ATLANTA — Pope Francis was a trailblazer in that he was the first Latin American pontiff and the first Jesuit.
Channel 2’s Lori Wilson spoke with leadership at the Latin American Association about the pope’s impact on the Hispanic community.
Santiago Marquez is the CEO of the Latin American Association. He said Pope Francis gave his community an overwhelming sense of pride.
“Not only was it a sense of pride because he came from Argentina, but I think it was a sense of pride because he understood us being social workers here,” Marquez said. “(He) loved to be among the homeless and the poor, (he) felt more comfortable with the downtrodden, if you would.”
As he reached out to people who may have felt marginalized by the church, he also spoke out on issues that were important to the Latin American community and the world, like immigration, climate change, and inclusion.
And he didn’t just talk about doing the right thing, he was a walking example of love.
“He washed the feet of lepers and that was an incredible thing, because I don’t know that I could do that,” Marquez said. “It’s mourning, but it’s also a celebration. 88 years, a legacy, trailblazer, and a hero, I think, to a lot of people.”
Marquez said he hopes that the church will pick another pope who will continue to move the church forward in how it addresses global humanitarian issues.
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