gay marriage and contraception rather than God's message of mercy and compassion.

But aside from the PR boost, Francis has been cracking down on corruption in the Vatican by downsizing its scandal-ridden bank and setting up a committee to directly tackle child sexual abuse cases in the church.

Vatican watchers say the new attitude represents a fresh attempt to reform, unite and reinvigorate the Roman Catholic faith which boasts 1.2 billion followers worldwide.

For tbs eFM News, I'm Paul Yi. ■