The Buzz: Pope Francis – The Icon of Inclusion

For anyone who might not be sure of what inclusive behavior looks like, just follow Pope Francis. I am not Catholic, however no matter what your faith expressions (or not), since his election in March, Pope Francis has talked the walk and walked the talk when it comes to inclusion.  He is showing the world that even though we have differences they do not have to divide us. He embraces all people, rich and poor, gay and straight, young and old, and differently abled.  Here are just a few examples:

1. Soon after he took office, he is seen washing the feet of a Muslim woman inmate. He is the first Pope to wash the feet of a woman, much less an inmate and a Muslim.
2. In July the Pope challenged conservative Catholic doctrine on homosexuality when he declared, “If someone is gay and he searches for the Lord and has good will, who am I to judge?” Just this week, The Advocate, America’s oldest gay rights magazine, named the Pope their person of the year for listening to the concerns of the LGBT community.
3. When a little child interrupted The Pope’s address at the Vatican in October, the Pope continued his talk and allowed the boy to hug him and sit in his chair.
4. Some 600 people in wheelchairs waited to see Pope Francis recently. He greeted 100 of them individually, giving hugs and kisses as well as chatting. He lamented that society tends to “hide physical fragility” and reject the disabled. He encouraged those with physical disabilities to banish any feelings of shame, and become “protagonists” in society.
5. Pope Francis celebrated the end of Ramadan this year by reaching out to Muslims. “I want to send a hello to Muslims around the world,” he said. “I hope that Christians and Muslims engage in mutual respect, especially through the education of new generations.”
6. In his recent release of an 84-page document titled Evangelii Gaudium (The Joy of the Gospel), a document also called an “apostolic exhortation” we see further evidence of his strong advocacy for inclusion. In it he says:
• “How can it be that it is not a news item when an elderly homeless person dies of exposure, but it is news when the stock market loses two points? The rich must help, respect and promote the poor.”
• “We need to create still broader opportunities for a more incisive female presence in the church.”
• “Just as the commandment ‘Thou shalt not kill’ sets a clear limit in order to safeguard the value of human life,” he writes, “today, we also have to say ‘thou shalt not’ to an economy of exclusion and inequality. Such an economy kills.”
7. According to the Huffington Post, a “knowledgeable source” confirmed that the Pope was sneaking into the city at night disguised as a regular priest to minister to the homeless.
8. For his 77^th birthday this week, he invited homeless people into the Vatican and celebrated with his staff.
9. He has even embraced social media, an inclusive practice to reach more people, especially the younger generation.  The Pope tweets and has been pictured taking a selfie!

Dubbed the People’s Pope and also named as Time Magazine’s Person of the Year, we at The Inclusion Solution recognize Pope Francis as the Icon of Inclusion for 2013!